Tanmay Bunkar: Building India’s Drone Technology from the Ground Up

Tanmay Bunkar
CEO & Co-Founder, BotLab Dynamics
Drones / Robotics
Startup Leaders · Technology Leaders

India’s drone industry has moved rapidly from experimentation to large-scale commercial and public applications. Behind that transformation are entrepreneurs who have worked not only on the visible side of drone technology, but also on the difficult engineering required to make autonomous aerial systems reliable at scale.

One of those entrepreneurs is Tanmay Bunkar, CEO and Co-Founder of BotLab Dynamics, an IIT Delhi-born deep-tech company that has developed indigenous drone and swarm technology for applications ranging from spectacular aerial shows to defence and other unmanned aerial systems.

From IIT Delhi Experiments to a Deep-Tech Startup

BotLab Dynamics was incorporated in 2016 and incubated at IIT Delhi’s Technology Business Incubation Unit. Tanmay Bunkar, along with Anuj Kumar Barnwal and Dr. Sarita Ahlawat, set out to develop indigenous drone technology and contribute to India’s capabilities in advanced unmanned systems.

The early journey was far removed from the scale at which the company operates today. Tanmay and his team were experimenting with drones, flight systems and autonomous coordination while trying to solve fundamental engineering problems.

Rather than depending entirely on imported components, the founders gradually began developing critical technologies themselves.

The Decision to Build Indigenous Drone Technology

A major part of BotLab’s journey was the realisation that large-scale drone operations required more than simply assembling commercially available drones.

The team worked on core systems including flight controllers, GPS and motor controllers, alongside the software needed to coordinate multiple drones accurately.

This became particularly important when the company began testing its systems in demanding Indian conditions. Hardware designed for ordinary applications could struggle with heat, dust and strong winds.

BotLab subsequently moved toward designing more of its hardware and electronics internally, creating a deeper connection between its software, flight-control systems and drone platforms.

That engineering approach became one of the company’s defining advantages.

The 1,000-Drone Breakthrough

BotLab Dynamics gained national attention in 2022, when its technology powered a spectacular 1,000-drone light show at the Beating Retreat ceremony in New Delhi.

The achievement demonstrated that Indian-developed hardware and software could coordinate a large fleet of autonomous drones to create complex formations in the sky.

For Tanmay and the BotLab team, the event represented more than an entertainment spectacle. It was a public demonstration of the possibilities of India’s emerging drone technology ecosystem.

The company’s indigenous systems were used for critical functions including flight control, positioning and coordinated movement.

Turning Drone Technology into a Business

The success of the early demonstrations opened a much larger commercial opportunity.

BotLab Dynamics has since expanded its drone-show business across India and international markets, creating aerial experiences for major events, brands and public celebrations.

The company says it has conducted 700+ drone-show performances and operates a fleet capable of large-scale coordinated displays. Its work has extended across India as well as markets in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Recent deployments have included large public events, corporate campaigns, sporting events and cultural celebrations.

The business has therefore evolved from an experimental technology project into a company operating at the intersection of deep technology, entertainment and large-scale event production.

Beyond Drone Light Shows

While drone light shows have become BotLab Dynamics’ most visible application, the company’s ambitions extend further.

BotLab has also developed a defence-focused vertical called Vayudh, while continuing to work on drone platforms, electronics and control technologies.

The company has also introduced the BotLab Store, aimed at supporting India’s broader drone ecosystem with locally developed components and technology.

This diversification reflects the deeper technology platform behind the company’s public-facing drone shows.

Taking Indian Drone Technology Global

BotLab’s expansion beyond India has become another important chapter in Tanmay Bunkar’s entrepreneurial journey.

The company has conducted international drone shows in markets including Kuwait, Oman, Dubai and Sri Lanka, taking technology developed in India to international audiences.

The international expansion also demonstrates how a deep-tech startup can use a commercially accessible application—drone entertainment—to build operational experience, technology capabilities and global visibility.

Building at the Intersection of Startup and Technology

Tanmay Bunkar’s journey represents a different model of Indian entrepreneurship.

Rather than beginning with a conventional software product, he and his co-founders built a company around hardware, robotics, autonomous systems and proprietary engineering.

That makes BotLab Dynamics part of India’s growing deep-tech startup ecosystem, where entrepreneurs are attempting to develop critical technologies domestically rather than relying exclusively on imported systems.

From early experiments at IIT Delhi to large-scale autonomous drone formations and international deployments, the company’s trajectory illustrates how persistence in engineering can become a significant commercial opportunity.

The Journey Ahead

BotLab Dynamics is now positioning itself as a broader Indian drone technology company, combining its experience in autonomous flight, swarm coordination, hardware and software with applications in entertainment and defence.

For Tanmay Bunkar, the journey that began with experimenting with drones at IIT Delhi has developed into a larger ambition: building globally competitive drone technology in India.