NxtQube Builds Truly Autonomous Drone Operations with Siemens Solid Edge
When Nikhil Rajput (left) and his team at NxtQube first started experimenting with drones, they noticed a clear contradiction:
“Everyone is making drones, and we see large-scale adoption,” Rajput recalls. “But they always need a pilot on the ground to operate the mission. If drones are ‘unmanned,’ why do they always need someone standing there?”
That simple question sparked NxtQube’s mission: to make drone operations truly autonomous.
From Concept to “Drone in a Box”
Most commercial drone operations face the same challenges: pilots must travel to the field, plan missions manually, swap batteries and handle troubleshooting on-site. These logistics often keep organizations stuck at the proof-of-concept stage.
NxtQube’s breakthrough was the Drone in a Box (DiaB) — a weatherproof, tamper-resistant docking station that:
- Houses and charges drones automatically
- Launches and lands UAVs without human intervention
- Monitors flight status and diagnoses issues remotely
- Works with drones from multiple manufacturers
In Rajput’s words: “We wanted an agnostic platform from day one, where drones from multiple manufacturers could operate. That modularity is what makes scaling possible.”
The result is an infrastructure platform that turns any powered site into a round-the-clock autonomous drone launchpad — a game changer for industries like agriculture, utilities, logistics and emergency services.
The Role of Simulation in NxtQube’s Journey
Building such a system wasn’t simple. Early prototypes of the docking station were bulky, heavy and expensive to ship. NxtQube needed a way to iterate faster, optimize designs and ensure durability in harsh conditions.
That’s where Siemens Solid Edge became critical. Using Solid Edge’s CAD and CAE tools, the team:
- Reduced the dock’s weight by over 60% while improving robustness
- Used finite element analysis (FEA) to identify stress points and extend product life to 4–5 years
- Simulated thermal and fatigue performance to prevent failures in the field
- Solved manufacturing challenges, from electromagnetic interference to seal tolerances
“Simulation was always a key part of our development,” Rajput explains. “With Solid Edge, we refined our designs, made them more reliable, and reduced costs while increasing performance.”
Accelerating as a Startup with Siemens Support
As an early-stage company, NxtQube needed powerful engineering tools but also had to keep costs in check. By joining the Solid Edge for Startups program, they accessed the full Siemens toolset for product development.
“We evaluated a number of software companies, but Solid Edge struck the perfect balance of power and simplicity,” says Rajput. “It handles solid modeling, sheet-metal design, assembly management — all at a fraction of the cost of other enterprise packages.”
The program also enabled agile collaboration, version control and seamless transitions from design to manufacturing. These advantages helped NxtQube scale production from 150 to 300 drone ports annually — with global demand growing rapidly.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Global Autonomy
NxtQube’s ambitions don’t stop at docking stations. The company is building the world’s first Agentic AI Platform for drones, combining:
- Autonomous hardware (Drone in a Box)
- Mission planning and analytics (Virtual Pilot)
- Centralized command and control (Mission Dashboard)
This ecosystem will enable truly unmanned, 24/7 drone operations at scale — empowering industries worldwide to harness the full potential of UAV technology.
Rajput credits Siemens technology as a cornerstone of this journey:
“Solid Edge helped us refine our processes and move faster than competitors. It’s been key in making our vision of unmanned drone operations a reality.”
About Solid Edge for Startups
The Solid Edge for Startups program provides early-stage companies with access to Siemens’ full suite of product development tools — from CAD and CAE to simulation and manufacturing — at no cost. Learn more about how Siemens supports innovators like NxtQube at Solid Edge for Startups.
