Indian phosphatic fertilizer company Coromandel International, through its venture capital arm Dare Ventures, has made an undisclosed investment in drone startup Dhaksha Unmanned Systems.

The investment, which is the third for Dare Ventures this year, will be used by Dhaksha Unmanned Systems for talent acquisition, research and development (R&D), and production scale-up.

Based in Chennai, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems currently offers a range of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology solutions for applications in agriculture, surveillance, defence, and delivery sectors, among others.

Agrigator, a drone developed by the Indian drone startup for use in agriculture, helps farmers in the application of fertilizers and crop protection products on their farms. Featuring a 12L spray tank, it is claimed to enable farmers to cover up to 30-35 acres per day with eight-hour usage.

Ramanathan Narayanan — Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Director and CEO said: “We are excited to partner with Dare Ventures. I am confident this will help us create several milestones in the drone industry, deliver world class drones, offer exceptional support to customers across India and make the company a frontrunner in realizing the government’s vision of making India a ‘Global Hub’ for Drones.”

As part of its efforts to launch new age agritech solutions for Indian farmers, Coromandel had earlier partnered with Dhaksha drones to carry out several pilot programs for drone-based nutrient and crop protection applications.

Sameer Goel — Dare Ventures Director and Coromandel International Managing Director said: “Coromandel is delighted to support Dhaksha in its aim to create a transformational impact on the drone manufacturing industry in India. With its strong research and manufacturing capabilities, we expect Dhaksha to be a leader in the Indian drone manufacturing space in the near future.

“Our investment in Dhaksha underscores Coromandel’s commitment to help Indian farmers access latest technologies in agriculture. We believe drones will be a game changer in increasing the adoption of water-soluble fertilisers, liquid fertilisers, nano fertilisers, in addition to the crop protection products in India.”

  Chennai, Coromandel International, Dare Ventures, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems, drones, India, Ramanathan Narayanan, Sameer Goel