Garuda Aerospace to make 1 lakh drones over 2 years
India will become a hub of drone technology and will require at least 1 lakh drone pilots by next year, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said after flagging of the ‘Drone Yatra 2.0’ in Chennai on 6 Dec 2022.
“Technology is truly transforming the world at a rapid rate and it has never been more relevant than now as its applications are solving some of the most pressing problems on the planet,” said Thakur.
India, he added, is increasingly leveraging technology to stay ahead of the curve.
Detailing the advancements in drone technology in India, he said, “During the Beating Retreat, the entire nation was mesmerised by the spectacular display of 1,000 ‘Made in India’ drones by Indian start-up ‘Botlab Dynamics’ led by an IIT alumni.”
As a part of the SWAMITVA scheme (Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas), the survey of the land and houses are being prepared through drones in the villages, he pointed out.
Also, drones are increasingly being used to sprinkle pesticides and nano fertilizers in the fields in rural villages.
He informed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been given approval for the deployment of drones for live aerial cinematography of the India Cricket Season in 2021.
Thakur appreciated the great effort made by Garuda Aerospace, India’s largest Drone Manufacturing Facility which is to make 1 lakh drones over the two years.
The Minister witnessed the advanced tools and manufacturing process of Garuda Kisan Drones during his visit to the facility.
Engineers at the facility explained to Thakur the workings of the advanced ‘Make in India’ Drones (see picture).
He reiterated the Government’s commitment to promote the use of technology in the agriculture sector in order to increase farm production.
“These drones will help in streamlining the use of pesticides in farms, which will further improve the profitability of our farmers.”
Drone technology is essential for various fields from defence to agriculture and health to entertainment, he pointed out.
India is also moving towards creating a strong drone manufacturing ecosystem in the country through schemes like Production Linked Incentive (PLI).
The Government strives to boost the demand for cutting-edge drone technology and services in a three-pronged approach:
Effective policy that is the new Drone Rules, 2021;
Providing incentive in the form of PLI for Drones and Drone Components;
And creating indigenous demand wherein 12 Ministries of the Central government have been given the task to take it forward.
Garuda’s Drone Skilling & Training Conference is to be conducted in 775 districts across the country, reaching 10 lakh Youth.
It aims to train 1 lakh Youth to significantly impact the Drone ecosystem, generate employment for Youth and hopes to create a massive impact in Agriculture, Mining, the Government departments and other industries.
While noting that currently there are over 200 drone start-ups operating in the country, the Minister said that this number will increase to generate lakhs of new job opportunities for the youth. fiinews.com
