@OkuloAerospace has been named among the winners of the @EricssonIndia Innovation Challenge, organised by @ericsson in partnership with @TiEDelhi and @ianetwork (Indian Angel Network). Out of 800+ applications across India, we made the Top 20 and were chosen as one of just 6 teams to showcase our technology. The nationwide initiative was designed to back 5G-powered technologies tackling critical societal challenges, and we brought one single focus to the stage: rural connectivity. Over 500 million Indians are still offline. Ground-based telecom towers reach about 3.5 to 10 km, the signal weakens at the edges and after the Tripura floods, telecom recovery was delayed by five days. Our answer is a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (#HAPS): a solar-powered aircraft flying at 20 km to act as an aerial tower. Operating alongside ground and satellite networks, it targets 3,800 km² of direct-to-phone 5G coverage with under 10 ms latency. This builds on flight-proven hardware we have already certified and flown: #SUVI, India's first @DGCAIndia Type Certified solar-electric #UAV and HINET, our military VTOL built under the @SpokespersonMoD, India's iDEX program. Next, we are looking for partners to run a 5G-enabled HAPS pilot in an underserved rural corridor. Telecom operators, public-sector partners and collaborators, write to us at: [email protected]. Thank you, @ericsson, @TiEDelhi, and @ianetwork (Indian Angel Network). @OkuloAerospace @Parithi_Aero @JavaCapital @IdeaspringCap @vcatsindia @ericsson @EricssonIndia @exploreIMC @TiEDelhi @ianetwork @DoT_India @dhawan_atul @Avicenteranz @JM_Scindia @DGCAIndia @SpokespersonMoD @vakyamp @prathvshetty #5G #Innovation #Aerospace #Telecom #EricssonAtIMC #IndiaMobileCongress #IMC2026 #5GIndia #IMC #AI #StartupIndia #IANGroup #HAPS #DeepTech #EricssonInnovationChallenge #OkuloAerospace #DGCAIndia

For years, High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites sat in the ‘promising technology, worth a demo’ bucket but that bucket is now empty. Over the last several months, we’ve seen #HAPS move from an interesting concept to a real market with defined buying timelines. The tri-services themselves are no longer just asking what this tech can do, they are actively building out requirements for it: The @IAF_MCC Indian Air Force issued an RFI (Request for Information) for procurement of High-Altitude Platform Systems (April 2025). The @SpokespersonMoD Ministry of Defence released the TPCR (Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap) 2025 which outlined a clear requirement across all three services for 80-90 HAPS units with 90-day flight endurance (September 2025). The Defence Acquisition Council granted official AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) approvals for both Airship-based (February 2026) and Fixed-Wing HAPS (July 2026). The @indiannavy Indian Navy flagged problem statements requiring long-endurance, above-weather ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), a role built specifically for HAPS (September 2026). The @IAF_MCC Indian Air Force also issued an EOI (Expression of Interest) for the design, development and manufacture of Fixed-Wing HAPS (September 2026). Parallely, the broader #UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) and Loitering Munitions roadmaps reinforce where persistent #UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) platforms sit in India’s aerospace stack. Additionally, our internal discussions with the tri-services indicate that this isn’t an aspirational push anymore, it’s an active, requirement-backed market being built right now. You can read more about HAPS in our previous posts. #HAPS #UAV #UAS #ISR #Aerospace #IndianAirForce #DefenceAcquisition #TechnologyRoadmap #LongEndurance #MarketGrowth @Parithi_Aero @JavaCapital @IdeaspringCap @vcatsindia @OkuloAerospace @SpokespersonMoD @IAF_MCC @indiannavy @IndiannavyMedia @indianarmy @prathvshetty @vakyamp

20 km above sea level is one of the most underutilized layers of Earth’s atmosphere. Above the weather, above commercial flight paths but 25x closer to Earth than Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and thousands of kilometres closer than Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, this is where High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) operate. Traditional observation forces a choice between data quality and persistence: LEO satellites (~500 km) offer good spatial resolution but pass overhead in minutes due to high speed orbital motion; whereas GEO satellites (35,000+ km) stay parked over one region but their extreme distance sacrifices spatial resolution and introduces high latency. Operating from the stratosphere solves both of these problems: Sitting just 20 km up unlocks spatial resolution as fine as ~7 cm GSD (ground sampling data), a level of detail that Low Earth Orbit satellites at 500+ km simply cannot reach (~25 cm GSD at best). Unlike LEO satellites that disappear over the horizon in minutes, a solar-powered HAPS UAV stays locked over a targeted region, delivering continuous, real-time data without compromising the spatial resolution at an ultra low latency. It’s not about replacing space or aviation. It’s about occupying the layer between them to deliver precision that neither can match on its own. As stratospheric UAVs and high-altitude sensor technologies evolve side by side, we are open to early-stage collaboration and exploring partnership opportunities with teams developing payloads across large UAV and small satellite categories. To know more, reach out to us at: [email protected]. #HAPS #StratosphericUAV #HighAltitudeTech #EarthObservation #SpatialResolution #DataQuality #AerialSurveillance #InnovativeTech #UAVPartnerships #PrecisionData @Parithi_Aero @OkuloAerospace @JavaCapital @IdeaspringCap @vcatsindia @prathvshetty @vakyamp

