New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): India Post will use drones for transportation of mail bags in remote and difficult terrains of Himachal Pradesh and Assam through a partnership with drone logistics company Skye Air Mobility, under what the company described as India's largest postal drone network covering 150 routes.

Skye Air Mobility Private Limited has signed an agreement with the Department of Posts (India Post) to operate drone flights carrying Branch Office mail bags between Account Offices and Branch Post Offices across the two states.

The deployment will connect 110 locations in Himachal Pradesh and 40 locations in Assam, aiming to address last-mile delivery challenges in regions where mountainous terrain, seasonal flooding and limited transport infrastructure often delay postal services.

The company said its drones are capable of carrying payloads of up to 10 kg and can operate across routes ranging from 5 km to more than 80 km. The drones are supported by an artificial intelligence-based autonomous navigation system that can adapt flight paths based on terrain and weather conditions.

Skye Air said the network is expected to improve delivery of mail, pension-related documents, government notices, medicines and other essential services in remote communities, particularly during periods when roads are blocked by snowfall or floods.

Citing earlier drone delivery pilots in Himalayan and north-eastern regions, the company said drone-based logistics had reduced delivery times significantly compared to conventional road transport.

Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said the drone-based mail and parcel delivery service on the Mandi-Rehardhar route in Himachal Pradesh would reduce a journey that previously took hours to just seven minutes while enabling real-time tracking.

'Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are harnessing technology to strengthen our postal services, ensuring that the remotest corners of Bharat are connected to the opportunities and services of a rapidly transforming nation,' Scindia said.

Ankit Kumar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Skye Air Mobility, said the partnership aims to improve connectivity and access to essential services in regions where conventional logistics solutions face challenges.

'This partnership goes beyond business metrics. It is about proving that drone technology can solve connectivity problems where nothing else has worked. Communities in Himachal and Assam need reliable postal delivery -- their pensions, medicines and government services depend on it,' Kumar said.

The company said the initiative aligns with the government's broader objective of making India a global drone hub by 2030 and follows earlier India Post-Skye Air drone trials conducted in Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh in January 2025.

Skye Air said it has completed more than four million deliveries through its network so far through drone-based logistics operations. (ANI)