According to a study, pregnant women who are exposed to the microscopic particles in air pollution may have metabolic disruptions and changes in important biological pathways.

According to Emory University researchers, these alterations were linked to a higher chance of several unfavorable pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth.

While early-term deliveries (37–39 weeks gestation) are also linked to greater infant morbidity and developmental problems, preterm delivery is also linked to complications such cerebral palsy, respiratory distress syndrome, and long-term noncommunicable disease risks.

The exposure to PM2.5 is responsible for about 10% of premature births worldwide.

Lead author Donghai Liang, an associate professor of environmental health at the university’s Rollins School of Public Health, stated, “The association between air pollution and premature birth has been well established, but for the first time we were able to look at the detailed pathway and specific fine particles to identify how they are reflected in the increased risk of adverse birth outcomes.”

“This is important because if we can figure out the ‘why’ and ‘how’ then we can know better how to address it,” Liang said.

The study, which examined blood samples from 330 expectant mothers, found that two chemicals—cortisolone and lysoPE—were involved in the association between brief exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of preterm births. This suggests a possible mechanism by which air pollution causes premature labor.

In addition to providing new potential targets for preventative efforts, the study identified disturbances in protein digestion and absorption, which are critical for fetal growth and immunological function, as possible linkages between air pollution and preterm deliveries.

66 (20%) and 54 (16.4%) of the 330 women who took part in the study gave birth to preterm and early-term babies, respectively, which is much higher than the prevalence in the US population as a whole.

According to the researchers, a deeper comprehension of these pathways and pollutants’ effects on molecules is essential.

“We might be able to target some of these molecules in the future to create clinical interventions or effective strategies that could help reduce these negative health effects,” Liang said.

If you are suffering from chronic back pain, a walk in the woods can help you better manage the condition, according to a study on Tuesday.

According to a study that was published in The Journal of Pain, spending time in or around nature can assist persons with persistent lower back pain manage their physical agony by allowing them to escape.

Ten individuals with chronic lower back pain—some for nearly 40 years—were asked in a first-of-its-kind experiment by researchers from the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom about the part nature plays in any coping mechanisms they use to manage their disease.

In contrast to those who might otherwise spend much of their time indoors and alone, they discovered that those who were able to spend time outdoors reported that it allowed them to socialize with others.

They also preferred it to gyms or similar settings because it gave them a sense of escape from their everyday lives and a degree of distraction from their discomfort. They also relished the chance to work out in a pleasant environment.

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According to the respondents, natural elements like fresh air and the sound and sight of water also contributed to their sense of calm, which helped them cope with the tensions and worries brought on by their pain levels.

Like many other physical discomforts, lower back pain can be taxing, unpleasant, and isolating. However, nature has been proposed as a viable alternative in the context of a drive for innovative and more comprehensive treatments for chronic pain, according to main author Alexander Smith, a researcher in the University’s School of Psychology.

Smith continued, “Our research demonstrated that individuals who were able to spend time in nature recognized the advantages of doing so, both mentally and physically.”

In light of their findings, the researchers advised those who suffer from persistent lower back pain—as well as the medical professionals who treat them—to think more deeply about the benefits of nature for their health and well-being.

“Technological advancements like virtual reality and small adjustments like improved pathways and seating could help ensure that everyone can enjoy those advantages. However, we believe that our results pave the way for more research into how that could be accomplished,” Smith stated.

Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are small to medium in size. They are special because they can fly at a controlled, sustained altitude and operate remotely and independently. Aeronautics and robotics are combined in the drone system. An electric, jet, or combustion motor can power them. They also have very sophisticated equipment, such as high-resolution cameras, GPS, radar control, and infrared.

Similar to airplanes and helicopters, drones operate by turning on their engines, starting them up, and rotating their propellers to allow for flight. The pilot then controls its flight from the ground using the remote control. The ability to autonomously set a course is available on several drones.

This is made feasible by the use of GPS, which is calibrated to arrive at the specified location. The pilot can view the image from their command location once a camera records the route.

While some drone models have three, six, or even eight propellers, the majority have four. Usually double-bladed, the propellers rotate in one direction while the others rotate in the opposite way to keep the vehicle steady in the air.

