Sensonic, a global leader in railway infrastructure monitoring, has announced a strategic partnership with Indian drone technology firm Skylark Drones to combine advanced sensing and aerial intelligence for enhanced safety and operational efficiency across rail networks.
The partnership between Sensonic and Skylark Drones, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed at IREE 2025, seeks to merge Sensonic’s fibre optic sensing systems with Skylark’s autonomous drone technology. Together, the two companies aim to transform how railway infrastructure is monitored, inspected, and protected.
“Sensonic is proud to combine our cutting-edge fibre optic sensing technology with Skylark’s ability to respond rapidly and autonomously via drones to enhance both rail safety and security,” said Ashish Upadhyay, CEO of Sensonic. “By combining Distributed Acoustic Sensing and advanced Bharat series of Drones, we’re enabling real-time detection and monitoring capabilities along the rail corridor. This actionable intelligence is key to building safer, smarter, and more resilient transit systems.”
The collaboration is designed to tackle key challenges in the railway sector, including security threats, natural hazards, and maintenance efficiency. By integrating Sensonic’s vibration-sensing technology — which converts existing fibre optic cables into continuous acoustic monitoring systems — with Skylark’s rapid-response drones, the partnership enables instant visual assessment and evidence recording in the event of alerts or disruptions.
“At Skylark Drones, we see the integration of drones with Distributed Acoustic Sensing and other IoT networks as a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive railway operations,” said Mrinal Pai, co-founder of Skylark Drones. “Our fully autonomous Bharat Series drones can be deployed in less than one-third the time required for manual intervention, and at significantly lower costs. Together with Sensonic, we’re demonstrating how intelligent aerial systems can make critical infrastructure safer, smarter, and more resilient.”
The collaboration reflects a broader movement towards the digitalisation of railway operations, offering data-driven decision-making tools and rapid-response capabilities that reduce downtime and enhance passenger safety.
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