We recently demonstrated SUVI to the @IndiaCoastGuard Southern Coast Guard and Coastal Police, validating how persistent aerial monitoring performs in real-world maritime environments. India’s coastline spans over 11,098 km, making constant maritime surveillance a massive challenge. SUVI supports coastal units by extending visual coverage and providing continuous aerial tracking over wide maritime zones. During the live demonstration, real-time video feeds provided ground teams with immediate visibility over distant waters. The UAV used for this demonstration was SUVI, India’s first DGCA Type Certified sub-10 kg solar-electric platform. Designed as a compact, hand-launchable system requiring zero runway infrastructure. It offers key operational advantages in the field. Powered by integrated solar-electric technology, SUVI delivers up to 7 hours of continuous flight endurance and an operational range of 50 km. Allowing the ground teams to cover expansive coasts, eliminating the disruption of constant landings and battery swaps. The platform features a fully interchangeable payload system. Operators can rapidly swap cameras and specialized sensors in the field depending on the mission profile. Beyond routine coastal watch, teams can track illegal fishing, smuggling, and unauthorized crossings across high-risk boundaries, day or night, without putting personnel in harm’s way. The same platform adapts just as seamlessly to urgent emergency responses. It can rapidly scan vast search grids across open ocean for search-and-rescue (SAR) missions, while also monitoring offshore infrastructure and environmental threats like water pollution. SUVI stands ready to empower coastal defense and security units across diverse operational challenges. For a detailed breakdown of SUVI’s specifications and system architecture, access our product brochure here: drive.google.com/file/d/1lRb… #MaritimeSurveillance #CoastalSecurity #AerialMonitoring #UAV #SolarElectric #SearchAndRescue #BorderSecurity #EnvironmentalMonitoring #IllegalFishing #OperationalReadiness @OkuloAerospace @Parithi_Aero @JavaCapital @IdeaspringCap @vcatsindia @IndiaCoastGuard @DGCAIndia

The recent flash floods in Jammu & Kashmir are a stark reminder of a recurring tragedy: when severe disasters strike, ground infrastructure is the first thing to fail. Power goes out, cell towers get knocked offline and entire communities vanish into communication blackout within minutes. For first responders trying to navigate destroyed terrain and locate missing people, those initial hours are a desperate race against time. This is precisely where High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS) can rewrite the outcome of a disaster response. Operating high up in the stratosphere, far above storm clouds and completely independent of ground power, solar-powered HAPS can be quickly redirected over a crisis zone. In Jammu & Kashmir, where almost 44 cloudbursts have claimed around 35 lives, having this technology operational would have fundamentally changed the on-the-ground reality: Instant Connectivity Restoration: Flying as a continuous floating cell tower, HAPS gives trapped families in isolated pockets the ability to send emergency SOS messages, while keeping rescue teams connected without relying on damaged ground networks. Persistent Airborne Monitoring: Bad weather and cloud cover often blind conventional satellites. Because HAPS operates in the stratosphere, it is vastly closer to Earth than satellites and hence, delivers dramatically higher image resolution. Equipped with non-optical payloads that pierce directly through heavy clouds and darkness. HAPS provides continuous, day and night intelligence helping commanders spot survivors, track shifting terrain and guide rescue teams in real time. When lives are on the line, every minute counts. By filling the gap between ground networks and space, HAPS gives emergency teams the clear, uninterrupted line of sight they need to save lives. And disaster relief is just one of many vital applications transforming the future of stratospheric aviation. Dive into how HAPS technology is transforming global connectivity, emergency response and environmental monitoring on the World Economic Forum’s strategic intelligence platform: intelligence.weforum.org/top… #HAPS #DisasterResponse #JammuKashmir #EmergencyTech #Connectivity #StratosphericAviation #FloodRelief #RescueOperations #Innovation #GlobalMonitoring

We recently wrapped up a great experience at @larsentoubro 's Drone Manthan, where @OkuloAerospace was proud to be featured as one of only 21 selected startups. Connecting with teams across various L&T subsidiaries gave us space to have meaningful discussions around real-world UAV applications, helping both sides uncover fresh ways this technology can be advanced. Opportunities like these are a great reminder of how much potential lies in collaborative growth and we are excited to keep building on the connections made during the event. Also, huge congratulations to the L&T team on unveiling their impressive new UAV, Vedh Mk1. #DroneManthan #OkuloAerospace #LarsenToubro #UAVApplications #CollaborativeGrowth #VedhMk1 #AerospaceInnovation #StartupShowcase #TechNetworking #FutureOfDrones

For too long, India’s industries and defense forces @adgpi have relied heavily on foreign space-tech infrastructure. However, that trajectory is changing as Indian defense forces are trying to become more independent. Read the full breakdown on this massive shift below.👇