The “central flight controller” in each drone helps to keep it stable. This device functions similarly to a compass and measures the magnetic field’s strength and direction. Through GPS, the controller learns the drone’s location and relays that information to the Electronic Speed Control, which allows the motor to use the revolutions required to ensure the most stable and safe flying.

Unmanned aerial vehicles can be used for a variety of tasks, including commercial operations, infrastructure and civil works inspections, and leisure activities. Some possible uses of drones include:

• Rescue and search.
• keeping an eye on traffic.
• Weather observations and measurements for battling fires.
• monitoring the harvest, installing irrigation systems, and applying pesticides.
• Airspace defense by the military to separate people from objects and to look for weapons or bombs.
• monitoring of the border.
• archaeological examination.
• tracking animals for scientific studies.
• recording sequences for audiovisual productions that were previously impractical or prohibitively costly to capture.

Here, we’re talking about India’s Top 10 Drone Companies.

1. Bharat Electronics Limited
2. BonV Aero
3. Garuda Aerospace
4. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
5. IdeaForge
6. Larsen & Toubro
7. Paras Aerospace
8. Skydio
9. Throttle Aerospace
10. TechEagle

1.Bharat Electronics Limited

The state-owned business Bharat Electronics Limited develops cutting-edge electronic systems for India’s military. Its drone lineup includes tethered drones for ongoing monitoring, combat drones for tactical defense, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for observation and reconnaissance. Additionally, it provides military-grade drone-based services for defense, logistics, and intelligence collection. Since its founding in 1954, the company has grown into new industries such as space electronics, smart cities, and homeland security. It currently has nine factories and regional support offices throughout the nation.

A Navratna PSU, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is a part of the Indian government’s Ministry of Defence. It produces cutting-edge electronic equipment and products for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Additionally, BEL has expanded into a number of different areas, including telecom products, passive night vision devices, medical electronics, composites, software solutions, home security solutions, smart cities, e-governance solutions, space electronics, including satellite integration, energy storage products, including e-vehicle charging stations, solar, network & cyber security, railways & metro solutions, airport solutions, and electronic voting machines.

2. BonV Aero

Co-Founder and Co-CEO: Gaurav Achha, Abinash Sahoo, Satyabrata Satapathy, Sultan Alam Khan, Rahul Kumar, Umang Kumar Rathi

With a focus on state-of-the-art vertical take-off and landing platforms, BonV Aero was founded in March 2021 and is at the forefront of innovation in aerial mobility. Our company, which is based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, has revolutionized logistics and transportation by developing intelligent solutions for difficult terrain, urban settings, and disaster response situations. With a team of more than 40 highly skilled professionals and a state-of-the-art 32000 square foot facility, BonV Aero is dedicated to revolutionizing aerial mobility by developing drones that can operate in the most demanding environments, ranging from disaster management to high-altitude defense operations.

An innovative logistics drone manufacturer with a focus on heavy-payload unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed for difficult terrain and high altitudes. With a payload capacity of up to 20 kg, our heavy lift drones are currently operationally deployed between 14,000 and 17,000 feet above sea level.Additionally, at 6,500 feet above sea level, we successfully demonstrated our 50 kg payload drone to the Indian Army.

Our team comprises more than 60 engineers and experts with over ten years of experience in autonomous drone technologies, aerial mobility, and other advanced technology industries. We are a deep-tech company that places a strong emphasis on research and development. Our products are also used in military drone applications, guaranteeing endurance, accuracy, and security in crucial deployments. We are dedicated to creating high-performance, next-generation unmanned aerial vehicles while advancing a tradition of creativity, accuracy, and excellence.

The propulsion system is adjusted to deliver the required torque and RPM with the least amount of energy consumption, making it ideal for high-altitude operations. This leads to increased operational efficiency, especially in low-density, high-altitude air situations where conventional systems would not function well. Longer flight durations and environmentally friendly operations depend on the system’s ability to operate at peak efficiency while using less energy.

In order to anticipate such problems before they materialize, advanced AI continuously checks the health of the vehicle, subsidiary sensors, flying cycles, maintenance plans, airframe state, and battery performance. This system offers a thorough approach to preventative maintenance by preserving the vehicle’s integrity, cutting downtime, and guaranteeing operational dependability.

