Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Inaugurates New Drone Manufacturing Facility in Kancheepuram
Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Private Limited, a subsidiary of Coromandel International Limited, has inaugurated a new drone manufacturing facility in the Aymicheri region of Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. The facility is aimed at strengthening India’s indigenous drone manufacturing capabilities and supporting the company’s growing operations across agriculture, defence and enterprise applications.
The new facility was inaugurated by Arun Alagappan, Executive Chairman, Coromandel International Limited. The expansion is expected to help Dhaksha execute larger and more complex unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programmes while increasing the indigenisation of critical technologies.
New Manufacturing Facility to Support Drone Expansion
The Kancheepuram facility will bring together manufacturing, research and development, operational capabilities and ecosystem partners under one roof.
According to the company, the facility will support:
- Development and execution of larger UAV programmes
- Indigenous development of critical drone technologies
- Agriculture drone manufacturing
- Defence and surveillance applications
- Logistics-related drone applications
- Product development and testing
- Collaboration with technology partners
- Expansion of service and support capabilities
A dedicated production line for defence applications is also being established at the facility as Dhaksha expands its defence portfolio.
The company said the facility will serve as a platform for collaboration across the drone value chain, allowing technology partners to combine complementary capabilities and accelerate the development of an integrated drone manufacturing ecosystem.
Dhaksha Launches Two New Agricultural Drones
Along with the inauguration, Dhaksha announced two new agricultural drone models — DH Agrigator E10 Prime and DH Agrigator E10 Eco.
DH Agrigator E10 Prime
The E10 Prime has been developed using indigenous components and is aligned with the Namo Drone Didi programme. The product is intended to support the growing adoption of drones in Indian agriculture while contributing to the development of a domestic drone ecosystem.
DH Agrigator E10 Eco
The E10 Eco is positioned as a more affordable agricultural drone solution. It is designed to expand access to drone-based farming services, particularly for small and marginal farmers as well as rural entrepreneurs.
The launch highlights Dhaksha’s focus on developing practical drone solutions based on field-level requirements and feedback from the farming community.
Growing Focus on Defence Drone Applications
Agriculture is not the only focus area for Dhaksha. The company is also expanding its capabilities in defence applications, including surveillance and logistics.
The dedicated defence production line at the new facility is expected to improve execution capabilities while supporting the company’s efforts to increase control over critical technologies.
Dhaksha is also expanding its sourcing and service ecosystem, including its network of service centres, to support its growing operations.
Management Commentary
Speaking at the inauguration, S. Sankarasubramanian, Director, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Private Limited and Managing Director & CEO, Coromandel International Limited, said UAVs could play an important role in building a more productive, resilient and technology-enabled economy.
He highlighted the potential of drones across agriculture, defence and enterprise applications and said the new facility would integrate Dhaksha’s R&D and operational capabilities to enable greater collaboration and agility.
The company also emphasized its focus on developing indigenous drone solutions and strengthening India’s capabilities in the emerging UAV sector.
Dhaksha Unmanned Systems: Company Background
Dhaksha Unmanned Systems is a technology-driven unmanned aerial systems company focused on developing drone solutions for a range of applications.
The company traces its roots to Anna University-MIT’s Centre for Aerospace Research (CASR) and has been involved in drone technology and government projects since 2001. It became an independent private limited company in 2019.
Dhaksha has a strategic technology partnership with Anna University covering research and development, manufacturing and marketing of drones.
Its capabilities cover the complete UAV value chain, including:
- Research and development
- Drone design
- Manufacturing and integration
- Testing and quality assurance
- Training and certification
- Turnkey solutions
- After-market operational support
The company has developed capabilities across agricultural and specialised drone applications and holds DGCA Type Certifications for multiple drone platforms.
In July 2023, Coromandel International acquired a major stake in Dhaksha, helping strengthen the company’s technology capabilities and expand its manufacturing footprint.
Coromandel International’s Diversification into Drone Technology
The development represents another step in Coromandel International’s expansion beyond its traditional agricultural-input businesses.
Coromandel is one of India’s leading agri-solutions companies, with operations spanning fertilisers, crop protection, bio-products, specialty nutrients and organic products.
The company is the second-largest manufacturer and marketer of phosphatic fertilisers in India and has a significant presence in crop protection products.
Its specialty nutrients business includes water-soluble fertilisers, secondary and micronutrients and nano-fertiliser products, while its bio-products business focuses on plant extracts for various applications.
Coromandel also operates more than 1,200 rural retail outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Through these outlets, it provides agricultural inputs and services including crop advisory, soil testing and farm mechanisation to around 3 million farmers.
The company has 8 R&D centres and 21 manufacturing facilities spread across India.
Coromandel International Financial Scale
Coromandel International reported a turnover of approximately ₹31,827 crore during FY2025-26, according to the company’s disclosure.
The company is part of the Murugappa Group, which reported turnover of approximately ₹90,178 crore in FY2024-25.
The expansion of Dhaksha’s drone manufacturing operations adds a technology-oriented growth area to Coromandel’s broader agricultural ecosystem.
What This Means for Coromandel International
The new Kancheepuram facility could be strategically important for Coromandel as India’s drone ecosystem develops across agriculture and defence.
For agriculture, increasing adoption of drones for spraying, crop monitoring and other farm applications could create opportunities for companies with established relationships across the farming value chain.
For defence, the growing emphasis on indigenous UAV technologies and localisation could provide another potential growth avenue for Dhaksha.
The combination of drone manufacturing, indigenous technology development, agricultural applications and defence capabilities makes the Dhaksha business an area investors may watch as Coromandel continues to diversify its technology and agri-solutions portfolio.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Dhaksha Unmanned Systems, a Coromandel International subsidiary, inaugurated a new drone manufacturing facility in Kancheepuram.
- The facility will support agriculture, defence and enterprise drone applications.
- Dhaksha launched the DH Agrigator E10 Prime and E10 Eco agricultural drones.
- The E10 Prime is aligned with the Namo Drone Didi programme.
- The E10 Eco is targeted at expanding affordable drone-based farming services.
- A dedicated production line will support defence drone applications.
- The facility will promote collaboration across the drone technology ecosystem.
- Coromandel acquired a major stake in Dhaksha in July 2023.
- The development strengthens Coromandel’s exposure to India’s emerging UAV and indigenous technology ecosystem.
Point to consider
The inauguration of Dhaksha Unmanned Systems’ new manufacturing facility marks an important development in Coromandel International’s drone business strategy. With dedicated capabilities for agriculture and defence, new indigenous agricultural drone models and a greater focus on technology partnerships, Dhaksha is positioning itself to participate in India’s rapidly developing UAV ecosystem.
For Coromandel International, the expansion provides exposure to an emerging technology segment while complementing its existing presence across India’s agricultural value chain.