TESCOM’s 15-Acre Drone Park Will Home India’s Complete Drone Ecosystem

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Electronics contract producer TESCOM goals to be “the drone producer of India.” In a candid dialog with EFY, TESCOM’s V. Balasubramani (Founder and MD) and B. Nandini (Director) and Flying Wedge’s Founder Suhas Tejaskanda revealed the corporate’s aspirational plans and investments to surpass Chinese language costs and lead a drone manufacturing ecosystem in India.

Q. What forms of digital merchandise does TESCOM manufacture, and who’re your major buyer segments?

A. TESCOM has been within the electronics manufacturing service enterprise for over 35 years. We’ve served as a contract producer for numerous OEMs in automotive, IoT, medical electronics, industrial automation, defence, aerospace, and shopper electronics. Working from three models in Bangalore and geared up with high-speed SMT traces in Coimbatore and Hosur, TESCOM stands out as the primary Indian firm for large-scale IoT module manufacturing. Famend for our capabilities in dealing with 03015 package deal elements, our tools ensures optimum yields, which is our USP.

Q. What are your ideas in regards to the potential for progress for Drones in India?

A. The Indian Authorities views the drone sector as a serious progress space, projecting a price of 295,000 crores by 2030, as per the EY FICCI report. Even with 50% indigenisation, this interprets to a considerable 1,47,500 crores in Indian manufacturing. The rise of the drone business will set off manufacturing advantages throughout subcomponents comparable to motors, payloads, communication modules, batteries, propellers, meeting, navigation programs, and airframes. This, based on the report, will foster indigenisation in allied industries, aligning with the “Make in India” initiative and contributing considerably to India’s economic system.

Q. What key capabilities are you constructing to cater to the distinctive necessities of the drone market?

A. TESCOM has proposed a 15-acre drone park that can home all the drone ecosystem. We are going to comply with the mannequin the place this ecosystem will provide to all within the drone market. We plan to have machining gamers, motor producers, carbon fibre sheet processing, flight controller manufacturing, battery packs, and the opposite needed sub-assemblies to fulfill the end-to-end wants of the drone business. TESCOM’s pricing will beat worldwide competitors with the anticipated quantity and progress.

– Commercial –

Drone testing wants a minimal of 5 acres of open land, a lab setup, and a classroom to coach pilots, as per the DGCA tips, and we already possess this. We additionally plan to develop a Distant Pilot Coaching Group to coach drone pilots. It will full the ecosystem and generate employment in rural areas. Customisation of drone manufacturing for various clients would be the spotlight of this ecosystem.

Q. How do you handle the drone provide chain, together with sourcing elements and coping with potential shortages?

A. Initially reliant on Chinese language suppliers, we confronted considerations with motor shortages. We’ve shifted to indigenous suppliers, validated their strengths, and aimed to increase this community. Collaborating with startups, we deal with R&D in battery manufacturing. The Electronics Metropolis Industries Cluster gives mechanical components and we’re working to extend their output. TESCOM and Flying Wedge goal for over 90% indigenisation of drone derivatives, with plans to fabricate all elements besides lithium core sourcing and ICs. Authorities schemes for MSMEs and huge corporations within the drone section align with our targets. Initiatives to make components in-house are underway, with a technique to scale up present efforts.

Q. Are there any challenges you’ve encountered on this course of? How did you overcome them?

A. We at the moment face challenges in sourcing lithium core and semiconductors, that are nonetheless being imported. We’re certain that with India’s semiconductor coverage, we’ll quickly grow to be self-sufficient with ICs. Since we rely on a number of different international locations for lithium core availability, we’re working with our companions to determine different options other than lithium. Although that is in a really nascent stage, we’re certain of reaching this as nicely.

Q. What motivated you to accomplice with Flying Wedge?

A. The product high quality, aligned and shared imaginative and prescient of each the businesses, values between each the businesses, information, talent, and experience of the Flying Wedge workforce are very refreshing and worthy to emulate. The cultural match between our corporations has been good, and we worth one another and the strategic partnership. TESCOM and Flying Wedge are at all times prepared for steady enchancment, which has been our driving pressure. We had been fast to grasp and concrete our partnership to be ready to fulfill the worldwide growth.

Q. What’s the USP of Flying Wedge’s drones as in comparison with its rivals?

A. Flying Wedge is India’s first DGCA type-certified drone know-how for agriculture. Its pesticide-carrying drones function light-weight, simply interchangeable tanks designed for fast dealing with with out exterior instruments. Flying Wedge drones boast of a sturdy design, utilising aluminium and carbon fibre as an alternative of plastic, enhancing airframe lifespan and crash sturdiness. They’re modular, transportable, and simply reconfigurable for numerous use instances. A two-wheeler with a field case replaces the necessity for a number of individuals, giant automobiles, and diesel, lowering operational prices. Geared up with auto-flight security checks and necessary well being monitoring, these drones provide autonomous flights with built-in workflows and user-friendly interfaces.