3. Garuda Aerospace

Founder and CEO: Agnishwar Jayaprakash

Garuda Aerospace is a drone startup based in Chennai that creates reasonably priced drone solutions. It provides over 30 drone types and more than 50 drone-enabled services that span load-carrying delivery, agricultural, disaster, and warehouse management, as well as use cases for mapping, monitoring, and inspection. Established in 2015, Garuda Aerospace is a manufacturer certified by the DGCA with over a million flights done to date.

Training the best drone pilots in the world is the mission of this DGCA-approved remote pilot training organization. a plug-and-play model that would let them launch their new business and provide them the opportunity to create their own company.

4. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a defense and aerospace business that produces helicopters, airplanes, and other associated systems for the Indian government. The corporation was established in 1940 and manufactures cutting-edge military aircraft to bolster the country’s aerospace capabilities. The combat training team, which consists of a single manned aircraft serving as a “mothership” and commanding a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles in its wake, is one of the company’s initiatives. Additionally, the business is developing a multimodal drone driven by AI for strategic missions over great distances and at high altitudes.

Originally known as Hindustan airplanes Limited, the company was established on December 23, 1940, in Bangalore by visionary Shri Walchand Hirachand in collaboration with the Mysore government. The company’s goal was to manufacture airplanes in India. The Government of India took over the company’s management in 1942 after becoming a stakeholder in March 1941. The company started producing Harlow Trainer, Curtiss Hawk Fighter, and Vultee Bomber aircraft in partnership with the Inter Continental Aircraft Company of the USA.
Hindustan Aircraft Limited came under the administrative jurisdiction of the Indian government’s Ministry of Defence in January 1951.

5. IdeaForge

IdeaForge, one of the leading drone manufacturers in the world, is renowned for having the most drones that are locally designed, constructed, and developed in India. The Mumbai-based startup creates drones for security, surveillance, mapping, and surveying uses. According to the corporation, its fleet has flown more than 500,000 times so far, with an IdeaForge UAV taking off every five minutes.

The “mission first” approach is used in the architecture of its UAV platforms, which are designed to deliver UAVs that fulfill the criteria, can sustain a high number of flights, and can be operated autonomously without the need for specialized knowledge or training.

Also Read: 5 AI Tools You’ll Regret Ignoring in 2025

6. Larsen & Toubro

A international business with headquarters in Mumbai, Larsen & Toubro is well-known for its high-tech products and services, as well as its engineering, procurement, and construction projects. In order to assist the Indian military with logistics and surveillance, the business has also worked on other drone-related projects. Its high-altitude rotary-wing VTOL UAV is built with a 100-kilometer range and a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour, and its solar-connected drone can carry a base station with 10 terabytes per second while flying continuously for more than a year.

For more than 80 years, Larsen & Toubro has led the charge to create a powerful and independent India. Using its precision and systems engineering skills, L&T entered a number of vital industries, including aerospace, defense, and power, far before the private sector was allowed to enter these fields, starting with defense in 2001 and moving on to space in 2020.

L&T PES offers customized concept-to-design-to-delivery solutions across selected strategic segments with an emphasis on indigenous design and the creation of Indian Intellectual Property (IP), having developed a portfolio of products, systems, platforms, and solutions, and a basket of technologies in line with it.
#AtmanirbharBharat

7. Paras Aerospace

Paras Aerospace is a drone company that specializes in UAV-based services, complete UAV integration, and aerial mapping and surveying specifically for the agricultural industry. Its flagship product, the Agricopter V2.1, has a 30-minute flight time and a 10-liter tank, making it ideal for precision spraying and crop monitoring. The company has three service facilities in Gandhinagar, Satara, and Jhalawar in addition to its headquarters in Mumbai.

With a focus on advanced Agridrone technology, Paras Aerospace is a trailblazing force in drone production in India. In a fast changing technology environment, we work to redefine standards rather than merely establish new ones. By creating optimized solutions that are suited to the particular requirements of our country’s agricultural sector, we at Paras Aerospace hope to transform agricultural practices in India.

