Bengaluru-based defence technology startup Paar Autonomy has raised Rs 10 Cr in a funding round led by AdvantEdge Founders, as it looks to scale manufacturing of AI-powered camera systems and develop navigation technology that allows drones to operate without GPS.
Founded in June 2024 by Vignesh Sivaram Jayaraman, the startup builds camera payloads and AI software for unmanned defence platforms, including aerial drones, ground vehicles and maritime systems. The fresh capital will support production expansion and further development of its autonomous navigation capabilities, according to the company’s announcement.
The investment comes as Indian defence technology companies work to develop locally built systems for surveillance, navigation and autonomous operations. For Paar Autonomy, the immediate challenge is to move from pilot deployments to reliable production at scale.
Paar Autonomy Funding: What the Rs 10 Crore Will Support
AdvantEdge Founders led the latest round. Paar Autonomy had earlier raised Rs 3.5 Cr in a pre-seed round led by Venture Catalysts to establish its first manufacturing line and deliver pilot units.
The new funding will support two main priorities: increasing production of AI-powered camera systems and developing technology for drone navigation in environments where GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable.
For defence applications, operating without dependable satellite navigation can be important in areas where signals are disrupted or communications are contested. Systems that combine visual information, onboard sensors and edge-based AI can help unmanned platforms interpret their surroundings and maintain situational awareness.
Sentinel Product Range Targets Unmanned Defence Platforms
Paar Autonomy’s product portfolio includes its Sentinel series: Sentinel 1, Sentinel 2, Sentinel Nano, Sentinel Nano Dark and Sentinel Nano Dual. The company’s website highlights multi-sensor perception systems and visual inertial navigation designed to function independently of GNSS signals.
Its technology portfolio covers three broad areas:
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AI-powered perception: Camera systems and onboard AI designed to identify objects and interpret surrounding conditions.
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GPS-independent navigation: Visual-inertial navigation intended to help unmanned systems operate when satellite navigation is unavailable.
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Multi-sensor camera payloads: Gyro stabilised systems designed to support surveillance and situational awareness.
The company primarily targets defence use cases such as surveillance and tactical tracking, while its technology may also have applications in industrial inspection, infrastructure monitoring and disaster response.
Indian Defence-Tech Startups Attract Investor Interest
Paar Autonomy’s latest round comes amid wider investor interest in Indian companies developing indigenous defence, robotics and autonomous-system technologies.
Other startups in the space include Aeron Systems, which develops navigation and sensing technologies, and Yaanendriya, which works on navigation controllers and sensors. Their funding activity points to interest across the broader technology stack required for unmanned platforms.
For Paar Autonomy, the next milestone will be converting its existing pilot-stage work into dependable manufacturing and customer deployments. In defence technology, technical performance is only one part of the challenge: reliability, integration, testing and procurement cycles also influence how quickly products can scale.
The ₹10 crore investment gives founder Vignesh Sivaram Jayaraman additional capital to develop the company’s hardware and software together. Whether that translates into larger production volumes will depend on product validation, customer adoption and execution.
