Bengaluru-based deep-tech aerospace startup Alteon has raised $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Lachy Groom. Together Fund also participated in the round.

The startup is working on a bold idea which is that autonomous aircraft that can stay airborne for months by using wind energy over the ocean. If the technology works at scale, it could change how countries monitor seas, coastlines, illegal activity and remote ocean areas.

What Alteon does

Alteon is building long-endurance autonomous aircraft. In simple words, these are small aircraft that can fly by themselves for very long periods without depending only on a battery or fuel tank.

The company’s technology is based on dynamic soaring. This is a flight method where an aircraft moves between layers of air travelling at different speeds and uses that wind movement to gain energy. Some seabirds use a similar method to travel long distances with very little effort.

Alteon wants to turn that natural idea into a working aerospace system.

Founder and founding year

Alteon was founded by Samay Sanghvi who began working on the technology in 2023 after finishing high school and formally incorporated the startup in 2025.

The company is based in Bengaluru and now has a team of around 20 people. It has also received early support from Emergent Ventures and 1517 fund before this pre-seed round.

Aim of the startup

Alteon’s main aim is to build aircraft that can remain in the sky for extremely long periods, possibly more than a year in the future.

The first major use case is maritime surveillance. This means watching activity across oceans and coastal areas. Governments usually depend on satellites, ships, drones and aircraft for this work. But each option has limits. Satellites may not provide constant close-level monitoring. Ships are expensive. Normal drones need regular charging or refuelling.

Alteon believes its aircraft could offer continuous visibility at a lower operating cost if the technology reaches full maturity.

Purpose of the funding

The $2.5 million funding will be used to improve Alteon’s autonomous dynamic-soaring technology, expand research and development, and move toward tougher offshore testing.

The company recently tested an aircraft over the Bay of Bengal, where it reportedly flew autonomously in repeated loops less than one metre above the ocean surface. This matters because flying so close to water is difficult. The aircraft has to handle wind changes, waves, spray and quick decision-making.

The next big milestone is energy-neutral dynamic soaring. In simple words, this means the aircraft should keep flying by using wind energy without needing active propulsion all the time.

Why this matters

If Alteon succeeds, its aircraft could help with border security, illegal fishing detection, smuggling monitoring, search and rescue support, and offshore infrastructure checks.

For example, a country with a long coastline could use such aircraft to watch wider sea areas without sending ships everywhere. That can save time, fuel and money.

Competitors and market view

Alteon operates in a specialized aerospace and defence-tech market. Its global competitors and adjacent players include companies working on long-endurance drones, maritime surveillance aircraft and autonomous defence systems, such as Skydweller Aero, Shield AI and General Atomics.

In India, it sits near the broader spacetech, drone and defence-tech ecosystem that includes companies like ideaForge, NewSpace Research, GalaxEye and PierSight, though their products and focus areas are different.

Conclusion – Key takeaways

Alteon’s $2.5 million pre-seed round is a strong early bet on a difficult aerospace problem.

The startup wants to build autonomous aircraft that can stay airborne for months by using ocean wind energy. The funding will help it test deeper, improve its aircraft, and move closer to proving long-endurance flight.

The idea is ambitious, and the technical challenge is still serious. But if Alteon proves energy-neutral flight in real ocean conditions, it could become one of India’s most interesting deep-tech aerospace startups.

Facts Input- TC, Inc42

India’s drone industry is moving into a more serious phase. The country no longer needs only small surveillance drones. It now needs stronger unmanned systems that can carry real supplies across mountains, deserts, coastlines and difficult border areas.

That is why ideaForge Technology’s Rs. 151 crore backing under the government’s Research, Development and Innovation, or RDI, Scheme is important. As per reports, the company has received a Letter of Intent for long-term debt financing at a nominal rate of interest to develop “YETI“, a heavy-lift autonomous aerial platform for high-altitude military logistics.

This is not just another drone project. YETI is being built for some of the toughest operating conditions faced by the Indian Armed Forces, especially in the Himalayas where troops operate at altitudes of 4,000m to 6,000m.

What ideaForge does

ideaForge is one of India’s leading drone technology companies. It was founded in 2007 by IIT Bombay alumni Ankit Mehta, Rahul Singh and Ashish Bhat. Vipul Joshi later joined the founding team.

