Hyderabad, 8th May, 2025: Zebu, a next-generation defense tech startup pioneering advanced counter-drone and unmanned systems for the armed forces, has raised $1 million in a pre-series A Funding round led by Bluehill VC. The funds will fast-track four of Zebu’s mission-critical drones from prototype to battlefield deployment, supporting India’s defense modernization and strengthening indigenous military capabilities.
Zebu has developed 4 products for the Indian armed forces. This includes:
● Hostile drone neutralizing IAF Net Drone with a revolutionary six cartridge system
● Sea surface combat and rescue Indian Coast Guard Drone
● Swarm enabled offensive IAF Combat Drone
● Tethered Surveillance Drone for the Army border patrol
With the current funding, Zebu will accelerate advanced field testing of these systems, with production readiness with an aim to be a key supplier to the Indian armed forces. The company is already preparing for the next funding round of $5M for integration into armed forces, and international market expansion.
Sridhar Parthasarathi, General Partner, Bluehill.VC, says, “The global counter drone market is expected to reach $11 billion by 2030. Zebu is rightly positioned to capture this market with its top of the line offerings for the armed forces. Its drones have completed extreme tests and are now ready for deployment. We believe given the sensitive border that we share with our neighbours on both sides, such tech should be developed in India by an Indian company and such advancements will put India in a strong position when it comes to defending our borders and further empower our armed forces on the land, in the sky and oceans.”
Founded in 2021 by Santosh Balajee Banisetty, a visionary Ph.D. in Intelligent Systems and Robotics, Zebu is a trailblazing defense-tech startup developing mission-ready counter drone systems for armed forces globally.
Zebu has achieved major breakthroughs across four combat-ready unmanned systems, bringing them closer to battlefield deployment. Highlights include setting a Guinness World Record in 2024 for the longest drone endurance under 5kg, affirming Zebu’s leadership in UAV innovation.
In the last 6 months, IAF Net Capture Drone, a sky-sentinel that can trap hostile drones mid-air like a futuristic spiderweb, has gone from a skeletal model to radar integration to reaching military grade certification milestones. The Company is also in advance talks with a top defense manufacturer to supply its drones.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Drone search and rescue drone has aced extreme tests—from thermal resilience, water proof resistance and propulsion failure simulations. Its AI-powered “return-to-base” autonomy is being tested on actual coast guard ships currently and readying manufacturing facilities for the commercial order.
The Company is building an Anti-Drone Swarm System for the Air Force, with rapid-fire pneumatic launchers and set for operational readiness by late 2025. It is designed to overwhelm enemy drones with coordinated strikes.
The Army’s 24×7 Eye in the Sky, the Tethered Surveillance Drone could see mass deployment by mid-2025, providing uninterrupted border monitoring and has already been approved by multiple regiments.
Santosh Balajee, Founder CEO, Zebu, says, “The battlefield of the future is AI-led and unmanned, that is inevitable — Zebu is making it indigenously available. It’s not just exporting counter drone technology but exporting India’s defense sovereignty to the world stage. There is a massive opportunity to fill the vast gap that exists in integration of tech in our defense sector. Global arms markets restrict their defense sales to India, having homegrown brands like Zebu ensures India’s defense modernisation isn’t held hostage by foreign powers or inflated costs. This is Aatmanirbhar Bharat in action: sovereign technology, affordable excellence. It is our aim to accelerate Zebu’s growth, expand our global footprint, and play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of unmanned defense systems.”
With seven patents filed, two trademarks secured, and additional proprietary IP under active development, Zebu is on the right track to emerge as a trusted DefTech supplier for the armed forces. The Company just notched its first commercial win with a custom high-performance battery pack for nano drones, signalling immediate market traction for its indigenous technology. Zebu plans to manufacture most components in house guaranteeing complete control and autonomy on the supply chain.
Zebu’s all-Indian Ground Control Station (GCS), a next-generation “mission brain” that empowers commanders to control entire drone fleets from a single, unified interface, is currently, undergoing testing with the Indian Coast Guard, the GCS is poised to replace costly and clunky foreign alternatives.
The Company is also rapidly indigenizing critical components: building Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs) and military-grade stabilized camera gimbals in-house — eliminating foreign dependencies and supply chain vulnerabilities.
Each made in India Zebu component is one less arrow in US-China’s defense-supply quiver.
Beyond government contracts, Zebu is aggressively expanding into commercial markets by adapting its military-grade technology for enterprise use. Its custom drone battery packs mark the first wave of subsystem commercialization, with advanced camera gimbals and electronic speed controllers being repurposed for industrial inspection, logistics, and unmanned operations. Meanwhile, Zebu’s proprietary Ground Control Station (GCS) is attracting strong interest from private OEMs across India, the U.S., and Southeast Asia.
Zebu’s strategic focus on building a robust intellectual property portfolio ensures it can meet both national security standards and the demands of global commerce. With multiple products reaching production readiness, early revenue traction, and a rapidly growing IP base, Zebu is poised to become India’s most vertically integrated counter-drone and unmanned systems company.
This year’s roadmap positions Zebu not just as a supplier of defense technologies, but as a full-spectrum provider of unmanned platforms and critical subsystems for both military and commercial markets worldwide.
The Company is also looking to onboard key leaders in the organisation as it plans to hire a CBO and defense advisors.
About Zebu Intelligent Systems
Zebu Intelligent Systems is a Hyderabad-based defense technology company developing next-gen unmanned and counter-drone platforms. Founded by Santosh Balajee, a Ph.D. in Robotics, Zebu is on a mission to make India a global leader in sovereign defense systems. With seven patents, a growing portfolio of AI-powered drones, and indigenous hardware manufacturing, Zebu is redefining India’s place in the global defense-tech landscape.
About Bluehill VC
Bluehill VC is a Rs 350 crore Chennai based deep-tech focused venture capital firm specifically focused on IP in engineering and science domains within the deep-tech umbrella. Investment Areas of interest include Energy, EVs, Nuclear, Semiconductors, Material Science, Defence, Space, Water, Manufacturing, Robotics, Industrial & IOT. The average investment size ranges from $750K to $2M in a first cheque with another $2M to $3M in follow-on investment.
