Skye Air Raises $4 Million, Eyes Kolkata Expansion for Drone Deliveries
Drone logistics solution provider Skye Air has raised $4 million in funding, which it will use to expand its operations. Currently, the company delivers goods via drones in Gurugram and operates in several other cities across India. Skye Air facilitates deliveries ranging from healthcare products to quick-commerce items. The Series A funding was secured with support from Mount Judi Ventures, Chiratae Ventures, Venture Catalysts, Windrose Capital, and Tremis Capital. During the press conference, Ankit Sharma conversed with Ankit Kumar, the company's founder and CEO, to delve into the company's expansion plans and future strategies.
In how many pin codes of Gurugram are you currently making drone deliveries?
Currently, we are providing drone delivery services in approximately 60% of Gurugram's area. Our service covers around 19 pin codes within Gurugram, where we have established about 80 Pods. From these Pods, our delivery personnel safely deliver ordered products directly to people's homes. We are closely collaborating with several healthcare product and quick commerce companies.
How does Skye Air plan to allocate the Series A funding, and in which regions does it intend to expand following Gurugram?
The new funding will enable the company to extend its last-mile network across Gurugram and other cities, focusing on healthcare, e-commerce, and quick-commerce deliveries. We are currently active in Gurugram and Himachal Pradesh. Our expansion strategy focuses on areas with high demand. Gurugram was chosen due to its significant shipping demand, surpassing that of any other metro city with a population of approximately 2 million and a daily shipment volume of 250,000 packages. We plan to progressively expand into cities like Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad.
How many drones and pilots are involved in the company's operations, and what is the daily order volume?
We currently operate approximately 28 drones for our delivery services across India. Of these, 14 drones are deployed in Gurugram, with the remaining 16 in other cities. We employ around 35 pilots to operate these drones, with approximately 15 to 16 pilots dedicated to Gurugram and the rest deployed in other cities. Currently, we process about 3,000 daily orders through drones from various locations.
What was the company's turnover in the last financial year, and what revenue target is the company aiming for this financial year? How does the company plan to achieve profitability?
Our turnover in the last financial year was approximately 1.80 crores. This year, we aim to achieve 4 times growth. Our primary objective is to enhance scalability and become the preferred logistics partner across all sectors. Achieving this goal will pave the way for profitability in our business. We are actively pursuing partnerships with reputable companies to enhance scalability.