The company builds unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, for defence, homeland security and enterprise use. Its drones are used for surveillance, mapping, security, disaster response and industrial inspection.

ideaForge became a listed company in 2023 after its IPO. As per the startup, its drones have completed more than 1 million flights. The company has also been ranked among the top global dual-use drone manufacturers by Drone Industry Insights.

In simple words, ideaForge is now a mature Indian drone company trying to build more advanced UAV systems for strategic and industrial needs.

What is the RDI Scheme

The RDI Scheme is a Rs. 1 lakh crore government programme created to support high-risk and high-impact research and innovation in India.

The Union Cabinet approved the scheme on 1 July 2025. It was launched by the Prime Minister on 3 November 2025. The scheme is meant to run over six years and support private-sector research in strategic and sunrise sectors.

These sectors include deep tech, robotics, space technology, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, energy transition, medical devices and advanced manufacturing.

The idea is to give patient capital to companies working on difficult technologies. These projects often take years to build and may not attract easy private funding in the early stage.

Why ideaForge received Rs. 151 crore

ideaForge has received a Letter of Intent for Rs. 151 crore in long-term debt financing at a nominal interest rate under the RDI Scheme.

The money will be used to develop YETI, a heavy-lift autonomous logistics drone.

This matters because building such a drone is expensive. It needs strong engineering, testing, autonomy software, payload design, safety systems, communication links and field validation in harsh terrain.

The report says the funding was formalized at the inaugural Enterprise Technology Evaluation agreement signing ceremony. It also marks an early disbursement under the government’s Rs. 1 lakh crore RDI framework.

What is YETI

YETI is a heavy-lift autonomous aerial platform designed for military logistics in high-altitude and extreme environments.

It is expected to carry payloads of up to 200 kg and cover a range of up to 200 km. It can take off from small, semi-prepared launch pads and operate during day and night.

That is important because mountain logistics is very different from normal delivery.

In the Himalayas, roads can be blocked by snow, landslides or weather. Helicopters are useful but expensive and not always available. Ground convoys can be slow and risky. A drone like YETI can help move supplies faster in areas where regular transport is difficult.

The drone is designed to deliver ammunition, equipment and critical supplies to frontline locations. It may also support infrastructure construction, emergency response, industrial logistics, express aerial delivery and offshore logistics.

Why high-altitude logistics is a serious problem

The Indian Armed Forces operate across very difficult terrains. In the north, Himalayan posts can sit between 4,000m and 6,000m altitude. In other regions, forces operate across deserts, marshes, forests and coastlines.

Moving supplies in these areas is not easy.

A small delay can matter. Troops need food, medicines, batteries, ammunition, winter gear, spare parts and communication equipment. In bad weather or conflict situations, road access may become unreliable.

A heavy-lift autonomous drone can reduce dependence on road routes and risky manual movement. It can also reduce pressure on helicopters for smaller but urgent payloads.

Why this matters for Atmanirbhar Bharat

Defence technology is not only about buying equipment. It is also about building the ability to design, produce, repair and upgrade systems within the country.

YETI fits into the larger goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat because it aims to create sovereign drone capability in a strategic category.

If India can build heavy-lift logistics drones locally, it can reduce dependence on imported UAV platforms. It can also customize drones for Indian terrain, Indian military needs and local operating conditions.

That is a major advantage. A drone built for European or Middle Eastern conditions may not automatically work well in Himalayan weather, altitude and logistics patterns.

Future of ideaForge

ideaForge’s future may depend on how successfully it moves beyond surveillance drones into larger autonomous systems.

The company has already raised Rs. 500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement, or QIP, in July 2026 to fund growth and strengthen working capital. The RDI-backed YETI project gives it another opportunity to expand into high-value defence logistics.

If YETI performs well, ideaForge can enter a larger market across defence, disaster management, industrial logistics and offshore support.

For example, the same type of platform could help deliver emergency supplies after floods, support construction in mountain regions, move parts at large industrial sites, or serve oil and gas operations near difficult coastal areas.

Competitors and market view

ideaForge operates in a fast-growing drone market.

