In a world where data is the new oil, drones are fast becoming the rigs that extract it — swiftly, safely, and with breathtaking accuracy. But what happens when you pair this potential with a deep tech entrepreneur who doesn’t just see drones as flying cameras, but as instruments of enterprise transformation?
Meet Mughilan Thiru Ramasamy, co-founder and CEO of Skylark Drones. From his early days building drone prototypes with his college mates to steering a company that now powers large-scale operations across cities and industries, Mughilan’s journey is a masterclass in how curiosity and conviction can shape industries.
In a free-flowing conversation with Indian Startup Times, Mughilan opened up about his roots, the rocky path of building a drone-tech company in India, and how he envisions a future where aerial data becomes as critical to business decisions as spreadsheets and dashboards.
From College Projects to Citywide Impact
For Mughilan, the spark ignited early. After completing his engineering at R.V. College in Bengaluru, he pursued aerospace engineering at Purdue University. But beyond classrooms and coursework, it was the thrill of international drone competitions that sealed his path.
“We weren’t just building for the sake of winning,” he recalls. “We were building because we truly believed drones could do so much more than people imagined.”
That belief eventually culminated in the birth of Skylark Drones in 2014–15. Back then, drones were still seen as toys or surveillance tools. But Mughilan and his team had other ideas — they wanted to turn drones into enterprise problem-solvers.
Flying Beyond Expectations: Drones as Data Platforms
What sets Skylark apart isn’t just the flying hardware. It’s what happens after the drone lands. The company focuses on enterprise-wide software platforms that process and translate aerial data into actionable insights.
Take, for instance, their work with the Ministry of Renewable Energy, where Skylark assessed rooftop solar potential across 120 Indian cities.
“It was a beautiful example of how aerial intelligence can guide policy, support sustainability, and help optimize urban infrastructure,” Mughilan shared, his voice full of quiet pride.
For industries ranging from infrastructure to agriculture, mining to logistics, Skylark’s data solutions help businesses plan, monitor, and execute smarter — from the sky down.
Deep Tech, Deeper Challenges
But building a deep-tech company in India isn’t for the faint-hearted.
“The biggest challenge is being at the intersection of so many moving parts — hardware, software, policy, enterprise transformation,” Mughilan explained. “Investors often prefer simpler SaaS models. Convincing them that drones aren’t just ‘hardware startups’ is half the battle.”
Add to that an evolving regulatory framework and the need to constantly educate both clients and policymakers — and you begin to understand the grit behind Skylark’s rise.
Still, Mughilan remains grounded yet hopeful. “If you’re solving a real problem, delivering tangible ROI, and putting your customers first — the ecosystem, though tough, will eventually support you.”
Eyes on the Horizon
What’s next for Skylark? Think big. Really big.
“We’re not just building tools; we’re building a platform,” he said.
It’s an ambitious vision, but given Skylark’s growth and Mughilan’s clarity, not an unrealistic one. As drone regulations mature and industries become more data-hungry, the market is wide open for pioneers who know how to blend innovation with real-world impact.
Closing Thoughts
Mughilan Thiru Ramasamy’s story is more than just about drones. It’s about vision meeting execution, about engineering meeting enterprise, and about a startup’s rise amidst constraints to define a new category.
At Indian Startup Times, we often meet founders who are building for tomorrow. With Skylark Drones, Mughilan is building for the skies of tomorrow — one dataset, one city, and one flight at a time.
And the sky? It’s no longer the limit.
By-Priyanka Chatterjee
