India Post to use drones after tie-up with Skye Air in Himachal and Assam
New Delhi, June 18
India Post will use drones for transportation of mail bags in remote and difficult terrains of Himachal Pradesh and Assam through a partnership with drone logistics company Skye Air Mobility, under what the company described as India's largest postal drone network covering 150 routes.
Skye Air Mobility Private Limited has signed an agreement with the Department of Posts (India Post) to operate drone flights carrying Branch Office mail bags between Account Offices and Branch Post Offices across the two states.
The deployment will connect 110 locations in Himachal Pradesh and 40 locations in Assam, aiming to address last-mile delivery challenges in regions where mountainous terrain, seasonal flooding and limited transport infrastructure often delay postal services.
The company said its drones are capable of carrying payloads of up to 10 kg and can operate across routes ranging from 5 km to more than 80 km. The drones are supported by an artificial intelligence-based autonomous navigation system that can adapt flight paths based on terrain and weather conditions.
Skye Air said the network is expected to improve delivery of mail, pension-related documents, government notices, medicines and other essential services in remote communities, particularly during periods when roads are blocked by snowfall or floods.
Citing earlier drone delivery pilots in Himalayan and north-eastern regions, the company said drone-based logistics had reduced delivery times significantly compared to conventional road transport.
Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said the drone-based mail and parcel delivery service on the Mandi-Rehardhar route in Himachal Pradesh would reduce a journey that previously took hours to just seven minutes while enabling real-time tracking.
"Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are harnessing technology to strengthen our postal services, ensuring that the remotest corners of Bharat are connected to the opportunities and services of a rapidly transforming nation," Scindia said.
Ankit Kumar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Skye Air Mobility, said the partnership aims to improve connectivity and access to essential services in regions where conventional logistics solutions face challenges.
"This partnership goes beyond business metrics. It is about proving that drone technology can solve connectivity problems where nothing else has worked. Communities in Himachal and Assam need reliable postal delivery -- their pensions, medicines and government services depend on it," Kumar said.
The company said the initiative aligns with the government's broader objective of making India a global drone hub by 2030 and follows earlier India Post-Skye Air drone trials conducted in Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh in January 2025.
Skye Air said it has completed more than four million deliveries through its network so far through drone-based logistics operations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I hope they're thinking about security and privacy too. What if someone intercepts these drones carrying pension papers or medicines? Also, what happens during monsoon season when winds are strong? Need to see proper safeguards before scaling up.
This is impressive progress! I remember last year when my uncle in Assam couldn't get his medicines delivered for weeks because of floods in Barak Valley. Drones can literally save lives there. 110 routes in Himachal and 40 in Assam is a solid start. Make in India at its best! 🚁
While this sounds great on paper, I'm skeptical about the cost. India Post already struggles with funding. Will these drones be cost-effective in the long run? And what about maintenance in remote areas where even roads don't exist? Hope they've done proper feasibility studies before rolling out 150 routes.
This is the kind of digital India transformation we need. AI navigation adapting to terrain and weather - that's proper technology deployment. The Mandi-Rehardhar route dropping from hours to 7 minutes is unbelievable. Proud to see Indian startups like Skye Air leading this! 🙌
I work in logistics and this is a brilliant move. Traditional transportation in these areas costs a fortune and takes days. 10 kg payload per drone sounds limited but for documents and medicines, that's more than enough. The 80 km range is impressive too. This could revolutionize rural access in India.
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