Q. What are the forms of drones Flying Wedge produces?

A. Flying Wedge was launched in February 2022, starting with catcher drones which had been equipped to L&T. We view this as a breakthrough and a milestone in our journey. From there, we developed the best-in-class agricultural and defence drones. We proudly maintain a monopoly within the distinctive catcher and killer drone market. Our surveillance drones are actively guarding India’s borders and demanding personnel.

Q. How will this USP have an effect on Flying Wedge’s clients, and why ought to it matter to them?

A. Our value discount and modern strategies will undoubtedly impression the drone business. The modular nature will improve our drones’ recognition and ease of administration. It will give us an edge over rivals who import drones as CKD and assemble them in India. Farmers will discover our drones extra snug to make use of with swappable tanks. Prospects prioritise value, consolation, and repair, so that they extremely worth our distinctive promoting proposition (USP).

Q. What had been the challenges Flying Wedge confronted in growing this USP?

A. The primary problem was understanding what our rivals provided and making our power and enterprise mannequin as our USP. Our goal clients wanted a cheap, easy-to-handle resolution, and we needed to work in direction of that. Initially, we used plastic for inner components and elements just like the folding mechanism which holds the motor and the arm. This mechanism undergoes most stress, and redesigning it to aluminium whereas sustaining precision was difficult. Equally, we labored in direction of a swappable pesticide tank and efficiently achieved it. Our software program was initially open-source, however later, we developed our customised software program and firmware that’s easy and steady. It’s certainly a daring try to speculate an enormous sum of money in growing know-how as a startup. We had no flying object kind licensed in India to search for a reference once we began, and we needed to fully rely upon international applied sciences, be it manned airplanes or unmanned plane. We needed to alter this and have a know-how of our personal to make India proud. The preliminary days of R&D had been fairly disappointing. The complete workforce struggled for a couple of 12 months and eventually achieved it. We are actually India’s first and solely type-certified indigenous unmanned plane know-how firm for the agriculture sector. Elevating funds for R&D was the largest problem that we confronted. No one was keen to consider in a bunch of children attempting out a brand new know-how and a brand new product. At each stage, we needed to show ourselves and set up our competence.

Q. For which classes of drones have you ever partnered with TESCOM?

A. Presently, now we have partnered with TESCOM for agricultural drones. We’re certain of a long-term relationship the place we additionally intend to increase the collaboration for defence drones. We have now additionally partnered with TESCOM within the agricultural sector, showcasing drones as a service to the farmers.

Q. What key causes prompted Flying Wedge to accomplice with TESCOM?

A. Flying Wedge is exceptionally good at analysis and know-how. We had been on the lookout for an exceptionally good accomplice with experience in electronics manufacturing and meeting. TESCOM’s managing director, V. Balasubramani, and director, Nandini, include a mixed expertise of greater than 50 years within the business. They’ve been instrumental in constructing the Digital Metropolis ecosystem. Balasubramani’s entrepreneurial capability and risk-taking capacity may be very excessive, and so they drastically assist in growing new concepts and initiatives.
We consider the connection between an organisation and its provider ought to transcend easy shopping for and promoting. It ought to have synergy in trust-building and alignment of targets. With TESCOM, now we have discovered the consolation of managing the enterprise and planning for threat administration actions collectively. This has resulted in enchancment in all sectors and helps Flying Wedge keep forward of the curve. The strategic partnership can be serving to in important value discount. Additionally, TESCOM has served as an important lifeline throughout provide chain disruptions, providing alternate sources of provide or stepping in as contingency companions. This partnership ensures enterprise continuity and fortifies the organisation’s resilience within the face of unexpected challenges.

Q. Do you will have comparable partnerships with different producers for different classes of drones?

A. We’ve partnered with the Digital Metropolis Industries Affiliation (ELCIA) Cluster. We manufacture the mechanical elements on the ELCIA Cluster, which can be underneath the supervision of TESCOM. This distinctive consortium is India’s first and solely unmanned plane manufacturing hub. Since TESCOM manages our provide chain and has demonstrated specialised information for innovation in each side of producing and so they have been part of our journey, now we have by no means felt the necessity to accomplice with different producers.

Q. What distinctive benefit can TESCOM provide its clients by means of partnership?

A. Our built-in manufacturing facility ensures the bottom value, matching or surpassing Chinese language costs. Swift supply is a precedence, and transparency in operations fosters buyer loyalty. We prioritise partnerships aligned with shared targets, providing value, high quality, and innovation benefits by means of managed provide chains.