In India, companies such as NewSpace Research and Technologies, Raphe mPhibr, Garuda Aerospace, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems, Asteria Aerospace and TSAW Drones are active in different drone categories.

Globally, defence and logistics drone companies from the US, Israel, Turkey, China and Europe are also working on autonomous UAV systems.

ideaForge’s advantage is its Indian defence experience, operational history and local manufacturing base. But YETI will still have to prove itself through real-world tests, payload performance, reliability and cost efficiency.

Challenges ahead

The YETI project is promising, but not easy.

• The first challenge is high-altitude performance. Thin air affects lift, engine or propulsion efficiency and battery behaviour.
• The second challenge is payload safety. Carrying up to 200 kg means the drone must be extremely reliable.
• The third challenge is autonomy. The drone must navigate difficult terrain, bad weather and limited landing space.
• The fourth challenge is regulation and military acceptance. Such platforms need testing, certification, security checks and operational confidence.
• The fifth challenge is scale. A prototype is one thing. Building and deploying many units reliably is much harder.

Conclusion with key takeaways

ideaForge’s Rs. 151 crore RDI financing for YETI is an important development for India’s defence drone ecosystem. It shows that the government is willing to support difficult, high-impact deep-tech projects that can improve strategic capability.

YETI is being designed to solve a real problem: moving supplies in high-altitude and hard-to-access areas. If successful, it can help the armed forces, reduce logistics delays and open new civilian use cases in emergency and industrial delivery.

Key takeaways –

1. ideaForge has received a Letter of Intent for Rs. 151 crore under the RDI Scheme.
2. The support is long-term debt financing at a nominal rate of interest.
3. The funding will be used to develop YETI, a heavy-lift autonomous logistics drone.
4. YETI is expected to carry up to 200 kg and fly up to 200 km.
5. The drone is designed for high-altitude military logistics, especially difficult Himalayan terrain.

Facts Input- The Tribune

Bengaluru-based deeptech startup Yaanendriya has raised Rs. 15 crore in its first institutional funding round led by Piper Serica. The startup is working on a very specific but important part of the robotics and drone world – sensors and navigation systems.

This may not sound as flashy as an AI chatbot or a consumer app. But without reliable sensors, drones cannot fly safely, robots cannot move accurately, and autonomous machines cannot understand their position properly.

That is why this funding matters. Yaanendriya is trying to build core hardware technology in India for sectors like drones, robotics, aerospace, defence, industrial automation and autonomous vehicles. In simple words, it wants to help machines know where they are, how they are moving, and how to stay stable even in difficult conditions.

What Yaanendriya does

Yaanendriya builds sensor and navigation products for autonomous systems. These products are used in drones, ground robots, industrial machines, unmanned platforms and other hardware systems that need accurate motion and position data.

Its product range includes IMU modules, AHRS modules, navigation controllers and industrial wireless communication products.

An IMU, or Inertial Measurement Unit, is a sensor system that measures movement, tilt and rotation. It usually combines sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes. An AHRS, or Attitude and Heading Reference System, goes a step further and helps calculate direction, roll, pitch and heading.

That may sound technical, so here is a simple example.

When a drone is flying, it needs to know if it is tilting left, rising, falling, turning or drifting. If the sensor data is poor, the drone may shake, lose balance or fail to hold its path. A good navigation system helps the drone stay steady and follow instructions more accurately.

Yaanendriya is building these “inside the machine” technologies that most users never see, but every serious autonomous system depends on.

Founders and founding year

Yaanendriya was founded in 2023 and is headquartered in Bengaluru. The company has links to ARTPARK and its early work reportedly began around the IISc Biomechanics Lab.

Yaanendriya’s was founded by Vamshi Bharadwaj M V, Vyshak Y and Vijay H P.

Why Piper Serica invested

Piper Serica has been increasing its focus on deeptech, defence technology, spacetech, semiconductors, AI and engineering-led startups. The firm also launched its Bharat Tech Fund in 2026 with a target corpus of Rs. 600 crore and a greenshoe option of Rs. 200 crore.

Yaanendriya fits that investment theme well. It is not building a software wrapper. It is building hardware, sensors and control systems that can become useful for India’s defence, aerospace and industrial robotics ecosystem.

