AVGARDE, a deep-tech startup, emerged as the victor in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dare to Dream 4.0 Contest, focusing on national-level startup innovations in ‘countermeasures for drone and swarm of drones.’ Incubated at IISc Bangalore and IIT Guwahati, AVGARDE is dedicated to constructing a state-of-the-art AI-driven object-sensing platform for managing low-altitude airspace. Initially established in Assam, AVGARDE has since expanded, with offices in Bangalore and Guwahati, and conducts Pan-India operations with the assistance of associates to cater to customers nationwide.
The esteemed DRDO Dare to Dream competition offers a distinctive platform for startups and innovators to tackle critical challenges in emerging technologies, enhancing India’s aerospace and defense capabilities. Additionally, it contributes to the nation’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem, fostering technological self-reliance and advancement.
“We are honored and proud to be a winner at DRDO’s coveted innovation contest, Dare to Dream 4.0,” said AVGARDE Managing Director & Co-Founder Manash Bhuyan. He continued, “This award is a testimony of our globally competitive technology developed by our amazingly talented team. With this recognition, the innovation journey of AVGARDE is further validated as we continue to develop our best-in-class AI-driven airspace management platform for various applications, including drone countermeasures. With the proliferation of drones, the low-altitude airspace is confronted with many potential risks and threats for civilian and military dual-use cases. As we address these new-age challenges, AVGARDE is motivated to develop pioneering indigenous technology and contribute effectively towards a self-reliant India.”
Presently, the AVGARDE DeepSense platform presents three distinct product lines:
1. DroneSafe: An AI-enabled Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) designed to detect, classify, mitigate, and report aerial risks/threats from drones, UAVs, and other airborne objects.
2. DIWAR: An all-band GPS Jammer was developed to address drones and hinder their airborne movements effectively.
3. BirdsEye: An intelligent Bird Detection and Monitoring Radar (BDMR) serving dual purposes of aviation safety and prevention of Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH).
Nilutpal Choudhury, CEO & Co-Founder of AVGARDE, said, “This award is a phenomenal milestone for AVGARDE, and I have immense admiration and gratitude for our diverse and great team. DRDO’s Dare to Dream is a great platform to validate innovations as it’s a multi-stage screening process with various selection criteria considering aspects of novelty, applicability, implementability, technical merit, and maturity. Therefore, it is a great honor to be recognized by DRDO, our country’s esteemed R&D organization for aerospace and defense. Our team is further encouraged to innovate continuously to develop advanced home-grown technologies to fulfill our commitment towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
