When Asteria launched operations over a decade ago, its mission was clear: to take the aerospace expertise of its co-founders and channel it into building India’s drone ecosystem from the ground up. At the time, the defense sector offered the biggest opportunity, so the company focused on designing and manufacturing rugged, high-performance drones tailored for military and paramilitary use, while also reducing India’s reliance on foreign technology in this critical space.
Since then, Asteria has grown into a full-stack drone technology company. It is no longer just about hardware—the team delivers integrated solutions across hardware, software and data analytics. Today, Asteria works with government bodies and enterprise clients across sectors such as defense, homeland security, oil and gas, Geographic Information System (GIS), critical infrastructure and agriculture, turning aerial data into real-time insights that drive decisions. Read on to learn how Asteria solved real-world challenges and built scalable drone solutions for mission-critical applications.
Compliance-First and Built for India
India’s complex regulatory landscape has significantly shaped Asteria’s growth. When the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) introduced the Drone Rules, 2021—which mandated that an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) cannot operate in India without a type certificate unless specifically exempted—Asteria ensured its systems met the requirements.
The A200-XT and A410-XT drones fully comply with the updated safety and certification standards, reflecting the company’s commitment to responsible, regulation-ready operations. Asteria is the first Indian drone manufacturer to receive three DGCA type certifications, two in the small category and one in the micro category.
The company also goes beyond basic compliance. It keeps its teams updated on evolving rules and maintains strict protocols for operating drones in any type of zone be it sensitive, restricted, or open. Its approach to obtaining necessary permissions involves a meticulous process of flight planning, risk assessment and regulatory compliance that ensures customers do not face delays or legal issues.
Built to Solve, Designed to Scale
Asteria serves a broad customer base, including defense and paramilitary forces, law enforcement agencies, civil authorities and enterprises across agriculture, oil and gas, telecom and construction. Each solution addresses a specific operational need whether it’s reconnaissance for border patrol, crowd control for police forces, or land surveys for state departments.
The team collaborates closely with each client to configure drones with the appropriate sensors, payloads and software tools. From industrial inspections to precision crop monitoring, every system is designed to solve the customer’s problem and deliver measurable value. Asteria’s drones offer best-in-class performance in range, endurance, temperature and wind resistance, object detection and avoidance and payload capacity. They have operated at altitudes over 6,000 meters (above sea level) in the Himalayas and in the extreme heat of the Rajasthan deserts.
To support drone operations at scale, Asteria launched SkyDeck, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that manages everything from mission planning to data processing. It transforms drone-captured data into actionable insights through Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered analytics and a user-friendly dashboard.
Real Impact. Real Results.
Across India, Asteria’s drones help response teams act faster, operate smarter and make better decisions. Delhi Fire Services and police departments in states like West Bengal (Kolkata) Kerala and Madhya Pradesh use Asteria’s systems to assess damage, locate missing persons and access hard-to-reach areas quickly and safely. What once took hours on foot or wasn’t possible at all now happens in minutes from above. But it’s not just public safety where Asteria has made an impact. Enterprises across sectors such as energy, infrastructure and construction are leveraging its drone technology to streamline operations and accelerate their digital transformation.
Inspection
Pipeline Infrastructure Limited (PIL) and natural gas company GAIL (India) Limited, for instance, have used Asteria’s drones to inspect hundreds of kilometers of pipeline in just a few days. The drones help detect threats and encroachments early to ensure the integrity of critical infrastructure spread across remote and rugged terrain. What once required extensive manpower and long timelines is now completed with speed, accuracy and significantly reduced risk.
Construction
In construction, Ambuja Neotia partnered with Asteria to digitize its land development process using full-stack drone solutions. Asteria’s drones conducted high-resolution aerial surveys, generating orthomosaics, contour maps, digital surface models (DSM) and digital terrain models (DTM). These insights captured both natural and man-made features with a ground sampling distance of just 2.43 cm/pixel, critical for planning, design and flood-risk modeling. The data helped map elevation changes, determine spot levels and even predict waterlogging zones by simulating a 70-year flood scenario using records from the Indian Meteorological Department. With this intelligence, Ambuja’s teams gained a deeper understanding of terrain complexities, identified safe construction zones and optimized site layouts. Today, Ambuja deploys Asteria’s drone technology across multiple projects turning data into decisions, faster.
Infrastructure
Asteria also collaborated with a freight corridor agency under Indian Railways to digitize inspections and enhance infrastructure safety. The A200-XT drone played a critical role, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where traditional survey methods fall short. Using SkyDeck’s live-streaming feature, railway officials monitored drone operations in real time from their offices. They received precise, visual-rich project updates as they happened enabling faster, more informed decision-making on the spot.
A Big Win with the Indian Army
Asteria recently completed its largest drone deployment to date: delivering the AT-15 Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) drones to the Indian Army. These drones are equipped with advanced features, including high-resolution day-night cameras, precision artillery targeting support and superior flight performance in high-altitude conditions.
With a unique blended-wing design, the AT-15 offers exceptional aerodynamics and remains airborne for up to 120 minutes with a 20 km range. Its vertical takeoff capability allows deployment from confined or rugged locations. Asteria’s integrated Electro-Optical and Infrared Sensors (EO/IR) payload supports long-range aerial surveillance both day and night, while the all-composite construction keeps the system lightweight and durable.
Scaling Innovation for a Global Future
Neel Mehta, Co-founder and Director at the company said, “At Asteria, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of drone technology to meet the evolving needs of enterprises and defence forces alike. From critical aerial surveillance to precise industrial inspections, our cutting-edge drone solutions empower organizations to leverage drones for real-time business intelligence and operational efficiency. As we continue to innovate and expand our solutions, we remain dedicated to strengthening India’s position as a global leader in the drone industry.”
The future looks promising not just for the drone industry as a whole, but especially for pioneers like Asteria Aerospace, one of the earliest and most successful entrants in this space. Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its product portfolio to meet the evolving demands of diverse sectors while exploring new applications where drone technology can make a meaningful difference.