Airbound, an innovative autonomous delivery logistics company based in Bengaluru, has officially embarked on a pilot partnership with Narayana Health. Their mission? To revolutionize medical deliveries using advanced drone technology.
Over the course of this three-month pilot, Airbound plans to execute an impressive 10 medical deliveries daily. These critical shipments will include everything from vital blood samples and essential test kits to other crucial medical supplies.
Meeting a Critical Need
Naman Pushp, Founder and CEO of Airbound, expressed his enthusiasm: “Our collaboration with Narayana Health is a powerful affirmation that our approach is not just capable of handling the most demanding delivery requirements, but also offers significant cost advantages, paving the way for global accessibility of our services.”
Airbound highlights that this program serves as a high-stakes proof-of-concept for an exceptionally challenging delivery application, demonstrating the unparalleled reliability, speed, and cost-effectiveness that drones can bring to the medical sector.
Dr. Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Narayana Health, underscored the potential: “Our partnership with Airbound enables us to pilot a groundbreaking technology that could dramatically enhance the speed and dependability of medical deliveries. This initiative perfectly aligns with our commitment to harness technology for improved patient care, especially in areas where rapid access to crucial diagnostics and supplies can be a life-saving factor.”
The drones developed by Airbound boast an impressive payload-to-aircraft mass ratio, capable of carrying 1 kg to 1.5 kg.
The company further elaborated on its innovative design, stating: “Our unique blended-wing-body tailsitter design seamlessly integrates vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with the superior aerodynamic efficiency of fixed-wing flight, effectively overcoming the inherent limitations of conventional tilt-rotor and quadplane designs.”
Securing the Future with Seed Funding
Adding to their exciting news, Airbound also announced a successful seed funding round, securing $8.65 million. This round was spearheaded by Lachy Groom, Co-founder of Physical Intelligence, with significant contributions from Humba Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and several prominent leaders from industry giants like Tesla, Anduril, and Ather Energy.
This latest investment brings Airbound’s total funding to over $10 million, signaling strong investor confidence in their vision.
The company outlined its strategy for the newly acquired capital, planning to scale up manufacturing, expand its operational footprint beyond medical deliveries, continuously refine its cutting-edge technology, and gear up for broader market adoption anticipated in 2026.
“The invaluable insights garnered from the Narayana Health pilot program will directly influence the development of future logistics solutions, drive down delivery costs, and accelerate the widespread adoption of our technology across various industries,” Airbound concluded.