Garuda Aerospace Partners Extensee SAS at Eurosatory
Garuda Technologies Inc., the US subsidiary of Indian drone startup Garuda Aerospace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Extensee SAS, a provider of drone manufacturing and operational services, at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris — one of the world's leading international defence and security exhibitions.
The partnership aims to expand deployment of Airbus Flexrotor unmanned aerial systems through a Drone-as-a-Service model, combining Garuda's drone technology expertise with Extensee's operational capabilities to serve civil, industrial, commercial and governmental missions across global markets.
What each side brings
Under the MoU, the two companies will deploy Airbus Flexrotor UAVs across international markets, drawing on Extensee's end-to-end operational capabilities: mission management, flight authorisations, qualified operators and pilots, maintenance support, airworthiness management, safety systems, spare parts management and technical services.
The collaboration will focus on long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, mapping, infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, border security and other commercial and government applications.
The Flexrotor
Equipped with vertical take-off and landing capability, autonomous mission execution and modular payload integration, the Flexrotor weighs approximately 25 kilograms, remains airborne for 12 to 14 hours and operates from a compact 3.7m x 3.7m launch area. The platform can autonomously take off and land on both land and ships without requiring a conventional flight deck.
Its mission set includes infrastructure inspection, disaster response, powerline inspection, railway monitoring, pipeline surveillance, maritime operations and coordinated surveillance missions. Earlier, in March 2026, Garuda Aerospace signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters to acquire 18 Flexrotor uncrewed aerial systems as part of a strategy to expand its UAS leasing portfolio.
'Without bearing the complexity of ownership'
Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director of Garuda Aerospace, said: "This collaboration with Extensee marks an important step in expanding the global reach and operational capabilities of the Airbus Flexrotor drones. By combining Garuda Aerospace's expertise in advanced drone technology and manufacturing with Extensee's proven operational excellence, we aim to unlock new opportunities for long-range autonomous missions across civil, industrial, and governmental sectors. Together, we look forward to exploring innovative Drone-as-a-Service solutions that address critical operational challenges and create value globally."
Jean-Baptiste Olry, President of Extensee SAS, said: "Signing this MoU in Paris, at the heart of Europe's defence and aerospace ecosystem, is a natural step for Extensee. We have spent years operating unmanned systems for the most demanding institutional and sovereign clients across Europe — from maritime surveillance to public safety missions — and that operational track record is exactly what turns advanced platforms like the Airbus Flexrotor into a dependable, end-to-end service. Our Drone-as-a-Service model lets clients access long-endurance capabilities without bearing the complexity of ownership, airworthiness and mission management. With Garuda, we look forward to bringing that European operational expertise to new markets worldwide."
Where it sits in Garuda's partnership map
Garuda Aerospace has built partnerships with international players including Thales, Lockheed Martin and Elbit Systems across drone security, autonomous flight technologies and unmanned systems. In India, it has expanded collaborations with defence and aerospace organisations including BEL, while exploring opportunities with HAL and BEML.
The company says it has manufactured and sold over 5,000 drones and served more than 500 enterprise and government clients globally, with its core focus on precision agriculture and industrial inspection.