Odisha Startup’s Cutting-Edge Drone Tech Powers Indian Army’s Rescue in Sikkim Landslide

Bhubaneswar: An Odisha-based deep tech startup has etched its name in India’s disaster response narrative with a groundbreaking deployment of drone technology during the recent landslides in Lachen, Sikkim. The swift integration of this innovation by the Indian Army underlined not only the operational effectiveness of indigenous tech but also Odisha’s rising prominence in the national innovation ecosystem.

On 1 June 2025, catastrophic monsoon- triggered landslides devastated the Lachen region —about 123 km from Gangtok—tragically claiming the lives of three soldiers and leaving six others unaccounted for. In an urgent effort to enhance the rescue mission, the Indian Army collaborated with BonV Aero, an emerging startup with strong roots in Odisha, to deploy its drone-mounted Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology in one of the most treacherous terrains in the Himalayas.

Unlike traditional rescue efforts relying solely on manual digging, sniffer dogs, and ground-placed radar, BonV Aero’s cutting-edge UAV platform allowed for aerial scanning of the landslide zone, detecting subsurface anomalies without disturbing the fragile debris field. The drone’s onboard GPR sensors, real-time imaging systems, and AI-enhanced anomaly detection software provided near-instant data that enabled soldiers to pinpoint probable burial spots with high accuracy.

Within just 24 hours of the landslide, BonV Aero’s drone had been successfully deployed in the disaster zone. It identified two key locations at depths of 0.76 m and 0.015 m—readings that were later confirmed to contain human remains, guiding recovery teams with surgical precision.

“The Indian Army’s rapid induction of our radar-equipped drone system reflects the growing confidence in homegrown, high-precision solutions,” said Satyabarata Satapathy, CEO of BonV Aero.
“We are proud to represent Odisha on the national stage and prove that our innovation can save lives in real-time.”

The core strength of the drone lies in its radar technology, which enables high-resolution subsurface imaging, even through waterlogged debris, snow, or loose rocks. The drone’s mobility, compact build, and rapid deployability made it ideal for the remote Himalayan terrain, where traditional equipment often fails or takes days to mobilize.

“What differentiates our system is its ability to safely ‘see’ beneath unstable land and transmit actionable data without risking more lives,” noted Abinash Sahoo, Chief Technology Officer, BonV Aero. “With this technology, India can now approach landslide rescue and disaster response with smarter, faster, and safer methods.”

This mission marks a turning point for Odisha’s startup ecosystem, proving that locally developed, globally relevant technologies can play a vital role in national crises. As India accelerates its push for Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defense and emergency response, BonV Aero’s achievement stands as a beacon of what’s possible when innovation meets real-world need.

Notably, the drone’s portability and rapid transferability enabled the Indian Army to swiftly airlift the equipment to Lachen, demonstrating the practicality of drone-assisted rescue in future missions across challenging geographies.

From lab to battlefield, Odisha’s BonV Aero has shown that with the right tech and tenacity, homegrown startups can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with India’s frontline forces—proving once again that innovation knows no boundaries.