ideaForge Technology Limited, India’s leading manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems, has received a Letter of Intent for up to Rs 1.51 billion in long-term debt financing at a nominal rate of interest under the Government of India’s Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme.

The capital will be channelled into the development of YETI, a heavy-lift autonomous aerial platform engineered to operate across some of the world’s highest terrains and most extreme environments.

The Indian armed forces defend an extensive border spanning diverse terrains, including the Himalayas in the north, where operations are conducted at altitudes ranging from 4,000 m to 6,000 m, deserts in the west, marshes and forests in the east, and a long coastline. Logistics operations are severely hindered by challenging terrain and weather conditions, resulting in critical delays.

Several industrial and civilian operations are also affected by terrain and weather, including trade and commerce in remote regions, critical infrastructure construction and offshore platform logistics.

YETI aims to bridge this critical gap while supporting the broader national goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat. It is an autonomous fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing hybrid aircraft engineered to perform reliably in extreme environments, including high-altitude regions, deserts and marine conditions.

Capable of carrying loads of up to 200 kg and covering ranges of up to 200 km, YETI can take off from small, semi-prepared launch pads. It is designed for easy setup and operation and can function during the day and at night.

The platform is intended to enable autonomous aerial delivery of ammunition, equipment and critical supplies to frontline locations. It can also support infrastructure construction, industrial logistics, express aerial delivery, offshore logistics and emergency response missions in difficult-to-access regions.

The funding was formalised during the inaugural Enterprise Technology Evaluation agreement signing ceremony and represents the first disbursement event under the Government’s Rs 1 trillion RDI Scheme.

The scheme aims to catalyse private sector-led deeptech innovation across strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, robotics, space and advanced manufacturing. ideaForge is among the first companies to secure funding under the framework, reflecting the Government’s confidence in the company’s ability to deliver sovereign capability at scale.

Ankit Mehta, CEO and Co-founder, ideaForge Technology Limited, said, “YETI represents a generational leap in what India can design, build, and operate autonomously. Our armed forces and our logistics networks face the daily reality of reaching where roads end, and weather doesn’t cooperate. YETI is our answer to that challenge, which is engineered not just to fly, but to deliver, reliably and repeatably, in the conditions that define the toughest operational environments. The government’s confidence in ideaForge through the RDI framework is a reaffirmation that Indian deeptech players are now ready to carry the weight of national capability-building.”

ideaForge first unveiled the YETI concept at Aero India last year as part of its next-generation, mission-first platforms aimed at future-proofing the armed forces and improving operational efficiency and safety.

The platform marks the company’s expansion beyond surveillance-focused unmanned aerial vehicles into autonomous, high-capacity aerial logistics systems. YETI also reflects the broader shift towards specialised, AI-enabled logistics drones capable of supporting military and commercial operations.

Developing the platform indigenously for sovereign applications aligns closely with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and the country’s growing focus on self-reliant defence technologies.