Marut Drones Raises $6.2M to Strengthen Product Development and Growth

Marut Drones has raised $6.2 million in Series A funding from Lok Capital. This investment will enhance Marut’s product development and manufacturing capabilities as it builds a comprehensive ecosystem to advance drone adoption across various sectors in India. Lok Capital’s involvement highlights its commitment to supporting innovative, tech-driven agricultural and food businesses.

Empowering Tier 2 and 3 Cities and Rural Communities

With this funding, Marut Drones aims to make a significant impact beyond just individual users, driving economic activity and entrepreneurship in tier 2 and 3 cities. By expanding its presence in rural areas, Marut enables financial independence for grassroots communities and fosters a new wave of rural entrepreneurship.

Strategic Allocation of Funds for Growth Initiatives

Marut Drones plans to utilize the funds across several initiatives:

• Product Development: The company will focus on creating advanced agricultural drones designed specifically to meet the needs of Indian farmers.
• Rural Expansion: Marut will extend its channel partner network and establish service centers in tier 2 and 3 cities, facilitating better access to drone technology for rural customers.
• Drone-as-a-Service Hubs: Setting up dedicated drone hubs will allow Marut to offer drone-as-a-Service through collaborative partnerships, making the technology more accessible and practical for agricultural communities.
• Training and Employment: Marut will recruit professionals across its verticals and launch 17 drone academies, creating a pipeline of skilled drone operators.
• Research and Development: Working with leading institutions, Marut aims to develop cutting-edge applications, such as direct seeding and crop monitoring.

Lok Capital’s Director, Hari Krishnan, shared his enthusiasm for Marut Drones’ potential to uplift the rural economy, stating, “We’re excited to partner with the team at Marut to bring solutions to farmers and the broader rural economy. Drones for agriculture are a novel technology that can secure the health of crops, while also saving water, preserving soil health, avoiding exposure to chemicals, increase yield to farmers and providing income to village-level entrepreneurs. Our investment in the company will support market expansion, new technology innovations, and indigenous manufacturing efforts.”

Prem Kumar Vislawath, CEO and Co-Founder of Marut Drones emphasized the alignment of Lok Capital’s values with Marut’s mission, saying, “This significant investment reinforces Marut Drones’ commitment to empower Indian farmers and develop applications for aggregating drone-based services for institutions across sectors. The fresh capital will also allow us to make investments in building our team, increasing our manufacturing capacity to 3000 drones per annum, and marketing to continue scaling at a rapid pace to reach a revenue target of 1000 cr in the next five years.”

Founded in 2019 by Prem Kumar Vislawath, Suraj Peddi, and Sai Kumar Chinthala, Marut Drones has expanded its reach with over 750 drones and 1000 trained drone pilots across 14 states in India. The company, which now employs more than 200 team members, has launched India’s first DGCA Type Certified agricultural drone, the AG365H, inaugurated by prominent officials, further solidifying its leadership in drone technology.

While agriculture remains a core focus, Marut Drones is actively exploring applications in disaster management and surveillance, aiming to become a comprehensive drone solutions provider. The company’s initiatives contribute to productivity and cost reduction for farmers while generating rural employment opportunities in tier 2 and 3 cities.

Marut Drones invites partnerships from agri-entrepreneurs, input companies, equipment manufacturers, retailers, and distributors to revolutionise India’s agricultural industry. Through these alliances, Marut seeks to create a thriving ecosystem for drone sales, services, and training, paving the way for widespread drone adoption in India’s agri-sector.

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