Optiemus Infracom Unit Launches Drones In Agricultural, Mapping Category

A wholly owned subsidiary of Optiemus Infracom Ltd. launched a range of drones in the agricultural and mapping category on Thursday. It will be powered by components designed and manufactured in India, according to the exchange filing.

Optiemus Unmanned Systems Pvt. will be adopting a strategy of 'drone as a service' to reach out to target markets as well as train around 6,000 pilots to manage a fleet of 5,000 drones by the end of 2025. Optiemus Infracom will invest around Rs 140 crore in the project and expects a service revenue around Rs 600–900 crore by 2025.

OUS will develop drones with indigenous parts and the goal is to "contribute towards the prosperity of farmers who are the backbone of the country". The company aims to achieve a minimum of 65% indigenisation and increase the target up to 75% by the end of this fiscal, it said.

It intends to launch the drones, which can be used in precision farming and spraying, at an affordable price. The pricing strategy will enable mass level deployment and adoption of drones, across India, it said.

OUS will offer drones for services focused on precision agriculture, and pesticides/fertiliser spraying.

Agri Shakti 10L— an agricultural drone that can fly for up to 15 minutes and supports a 10-litre spray tank capable of spraying 1 acre in approximately 7 minutes.

The Vajra QC P20 can perform a wide array of tasks in precision agriculture. It is also ideal for mapping farmlands for the insurance industry to assess damage to the crop in event of natural calamities, according to the filing.

"The potential for this business is huge, given the benefits it serves," Ashok Gupta, chairperson of Optiemus Infracom, said. "We are set to leverage our expertise in drone technology to offer a cost-effective and efficient solution for agricultural and defence needs."

Shares of Optiemus Infracom closed 17.55% higher at Rs 380.45 apiece on the BSE, compared to a 0.08% advance in the benchmark Sensex.