Pai says aerial systems can make critical infrastructure safer
Skylark Drones, a pioneer of the Indian Drone ecosystem from Bengaluru, has announced a strategic partnership with Mysore-based Sensonic, a leading international railway infrastructure monitoring company, to fuse autonomous drone technology with distributed fiber optic sensing.
The collaboration aims to deliver rapid, data-driven monitoring and response capabilities that strengthen railway safety, security, and operational resilience.
Mrinal Pai, co-founder of Skylark Drones, stated, “At Skylark Drones, we see the integration of drones with Distributed Acoustic Sensing and other IoT networks as a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive railway operations. Our fully autonomous Bharat Series drones can be deployed in less than one-third the time required for manual intervention, and at significantly lower costs. Together with Sensonic, we’re demonstrating how intelligent aerial systems can make critical infrastructure safer, smarter, and more resilient.”
Signed on 15 Oct at IREE 2025, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a shared commitment to addressing critical railway challenges including security threats, natural hazards, inspections, and maintenance. Sensonic’s innovative vibration sensing solution transforms existing fiber optic cables into a continuous network of highly sensitive acoustic sensors.
“Sensonic is proud to combine our cutting-edge fiber optic sensing technology with Skylark’s ability to respond rapidly and autonomously via drones to enhance both rail safety and security” said Ashish Upadhyay, CEO of Sensonic.
“By combining Distributed Acoustic Sensing and advanced Bharat series of Drones, we’re enabling real-time detection and monitoring capabilities along the rail corridor. This actionable intelligence is key to building safer, smarter, and more resilient transit systems,” he said.
Through closer collaboration Sensonic and Skylark Drones aim to enable further digitalisation of railway operations and maintenance, ultimately preventing and minimising service delays ensuring a safe journey for passengers.
Skylark Drones, India’s first full-stack drone technology company offering both advanced drone and software solutions, is building the core infrastructure for the global drone ecosystem. As an early mover and policy shaper, Skylark Drones bridges technology, regulation, and enterprise adoption to drive industry transformation. Its flagship software platforms, DMO and Spectra, along with Bharat Drones series, enable aerial intelligence at scale, powering 5,000+ pilots, and 175+ enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, across Mining, Solar, Infrastructure, Construction, and Utilities.
Sensonic, part of the Kaynes Technology group is a leading provider of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) solutions to monitor railway infrastructure. Sensonic combines advanced fiber optic sensing technology with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to turn optical fibres into vibration sensors that create a digital time / Sonictwin® of railway infrastructure. A multitude of insights are revealed, including alerting of landslides and rockfalls, identifying security threats and more. Sensonic is shaping the future of railway intelligence, delivering insights that enable better railway decisions. Fiinews.com
