A 23-year-old entrepreneur from Bengaluru is revolutionizing Earth observation by developing high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can capture high-resolution images at a fraction of the cost of satellites. Shreepoorna S Rao, founder and CEO of Arctus Aerospace, aims to make satellite-based observation obsolete with his company's innovative drones.
How It Works
Traditional Earth observation requires launching satellites costing thousands of crores. Rao's UAVs can ascend to 45,000 feet and capture images with the highest resolution. 'There are two or three American companies that have put 300-400 satellites out there. The images they are taking are at one square meter per pixel, but they are restricted,' Rao said in a recent podcast. His company targets commercial users such as oil refineries, agriculture, insurance, and shipping. 'It's about getting an image, whenever I want, wherever I want, however I want it,' he added.
A Childhood Dream
Rao's passion for aircraft began at age seven. In seventh grade, he built his first RC aircraft using components from his hometown of Surathkal, Mangaluru. He participated in the National Children's Science Congress, presenting a biogas project that advanced from district to national level at IIT BHU. A subsequent internship at IIT Kharagpur's aerospace department solidified his interest in airplanes. During his years at IIT Madras, he engaged in aeromodelling projects and the aerial robotics club, competing with Boeing and Airbus.
From Crypto to Aerospace
Inspired by Elon Musk's Falcon Launch during the COVID-19 lockdown, Rao explored entrepreneurship. Despite a 4000 rank in JEE Mains preventing him from studying aerospace, he pursued civil engineering at IIT Madras, where he could learn deep tech and start a venture. After an unsuccessful foray into cryptocurrency, he launched a finance startup called FlexFinance. 'Even Elon Musk had a PayPal before SpaceX,' Rao recalled. In his final year, he returned to his first love: building aircraft.
Overcoming Skepticism
When Rao started Arctus, his parents—a maths teacher mother and professor father—were unconvinced, urging him to take a regular job. But after he secured a $40,000 investment from gradCapital and developed a proof of concept within a month—a UAV that flew autonomously from Bangalore to Chennai—their doubts faded. Initially operating from a 3BHK apartment, Rao's team now works in a 25,000-square-foot warehouse in Kada Agrahara.
Arctus Aerospace's Aircraft
The company's first aircraft, 'Light Fury' (named after Rao's favorite movie 'How to Train Your Dragon'), had a 2.5-metre wingspan, reached 10,000 feet, and stayed aloft for three hours. On April 10, the company demonstrated the Arctus AX-1, an eight-metre-wingspan UAV capable of flying at 20,000 feet for 10 hours. Within a year, Rao's team aims to launch a 20-metre-wingspan aircraft that can reach 45,000 to 50,000 feet and provide continuous monitoring for 24 hours.
Funding and Support
In its first year, Arctus raised over $2.6 million from venture capital firms including Version One Ventures, South Park Commons, and gradCapital. Angel investors include OpenAI's CTO Srinivas Narayan and former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan, who contacted Rao via X DM.
Building an Industry
'In today's world, data is power. We are not just doing this for our company, we are doing this to build an industry in India, which will follow soon,' Rao said. His journey from a 7-year-old dreamer to a startup founder exemplifies how determination and innovation can disrupt traditional technologies.
