Business Development Executive (Drones/UAV)

Role Overview:

The Business Development Executive will drive new account origination and relationship management for Okulo Aerospace's enterprise and PSU client base, with a focus on renewable energy, oil and gas, mining and critical infrastructure. This role combines direct client engagement with proposal development, proof-of-concept coordination and pipeline management, converting early conversations into paid deployments and long-term accounts. The person will represent Okulo in client meetings across India, manage a multi-sector pipeline end to end, and work closely with technical and delivery teams to close and grow business.

Key Responsibilities:

Account origination and pipeline development

• Identify and prioritise target accounts across renewable energy, oil and gas, mining and infrastructure sectors, including PSUs and large private enterprises.
• Initiate outreach through referrals, industry events, cold outreach and warm introductions to build a qualified pipeline.
• Maintain a live pipeline tracker with account status, next steps and expected timelines.

Client engagement and proposal development

• Lead first meetings and discovery calls to understand client requirements and map them to Okulo's product and service offerings.
• Prepare and deliver client-facing decks, use-case proposals and RFQ responses in coordination with technical teams.
• Draft and negotiate commercial quotations, scopes of work and proof-of-concept proposals.

POC and deal progression

• Coordinate proof-of-concept execution with the field and technical teams, from scheduling through to debrief and report delivery.
• Manage the transition from POC to paid deployment, including commercial negotiation and contract closure.
• Track and report on conversion rates across the pipeline, identifying bottlenecks and recommending fixes.

Account management and growth

• Own relationships with existing clients to identify renewal, expansion and cross-sell opportunities across Okulo's service lines.
• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts, coordinating with delivery teams to ensure client satisfaction.
• Re-engage lapsed or paused accounts where new opportunities arise.

Market intelligence and reporting

• Track sector trends, competitor activity and regulatory developments relevant to Okulo's target markets.
• Prepare regular pipeline and account status reports for leadership.
• Feed market and client insights back into product and platform positioning.

Cross-functional coordination

• Coordinate with technical, operations and tender teams to ensure consistent, accurate proposals and timely delivery.
• Support pricing and costing discussions with leadership, based on client requirements and competitive context.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in business development, sales or account management, preferably selling technological products or services to large enterprises or PSUs.
• Experience in the drone or UAV sector, or in oil and gas, mining or renewable energy sectors, is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of managing a multi-stage sales pipeline from lead generation through to closure.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to scope, price and negotiate service engagements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical offerings to non-technical and senior stakeholders.
• High proficiency in PowerPoint and Word for proposal preparation, and comfort working with Excel for pipeline tracking and basic costing.
• Willingness to travel extensively across India, including client sites in places like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi/NCR.
• Detail oriented, self-directed and capable of managing multiple accounts and opportunities in parallel.

Preferred Background:

• Experience selling into PSUs, government-linked enterprises or large private industrial groups.
• Prior exposure to UAV or drone services, aerial surveillance, GIS, or industrial inspection and monitoring solutions.
• Existing network of contacts within renewable energy, oil and gas, mining or infrastructure companies.
• Experience working in an early-stage or fast-growing technology company.

What Success Looks Like in This Role:

• A qualified, well-documented pipeline of enterprise and PSU accounts aligned to Okulo's capabilities.
• Steady conversion of proof-of-concept engagements into paid, recurring deployments.
• Strong client relationships that generate renewals, expansions and referrals.
• Clear, reliable pipeline and account reporting for leadership.
• Effective coordination with technical and delivery teams that keeps proposals accurate and delivery on track.