Indian Army Establishes Drone MRO Lab at MRC with ZUPPA Technologies Partnership

In a significant move aligning with the Indian Army Chief's November 2024 directive for "A drone for every soldier," the Dakshin Bharat Area, in collaboration with ZUPPA Geo Navigation Technologies, has established a state-of-the-art Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Lab at the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC).

"The real challenge in drone warfare lies not just in flying them, but in understanding the intricate electronic systems-especially the impact of high electromagnetic fields (EMF) on sensitive onboard sensors," stated Sai Pattabiram, Founder & MD, ZUPPA Pvt Ltd. "That’s what our MRO lab will offer—a hands-on, tech-intensive learning framework built for scale."

The initiative to address this critical need stemmed from a series of technical discussions between Lt. Gen. Karanbir Brar, General Officer Commanding, Dakshin Bharat Area, and Zuppa. The proposal for the MRO lab also integrated DGCA-certified drone pilot training and licensing, which will be facilitated in partnership with TNUAV Corporation. Following the official approval, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed between ZUPPA and MRC, paving the way for immediate implementation of the project.

This collaboration is set to significantly enhance the Indian Army's capabilities in drone warfare, ensuring soldiers are equipped not only to operate but also to maintain and repair advanced drone systems effectively.