Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveils the indigenous drone; women-led DeepTech startup expands its focus on agriculture, aquaculture and industrial applications
HYDERABAD (India CSR): Hyderabad-based women-led DeepTech and Defence Technology startup AkinAnalytics has launched its indigenous NIKA2 Kisan Medium Drone, strengthening its focus on technology-led solutions for farmers and other field-intensive industries. The drone was unveiled by Hon’ble Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi, where he also witnessed a demonstration of the platform.
Designed with farmer utility and operational flexibility in mind, NIKA2 is a multi-payload agricultural drone featuring a 16-litre spraying payload and a 12-litre spreading payload. Its easy payload-change mechanism enables operators to switch between spraying and spreading applications, allowing a single drone to perform multiple agricultural operations.
The platform also incorporates terrain-following capability, fail-safe features and night-operation capability. Its applications extend beyond conventional agriculture to include aquaculture feed distribution, making it suitable for a wider range of field operations.
A key feature of NIKA2 is its terrain-following capability, which is particularly relevant for uneven and sloping agricultural landscapes. The technology has potential applications in plantation regions, including the tea-growing areas of Shillong and Meghalaya, where terrain conditions can make conventional aerial operations challenging.
From Hyderabad to Global DeepTech Markets
AkinAnalytics is building its technology portfolio around real-world operational challenges across agriculture, aquaculture, plantations, mining, energy, infrastructure and defence.
Beyond drone manufacturing, the company is developing an AI-Augmented Drone Analytics Platform and Digital Twin technologies designed to convert drone and field data into actionable intelligence. These technologies can support applications such as asset inspection, measurement, monitoring and operational decision-making across large industrial environments.
Founder and CEO Janaki Pulaparthi, a Computer Science Engineer and ISB alumna, is leading the women-led technology company with a focus on developing intellectual property and deployable DeepTech solutions from India.
AkinAnalytics’ innovation journey has received support through programmes including NIDHI PRAYAS, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme and MeitY SAMRIDH. The company has also participated in the iDEX defence innovation ecosystem and Stanford Seed Spark, gaining exposure to both Indian and global entrepreneurship ecosystems. The company also operates a DGCA-authorised Remote Pilot Training Organisation in Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, connecting indigenous drone technology with drone skilling and workforce development.
Commenting on the company’s approach, Janaki Pulaparthi, Founder & CEO, AkinAnalytics, said, “Our focus is on solving real problems through technology that is designed and developed in India. With NIKA2, we want to make drone technology more versatile and useful for farmers while building capabilities that can eventually serve multiple industries and geographies.”
With NIKA2, AkinAnalytics aims to strengthen India’s growing indigenous drone ecosystem while pursuing its broader vision of “Make in India, Go Global” — developing technology in India, validating it in complex real-world conditions and taking those solutions to global markets.
AkinAnalytics is a women-led Indian DeepTech and Defence Technology company founded by Janaki Pulaparthi, developing AI-augmented drone, analytics and climate-tech solutions for defence, agriculture, infrastructure, disaster response and industrial applications. With a focus on Make in India – Go Global, the company combines indigenous drone hardware, AI and geospatial intelligence to deliver mission-ready solutions. AkinAnalytics has been supported by initiatives including NIDHI PRAYAS, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, MeitY SAMRIDH and iDEX, and has been recognised by Forbes 40 Under 40 India Leaders (2025) and other national innovation platforms.
