M.S. Dhoni earns drone pilot certification from Chennai’s Garuda Aerospace

Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been both the brand ambassador and an investor in Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace, has now taken his association with the firm a step further by becoming a certified drone pilot. The former Indian captain successfully completed his drone pilot training at Garuda Aerospace’s DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO) in Chennai.

Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace, said: “We were casually chatting one day when I mentioned that we had trained a large number of drone pilots. Dhoni immediately said, ‘wish I could be a drone pilot too’. This conversation took place about a year and a half ago, and although his schedule was packed, he finally made it happen last week.”

“He picked it up very quickly and was extremely focused on learning. His unwavering belief in our mission to revolutionise the drone industry is a massive source of encouragement for the entire team,” Mr. Jayaprakash added.

Garuda Aerospace, a DGCA-approved RPTO, has trained over 2,500 aspiring pilots under the guidance of its Master Instructors. According to the company, the training is a critical step toward promoting certified and safe drone operations, combining theoretical ground classes with intensive practical flying sessions on simulators and actual drones.

As the drone industry rapidly expands, the demand for skilled and certified pilots is rising to ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Currently, Garuda Aerospace holds six DGCA approvals, including the distinction of being the first-ever Indian drone startup to receive dual DGCA certifications for both manufacturing and training. The company has also secured DGCA authorisation to conduct drone pilot training across both small and medium categories (under 25 kg and above 25 kg MTOW).