Drone Startup Airbound Raises USD 8.65 Mn to Revolutionise Autonomous Logistics The seed funding round was led by Lachy Groom, co-founder of Physical Intelligence, with participation from Humba Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and senior executives from Tesla, Anduril, and Ather Energy.
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Bengaluru-based autonomous logistics startup Airbound has secured USD 8.65 million in seed funding, led by Lachy Groom, co-founder of Physical Intelligence, with participation from Humba Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and senior executives from Tesla, Anduril, and Ather Energy.
With this round, Airbound's total funding now exceeds USD 10 million. The fresh capital will be used to scale manufacturing, expand operations beyond medical deliveries, and prepare for wider market adoption by 2026.
Founded in 2023 by 20-year-old Naman Pushp, Airbound is developing a new generation of blended-wing-body autonomous aircraft designed to transform the economics of drone delivery.
The startup's ultra-light aircraft boasts a 1.5 kg-to-1 kg payload ratio, enabling delivery costs up to 20 times lower than conventional logistics. Its carbon-fibre frame and unique blended-wing-body design combine vertical takeoff and landing with the aerodynamic efficiency of fixed-wing flight, offering a scalable and sustainable logistics solution.
Pushp described healthcare logistics as the ideal testing ground for Airbound's technology. "Traditional logistics move around 150 kg of mass to deliver one kg of payload. Our aircraft moves just 2.5 kg per kg of payload. This design makes drone delivery scalable and affordable," he said.
Airbound has begun a three-month pilot program with Narayana Health, targeting up to 10 medical deliveries per day, including blood samples, test kits, and essential medical supplies.
The company's long-term goal is to make delivery costs so low that distance becomes irrelevant, ensuring access to goods and services across even the most remote areas.
Airbound joins a growing field of Indian drone logistics innovators, including Skye Air Mobility, TechEagle, Garuda Aerospace, and ideaForge.