Within the dynamic panorama of fast innovation, our intent is to create a aggressive benefit for purchasers. Collaborative partnerships allow us to grasp market necessities, making certain a steady provide chain whereas fostering innovation. Via strategic alliances, we rework into valued enterprise companions, translating advantages for purchasers. Our centralised manufacturing, coupled with deliberate automation, ensures the best high quality and effectivity.

Q. Will such a partnership allow TESCOM to draw extra drone clients, or will it act as a deterrent?

A. Partnering with clients will permit us to anticipate what our clients want and, in flip, perceive what the market wants. We may be extra engaged with the shopper and construct loyalty and belief as we’ll take possession of the enterprise by understanding finish buyer and market wants. With the present plan and technique, since we’ll at all times be market-ready, we could appeal to extra clients. As contract producers, we at all times preserve the confidentiality of our clients, so dealing with a number of clients from the identical vertical won’t be a problem. We plan to have separate manufacturing blocks in our drone park the place every buyer’s design can be taken for manufacturing. It will guarantee complete confidentiality.

Q. Why ought to drone OEMs have a look at outsourcing their manufacturing to TESCOM and never establishing their plant?

A. TESCOM gives drone OEMs priceless partnerships, making certain agility, responsiveness, and economies of scale to fulfill sudden demand surges. Outsourcing to TESCOM alleviates considerations in regards to the fragile world provide chain affected by geopolitical modifications. Plans for a 15-acre drone park, with strategic companions for key elements, guarantee a hurdle-free provide chain. TESCOM’s horizontal integration goals to handle challenges, positioning it as a number one participant in drone manufacturing. Although not totally mature, drone know-how and demand profit from TESCOM’s large-scale horizontal integration, offering early entry to options. The seamless ecosystem created by TESCOM will make its choices engaging for the OEMs.

Q. Is TESCOM able to work with startups that originally deal in very low portions of drones, or are you aiming for the main gamers?

A. TESCOM will assist startups by providing alignment, help, and long-term steerage. Our goal is to grow to be the popular white-label producer for main OEMs, making certain managed processes and high quality programs. We goal to surpass Chinese language costs and provide chain effectivity by catering to small and huge corporations. Our final objective is customisation and white labelling, with a dedication to confidentiality by means of distinctive designs for every buyer.

Q. How does TESCOM view numerous initiatives and insurance policies by the federal government of India (and a few state governments) to drive demand for drones in India?

A. India has carried out main laws and insurance policies addressing drone business demand and provide by means of PLI and import bans. The worldwide market is anticipated to comply with swimsuit, fostering fast progress. The Drone Guidelines 2021 is a pivotal change for India’s drone business. Central authorities subsidies embrace the NAMO Drone Didi Scheme (80% subsidy as much as 8 lakhs), FPO Kisan Drone Subsidy (75% subsidy), and Particular person Kisan Drone (50% subsidy as much as 5 lakhs). Authorities initiatives like Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra elevate consciousness. IFFCO procured 2500 drones this 12 months, planning to assist agriculturists extra. Collaboration amongst ministries and departments addresses business challenges, supporting startups and huge corporations for ecosystem improvement. Schemes for girls and self-help teams spotlight the inclusion of ladies pilots in India’s rising drone sector.

Q. What’s your imaginative and prescient for TESCOM relating to drone manufacturing in India?

A. TESCOM goals to be India’s drone producer, and our imaginative and prescient is aligned with the Indian authorities’s imaginative and prescient to show India into a world drone hub. We intend to steer India’s drone manufacturing aspirations by turning into India’s premier drone vacation spot. We need to lead the manufacturing of a seamless provide of all forms of drones from all sectors and all classes. Our workforce headed by our Director Nandini is engaged on this at numerous ranges and consolidating all of the out there sources in India.

Q. What challenges does TESCOM see in reaching this imaginative and prescient, and the way do you propose to beat them?

A. The communication hole between lawmakers and drone makers can be a problem. Additionally, gradual know-how adoption as a result of a lack of information will delay the business’s progress. The concern of dropping jobs within the ground-level workforce within the agricultural sector may also be difficult. Points could come up in getting permission for drone flights, and abroad demonstration of drone know-how can be difficult. With out export, we can not lead within the sector, so regulatory our bodies want to assist us in easing out export norms for drones.

Discussions with central and state authorities departments are underway, and we’re collectively expressing our considerations. We see that the assist we’re getting from the federal government equipment is phenomenal, and all these considerations and challenges can be addressed because the objective and imaginative and prescient of India is to grow to be the “drone capital of the world.”