VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that the State government is committed to develop Andhra Pradesh as the hub for drone technology, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu rolled out the red carpet for investors and pitched himself as the best ambassador for the drone industry.
Naidu and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the two-day Amaravati Drone Summit at CK Convention in Mangalagiri on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the summit, Naidu offered 300 acres of land at Orvakal in Kurnool district to the Centre, seeking the establishment of a drone hub. Strategically located near Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Amaravati, he noted, the site aims to position the State at the forefront of India’s drone ecosystem.
Highlighting the transformative potential of drones, especially in agriculture, infrastructure, and healthcare, the Chief Minister pointed out that drones were effectively used to deliver food and drinking water to stranded residents during the recent Vijayawada floods. “While other countries use drones for warfare, we will use them for peace and security by monitoring criminal activities and ensuring public safety,” he remarked.
Terming data new wealth, Naidu noted that 400 million TB of data is generated daily. “When combined with AI, this data has the potential to drive innovations that were previously unimaginable,” he opined.
Utilise AP as a testing ground for new drone technologies: CM to companies
Terming drone technology a game changer, the Chief Minister invited drone companies to use the State as a testing ground. “Give us your use cases and we will test them here,” he said, highlighting the government’s intention to adopt 150 drone use cases during the two-day summit.
He also announced that the State government will release a comprehensive drone policy in 15 days to establish a business-friendly environment for drone manufacturers and innovators. Stating that Amaravati will become the drone capital of India, Naidu said the State will lead the way in drone technology.
Further, he announced the State government’s plans to issue 20,000 drone pilot certificates to build a skilled workforce and achieve 80% indigenisation in drone manufacturing. He added that the government is planning to train 35,000 drone pilots. He appealed to industry players to keep their costs affordable to promote wider adoption.
Naidu released a concept note on the State’s drone policy at the event and said, “We want to create the future here.”
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Infrastructure and Investments (I&I) BC Janardhan Reddy said the State is laying a strong foundation to expand infrastructure and industries.
On day one of the summit, the State government formalised the partnership with the Quality Council of India (QCI) to certify drone startups. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with IIT-Tirupati and the Technology Innovation Hub to foster research, startup incubation, and skill-building initiatives.
The two-day summit featured a hackathon, drone exhibitions, and panel sessions with industry experts. Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam, Drone Federation of India President Smit Shah, State Chief Secretary Neerab Kumar Prasad, I&I Secretary Suresh Kumar, AP Drone Corporation MD K Dinesh Kumar were present.
Panel discussions on several uses of drones held
On day one of the summit, panel discussions were held on various topics such as ‘Building the Next Phase of Drone Regulations for Making India a Global Drone Hub by 2030,’ ‘Eyes in the Sky for Enhanced Public Safety & Effective Disaster Management,’ and ‘Increasing Farm Mechanization & Empowering Women Self-Help Groups through Precision Agriculture.’ An interactive session was conducted on ‘Building a Comprehensive Drone Ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh and Making Amaravati the Future Drone City of India.’
