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FedEx completes intra-city drone delivery trials in Bengaluru with IIT Madras

#Infrastructure News#Infrastructure#India
Last Updated : 26th Apr, 2026
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Synopsis

FedEx has successfully conducted India’s first intra-city drone delivery trials in Bengaluru in collaboration with IIT Madras. The trials showed that a 53 km road journey taking over an hour could be reduced to a 39–42 km aerial route, cutting delivery time to around 21 minutes. The project was carried out under the FedEx SMART Centre, focusing on improving time-sensitive logistics. The trials also operated within regulated airspace zones with approvals from DGCA, highlighting the growing role of drone technology in building faster and more efficient urban logistics systems.

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FedEx has completed intra-city drone delivery flight trials in Bengaluru in partnership with IIT Madras, marking a first for such operations in India. The initiative was carried out under the research framework of the FedEx SMART Centre at IIT Madras, which focuses on developing advanced logistics solutions.


The study evaluated urban aerial corridors and found that a typical 53 km road journey, which usually takes over 60 minutes, could be replaced with a shorter aerial route of about 39–42 km. During the trials, this shift reduced the one-way delivery time to nearly 21 minutes, indicating a significant improvement in time-sensitive logistics operations.

The drone flights were conducted through designated Airport Yellow and Red Zones, with all required approvals obtained from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This ensured that the trials complied with India’s regulatory framework for drone operations, especially in controlled airspace.

Nitin Navneet Tatiwala, Vice President – Marketing, Customer Experience, and Air Network for the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa (MEISA) at FedEx, stated that the milestone aligns with the broader research agenda of the FedEx SMART Centre. He added that the centre is working on areas such as air cargo optimisation, integration of electric vehicles, and advanced demand forecasting. These efforts are aimed at building more resilient and sustainable supply chain systems through collaboration with academia, industry, and policymakers.

Drone-based logistics has been gaining attention in India over the past few years, especially after the government introduced supportive policies and frameworks to promote drone adoption. Pilot projects across sectors such as healthcare, e-commerce, and emergency deliveries have demonstrated the potential of drones to improve speed and access, particularly in congested urban areas.

Source PTI
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