With this goal in mind, it presents the Type-Certified Paras Agricopter V2.1, which demonstrates the quality and innovation. As specialists in the field, it committed to utilizing cutting-edge drone technology to empower the agricultural sector and assist in addressing the increasing needs and difficulties of the contemporary agricultural environment.

8. Skydio

In 2024, the largest drone manufacturer in America, Skydio, teamed up with Indian drone maker Aeroarc to jointly construct military defense fleets after establishing a research and development center in Bangalore. The company is well-known for its AI-powered drones with computer vision and top-notch optics. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) gather data, examine, and survey on their own to improve situational awareness during tactical operations or to provide first responders with information from an aerial perspective.

Drones can be launched from cars or rooftop docks and travel up to 45 mph to any area with a DFR(Drone as First Responder) software, giving the frontlines a clear view of the situation on the ground.
Drones serve as first responders’ eyes and ears by arriving at the scene before them, providing them with real-time situational knowledge to help them make better tactical decisions. Those on the scene can concentrate on what’s happening in front of them by using DFR Command to remotely operate drones.

All set to take off, day or night. rain or shine. Additionally, the X10 will be able to fly on its own and see in low light conditions when outfitted with Skydio’s NightSense technology. Thus, Skydio DFR can assist in combating crime and saving lives around-the-clock.

9.Throttle Aerospace

As the first drone manufacturer in India to receive DGCA approval for civil drones and a license from the MoD to produce military drones, Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS) is a trailblazer in the drone business. TAS is motivated by a desire to develop cutting-edge goods and services that have the potential to revolutionize mobility across a range of industries.

For a variety of uses, including land mapping, surveillance, cargo, inspection, agricultural, disaster relief, and more, TAS offers a large selection of drones. DOPO, TACT, Nimble, L-Series, Defender, and other products are some of its flagships. Additionally, TAS was the first business in India to finish BVLOS testing and provide the DGCA with recommendations. TAS qualifies for the PLI program offered by the Indian government.

Drone manufacturer Throttle Aerospace creates unmanned aerial vehicles for use in agricultural, disaster relief, transport, surveillance, land mapping, and inspection. The company’s five-model fleet, which has its headquarters in Bangalore, comprises the military-grade TALV-TACT, which can fly for up to 55 minutes, and the delivery drone L-15, which can carry a 40-kilogram load. NeoSky, its parent firm, operates a remote pilot training school that has earned DGCA certification.

One of the biggest industrial areas in Karnataka State, Kolar District, is close to Narsapura, and is home to TAS’s cutting-edge manufacturing facility. TAS also maintains R&D facilities in its offices in Bangalore and Delhi.

10. TechEagle

TechEagle is a firm that enables last-mile logistics through on-demand drone delivery. The Gurugram-based business was first established in 2015 as a means of providing rural populations with healthcare supplies and products. The Vertiplane X3, its flagship drone, is a hybrid eVTOL with a top speed of 120 km/h. Up to three kilograms of temperature-controlled goods, such as medications and vaccinations, can be carried by the Indian-made UAV, which can travel 100 kilometers on a single battery.

In order to address the issue of healthcare and logistics accessibility in both rural and urban locations, the world’s first tea delivery via drone was launched in 2015 in the IIT Kanpur hostel garage.
In 2018, a local food delivery firm in Lucknow partnered with us to offer hot tea by drone. In 2019, thousands of testing flights were completed in collaboration with Zomato to enable food delivery via drone in a hyperlocal setting.

Using a drone, the Telangana government delivered Asia’s first cold chain vaccination in 2021. Also, used drones to deliver medications and vaccinations in the State of Telangana in a cold chain-enabled setting. The HMCA Jyotiraditya Scindia ji initiated the project.

The longest drone delivery trip in India took place in 2022 when India Post delivered the country’s first package in Gujarat’s Kutch region. It was also the longest flight in the country’s most severe winds, reaching 31 kmph.

In 2023, TB medicine was delivered in Uttarakhand in collaboration with AIIMS Rishikesh, enabling the Prime Minister’s vision of a TB-free India by 2025. The drone brought back TB test samples from the patient’s relatives.