The Technology Development Board has entered an agreement with ideaForge for development of YETI, a heavy-lift autonomous vertical take-off and landing aerial logistics platform. The project cost is about ₹302 crore, with ₹151 crore of RDI support, and aims to progress from a technology-demonstration stage toward deployable maturity.
The targeted specifications include payloads up to 200 kg and range up to 200 km, with emphasis on difficult and high-altitude logistics. These are development targets, not evidence that a fully certified operational fleet already exists.
For civil-services preparation, the project sits at the intersection of dual-use drones, logistics resilience, indigenous R&D finance and high-altitude access. Public support for risky technology can help bridge the gap between prototypes and commercial or strategic deployment, but certification, safety, cost and reliable performance remain decisive.