Nabhdrishti Aerospace Nets $3 Mn To Develop Engines For UAVs, eVTOLs

Nabhdrishti Aerospace has secured $3 Mn (around INR 25 Cr) in an undisclosed funding round led by Accel, along with participation from a host of existing investors, including IIMA Ventures.

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to deploy the freshly raised capital to boost the development and testing of its engine prototypes as well as talent acquisition. 

“At Nabhdrishti, we are shifting that paradigm—developing cutting-edge technologies designed to run on sustainable fuels, including green hydrogen, to power everything from UAVs to next-generation air mobility platforms,” said Rohit Chouhan, cofounder and chief executive at Nabhdrishti Aerospace.

Founded by Chouhan, Arjun Srivatsa and Antanu Sadhu in 2023, Nabhdrishti Aerospace is building small gas turbines which will cater to hybrid urban air mobility, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) and decentralised power generation appliances. The company claims its engine to serve dual purpose — propulsion and power. It can cater to hospitals, heavy vehicles, manufacturing segments as well as light aircrafts, helicopters and hybrid electric flights.

The Aerospace Landscape : With technology steering India’s growth trajectory, the aerospace segment is also moving towards sustainable and clean energy solutions. While India’s eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) sector is in its infancy, investors are putting their bets on it. 

For instance, flying taxi startup Sarla Aviation recently raised $10 Mn in a Series A1 funding round which was also led by Accel. The company plans to use this capital in growing its operations and set up a new R&D centre.

Similarly, The ePlane Company also bagged $14 Mn in its Series B funding round to develop and certify its manned aircraft and testing flights.

Garuda Aerospace, Bellatrix Aerospace and Agnikul are among the prominent aerospace startups in the country.

Besides, the sector is also seeing new entrants. A few days back Zomato’s former chief operating officer (COO) Surobhi Das piloted an aerospace startup LAT Aerospace, with Deepinder Goyal serving as the non-executive director.

In 2024, former defence secretary Ajay Kumar floated a VC fund to back early stage startups in the defence, aerospace and deeptech sectors.

This indicates towards the growing attention being received by the aerospace sector in India. Additionally, the companies are leveraging new age technologies to compete in the sustainability race. For instance, a report by Indian Aerospace and Defence Bulletin suggests that UAVs are expected to handle more complex tasks including surveillance and search-and-rescue missions in 2025. 

It also highlights the importance of hybrid electric aircrafts in pushing sustainability and reducing dependency on fuel. 

As per a report by Delloite, the Indian aerospace industry is anticipated to reach the $70 Bn mark by 2030.