The startup had earlier received grant support from government-linked bodies, including the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the Department of Science and Technology, according to reports. This new Rs. 15 crore round helps it move from research and early pilots toward commercial scale.

Purpose of the funding

Yaanendriya plans to use the money to speed up development of its navigation controllers, inertial measurement units, GNSS-based systems and precision sensors.

GNSS means Global Navigation Satellite System. It includes satellite navigation systems used for positioning. But in real-world use, machines cannot depend only on satellite signals. In cities, tunnels, defence zones, forests, mines or industrial sites, satellite signals may be weak or blocked.

That is where inertial sensors become useful. They help machines continue estimating movement even when satellite signals are not perfect.

The startup also wants to expand product development, support customer contracts, and convert its existing MoUs into larger commercial orders. Reports say Yaanendriya has over 20 customers and more than 10 MoUs, including an engagement with the 515 Army Base Workshop in Bengaluru.

What is Yaanendriya’s aim

Yaanendriya’s larger aim is to build reliable Indian sensor technology for the machines of the future.

Today, many advanced sensors and navigation systems come from global suppliers. For sensitive sectors like defence, aerospace and drones, depending too much on imported components can become risky. Costs can be high, supply chains can be uncertain, and customisation may be difficult.

Yaanendriya wants to solve this gap by building local technology that can be used in Indian and global products.

Its purpose is not just to sell one sensor board. The startup wants to create an electronics and navigation ecosystem for robots, drones and autonomous machines. That includes hardware, firmware, sensor fusion algorithms and integration support.

Sensor fusion simply means combining data from different sensors to get a more accurate picture. For example, a drone may use a gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, barometer and satellite signal together. One sensor alone may not be enough, but together they can give better stability and direction.

Why this technology is important for India

India is pushing harder into drones, defence manufacturing, robotics, spacetech, industrial automation and electric mobility. All these sectors need strong electronics and sensing systems.

A delivery drone, a defence UAV, an underwater robot, an automated factory vehicle or a mining robot all need accurate movement data. If Indian companies can build these core components locally, the whole ecosystem becomes stronger.

This also supports India’s “make in India” push in strategic technology. Instead of only assembling products using imported parts, startups like Yaanendriya can help build intellectual property within the country.

That is why this funding round is bigger than the amount suggests. Rs. 15 crore is not a huge number compared with late-stage startup rounds, but for a deeptech hardware startup, it can fund meaningful product development, testing and customer validation.

Competitors and market landscape

Yaanendriya operates in a technically demanding market. Globally, companies such as VectorNav, SBG Systems, Advanced Navigation, Xsens, Honeywell and Bosch Sensortec offer inertial sensing and navigation solutions. Open autopilot ecosystems such as Pixhawk, PX4 and ArduPilot are also widely used in drone development.

In India, the competitive landscape is more spread out. Some drone and robotics companies build parts of their navigation stack internally, while others rely on imported modules. Yaanendriya’s opportunity is to become a trusted supplier for companies that want reliable, locally built sensor and navigation systems.

Its challenge will be quality. Hardware customers care about accuracy, durability, temperature performance, vibration handling, calibration and long-term reliability. A sensor may look small, but proving it in the field takes time.

Conclusion with key takeaways

Yaanendriya’s Rs. 15 crore funding from Piper Serica is an important early step for India’s deeptech hardware ecosystem. The startup is working on sensor and navigation products that can support drones, robots, defence systems, aerospace platforms and industrial machines.

Its aim is clear – build reliable, India-made sensing and navigation technology for autonomous systems. If it can turn pilots and MoUs into large customer orders, Yaanendriya could become a valuable deeptech company to watch.

Key takeaways

• Yaanendriya raised Rs. 15 crore from Piper Serica in its first institutional funding round.
• The startup works on IMUs, AHRS modules, navigation controllers and precision sensor systems.
• Leadership includes Vamshi Bharadwaj M V, Vyshak Y and Vijay H P.
• The funds will support product development, customer expansion and commercialization.
• Its technology can be useful for drones, robotics, aerospace, defence and industrial automation.

Facts Input- WhalesBook