Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies Pvt. Ltd. has partnered with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, to establish a dedicated drone Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IISc’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. The initiative is aimed at advancing indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies through focused research, design, and testing of autonomous drone systems built specifically for Indian operational environments.
The collaboration brings together industry-driven innovation and academic research to address critical gaps in drone autonomy, performance, and scalability. The Centre of Excellence will focus on developing next-generation UAV platforms and navigation solutions that can operate reliably across India’s diverse terrain and climatic conditions, supporting both civilian and strategic applications.
“At Zuppa, our mission has always been to spearhead indigenous innovation in UAV and navigation systems,” said Sai Pattabiram, Founder and Managing Director of Zuppa, adding that the CoE brings together academic excellence and industry-driven technology leadership to build solutions that can scale globally. His comments highlight Zuppa’s long-standing focus on building homegrown drone and navigation technologies with global relevance.
From the academic side, IISc sees the initiative as a way to translate cutting-edge research into deployable technologies. A senior representative from IISc’s Department of Mechanical Engineering noted that the partnership would help bridge scientific research and real-world applications, particularly in areas such as drone autonomy, aerodynamic design, and performance optimisation.
The Centre of Excellence will integrate Zuppa’s cyber-physical technology stack with IISc’s deep expertise in aerodynamics, robotics, control systems, and systems engineering. This combined approach is expected to accelerate innovation across the full UAV development lifecycle, from conceptual design and simulation to prototyping, testing, and validation.
Beyond research and development, the CoE will also serve as a talent and knowledge hub. It will support structured training programmes, internships, and collaborative research opportunities for students and engineers, helping build a skilled workforce capable of driving India’s drone ambitions forward. These efforts align closely with national initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s domestic drone ecosystem through sustained industry–academia collaboration.
By establishing the Centre of Excellence at IISc, Zuppa and the institute are positioning themselves at the forefront of India’s UAV innovation landscape. The partnership underscores a shared commitment to developing indigenous, high-performance drone technologies that not only meet domestic needs but also compete effectively in global markets.
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