Bengaluru-based defence drone startup Zulu Defence is preparing for a sharp increase in production as it looks to expand beyond the domestic market, with the company planning to scale monthly output from about 300 drones currently to 550-600 units.
Nagendran Kandasamy, Co-founder and CEO said the company is planning to move from its existing 15,000 sq ft facility to a 45,000-50,000 sq ft unit to support the expansion. The company will also increase its assembly lines from three to six.
“We are currently producing around 300 drones a month and operating at about 70-80 per cent of our capacity. The next facility will give us the headroom to take this to 550-600 units a month,” Nagendran said.
The three-year-old company develops kamikaze, interceptor, surveillance and transporter drones, with its key differentiator being the proprietary software that allows different drone platforms to operate as part of a common ecosystem.
Zulu is working with the Indian Army and Indian Navy and has also begun receiving trial orders from European markets. Nagendran said the company’s experience of testing its systems across India’s varied terrain and climatic conditions gives Indian drone makers an advantage when entering international markets.
The company’s push overseas comes as defence drone startups continue to face challenges in India, particularly long procurement cycles and complex government acquisition processes.
Zulu currently has around 70 per cent local content, while the remaining 30 per cent is sourced globally. Nagendran said the company is targeting incremental localisation, but critical components such as advanced chips, rare-earth magnets and lithium remain dependent on global supply chains.
The company is now initiating its next funding round, which Nagendran expects to close within three to four months, with the proceeds earmarked for scaling production and accelerating international expansion.
Published on August 19, 2026
