Media Release
Mangaluru, Oct 31: The SJEC Aero Club at St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru, has received drone components worth Rs 1,28,000 from M/s Ninetron Tech, a technology startup operating from the SJEC campus, Vamanjoor.
Ninetron Tech specializes in delivering high-quality geospatial solutions to public and private sector organizations. The company also provides advanced drone systems and components including high-performance flight controllers, propulsion systems, UAV frames, and diverse payload solutions essential for modern unmanned aerial applications.
This support comes at a remarkable time for SJEC AERO, which recently achieved a historic All India Rank 1 at the SAEINDIA Drone Development Challenge (DDC) 2025, Micro Aircraft Category. Competing against premier engineering institutions from across the country, the team demonstrated exceptional strengths in aerodynamics, design thinking, and technical innovation — firmly positioning SJEC as a national leader in drone design and development.
The contribution from Ninetron Tech will empower the club to expand its ongoing research, pursue high-impact innovation, and accelerate the productization of drone technologies developed on campus.
Addressing the gathering during the handover ceremony, Dr Rio D’Souza, principal, congratulated the team for their achievements and encouraged them to utilize this support to push technological boundaries even further. Fr Wilfred Prakash D’Souza, director, conveyed his appreciation to Abdul Shameer and Deshan D’Souza of Ninetron Tech, expressing optimism for continued collaborative initiatives. Dr Purushothama Chippar, vice principal, highlighted the recent accomplishments of the club and shared his expectations for future milestones. Dr Binu K G, head – strategy & planning, emphasized the importance of nurturing industry-academia partnerships and exploring co-development opportunities between SJEC and Ninetron Tech.
The event marks a significant step toward strengthening innovation ecosystems on campus and nurturing the next generation of drone technology leaders from SJEC.