Summary - Bengaluru-based drone startup Airbound is redefining medical logistics through precision-engineered drones. Founded by 20-year-old Naman Pushp, the company is pioneering a cost-efficient, scalable model for healthcare delivery in India.

In a precision flight demonstration near Hoskote, Bengaluru, five Airbound drones successfully completed medical delivery trials for Narayana Hospital, a glimpse into the future of healthcare logistics. Founded by 20-year-old Naman Pushp, Airbound is on a mission to make critical healthcare delivery faster, more reliable, and independent of ground constraints.

“Our goal is simple, to make healthcare logistics faster, reliable, and accessible anywhere,” says Naman Pushp, Founder & CEO, Airbound.

From Prototype to Venture-Backed Innovation

What began as a student experiment during the pandemic has evolved into one of India’s most promising deep-tech ventures. Airbound received its first cheque of $25,000 from gradCapital, followed by a pre-seed round led by Lightspeed, with participation from Humba Ventures and global industry leaders from Tesla, Anduril, and Physical Intelligence.

Pushp’s early design of a Blended Wing Body (BWB) drone caught investor attention for its aerodynamic efficiency and sustainability potential, signaling a breakthrough in drone architecture.

Engineering a Smarter Flight System

Airbound’s proprietary drone platform, the TRT, leverages a blended wing body design, merging wings and fuselage into a single aerodynamic structure that improves lift and reduces drag.

Built from carbon fiber composites, the drones achieve up to five times better thrust efficiency than traditional quadcopters, using only 5–8 KgF thrust to achieve lift that typically requires 30–50 KgF.

The company’s upcoming models aim to deliver up to 3 kg payloads with drones weighing just 1.2 kg, a significant leap in energy-to-payload optimization.

Healthcare: The First Mission

Airbound’s strategic focus is healthcare, a sector where speed and precision directly impact lives. The startup is currently working with Narayana Hospital to deliver blood samples, diagnostic kits, and emergency medicines, reducing average delivery times by over 60% compared to road logistics.

Pushp believes healthcare delivery is the most immediate and impactful application of drone technology in India. “When every minute counts, technology should bridge distances, not add to them,” he notes.

Scaling Production and Reducing Costs

From assembling a few prototypes monthly, Airbound now manufactures one drone per day, with plans to scale to mass production. Backed by $8.6 million in funding, the company is building a fully indigenous drone ecosystem, reducing costs of production and delivery.

With its proprietary operating system RUDRA, one operator can manage 100+ drones simultaneously, each with a 40 km range, 60 kmph speed, and capability for multiple deliveries per charge.

The startup aims to bring down per-trip costs from ₹24 to under ₹5, paving the way for scalable, affordable drone logistics.

Regulatory and Global Outlook

Airbound’s TRT drone is currently undergoing DGCA type certification, a key step toward commercial deployment. The company has also filed a U.S. patent for its BWB design and is evaluating partnerships in markets with advanced drone regulations.

Domestically, Airbound is in discussions with pharma distributors and quick commerce companies to expand its delivery use cases beyond healthcare.

A Vision for Connected, Resilient Infrastructure

Airbound represents a new wave of India’s deep-tech entrepreneurship, focused on solving national-scale problems through precision engineering. As India builds toward a $5 trillion digital economy, Airbound’s vision aligns with the government’s Drone Shakti Mission, promoting indigenous innovation in aerospace logistics.

With technology rooted in efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility, Airbound isn’t just building drones, it’s building the infrastructure for smarter, faster, and more inclusive healthcare delivery.