SKYBER Partners Sibia To Sell India Made UAVs In Middle East And Africa Region

Advanced air mobility startup SKYBER Aerospace has partnered with Dubai-based Sibia Technologies to sell made-in-India unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) products in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

As part of the multi-year deal, SKYBER will supply customised military UAV systems equipped with enhanced data security features to strengthen the regional defence systems, it said in a statement. 

Additionally, it will also provide its clients in the MEA region with fully autonomous drones featuring AI-powered navigation and decision-making capabilities. 

On the other hand, Sibia will be responsible for sales, service, customer relationships, marketing efforts and regional supply chain logistics.

Founded by Abhishek Sircar and Joseph George in 2023, SKYBER Aerospace manufactures advanced UAVs and AI-enabled edge computing chipsets. 

Earlier this month, the Bengaluru-based deeptech startup bagged a contract from the Indian Army, though the details of the project remain classified, SKYBER said in a LinkedIn post.

Through the partnership, SKYBER aims to secure defence contracts and cater to the demand for UAV technologies in the commercial segment across oil & gas, construction and agriculture sectors.

To become a leading UAV solutions provider in the MEA region, it will tap Sibia Technologies’s existing partnerships with major domestic telecom providers to enable UAV solutions using public and private 5G networks.

Over the next five years, SKYBER aims to strengthen its position in the MEA market, expand its product portfolio, set up local manufacturing plants, and work on diversifying UAV applications.

The company said future versions of its UAVs could be equipped with high-precision sensors and long-range surveillance capabilities. Further, it is also working on development of drone-swarming technology.

“Countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and parts of Africa are expected to be significant consumers of UAV technology due to their increasing Defense budgets, need for border security, and investments in modern technology for commercial sectors. The partnership between SKYBER Aerospace and Sibia Technologies represents a significant step towards tapping into the burgeoning UAV market in the Middle East and Africa,” said Joseph George, cofounder and CEO, SKYBER Aerospace.

SKYBER Aerospace competes against the likes of IdeaForge, Garuda Aerospace, Tata Advanced Systems and Mahindra Defence Systems in the broader defence tech sector, which is projected to reach a market size of $128 Bn by the end of this decade.

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