Gurugram-based SPH Aviation Pvt Ltd. announced the launch of its new defence-focused brand, iQuantara, on May 13, 2026. The company said the initiative is aimed at developing indigenous drone technologies for India’s defence and surveillance requirements.
According to the company, iQuantara will work on the design, development, and deployment of integrated unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for applications such as surveillance, intelligence collection, border monitoring, GIS mapping, logistics support, emergency management, and autonomous drone operations.
Focus on Indigenous Drone Technologies
The company stated that iQuantara has evolved from defence-related projects previously operated under the SPH Aviation brand. The new identity is intended to consolidate the company’s defence and aerospace activities under a dedicated platform.
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iQuantara plans to expand its work in telemetry systems, remote controls, data exchange technologies, and autonomous flight capabilities as part of its research and development activities.
Production and Expansion Plans
The company said it is targeting production of more than 500 drones over the next year, with plans to scale annual manufacturing capacity to around 1,000 units.
SPH Aviation added that the new brand will use the company’s existing drone manufacturing and training infrastructure to support defence-related projects.
Collaboration with Research Institutions
The company also stated that it is collaborating with defence research agencies and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for drone technology development and deployment.
The move comes as India continues to expand domestic manufacturing capabilities in the defence and aerospace sectors under the government’s self-reliance initiatives.
Elctrik Speaks
The launch of dedicated defence drone platforms by private companies reflects increasing industry participation in India’s indigenous aerospace and unmanned systems segment. Areas such as surveillance drones, autonomous systems, and swarm technologies are expected to see higher development activity as defence localisation efforts continue to expand.
Lt. Gen (Dr) RK Anand, Chief Executive Officer, said: “iQuantara has been envisioned as a forward-looking platform to develop indigenous drone technologies that can address the dynamic needs of modern defence operations. Our focus is on building reliable, integrated mission-ready systems that are designed, developed, and manufactured in India. With our experience of defence services, I see strong potential for indigenous drone systems in transforming defence preparedness.”
Dr. Preet Sandhu, Founder & Managing Director, AVPL International & Promoter, iQuantara, added: “The launch of iQuantara marks a significant step at AITMC Venture’s journey as we expand from agricultural drone applications into the defence sector. With our strong foundation in drone technology and skilling, we see this as a natural progression towards supporting India’s self-reliance in deep-tech areas while building a future-ready innovation ecosystem. Over the next 5 years, we aim to invest ₹75 crores and expand our reach to 15% of defence markets.”