India’s First Drone Centres of Excellence Launched in Odisha
India’s first Drone Centres of Excellence (CoEs) have been launched in Odisha’s Kalahandi district under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). The initiative, led by parliamentarian Sujeet Kumar, in collaboration with IG Drones, a Gurugram-based drone technology company specialising in made-in-India solutions powered by AI, aims to equip tribal youth and women with drone technology skills. The centres, located in the Gram Panchayats of Sagada and Bhatangpadar, are part of a larger effort to promote skill development in rural India. Funded with ₹10 lakhs from Kumar’s MPLADS allocation, the initiative aligns with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions. It also supports India’s expanding drone industry, which aims to grow drone operations from 27,000 to over one lakh. Speaking at the launch, Kumar said, “By equipping tribal youth and women with cutting-edge skills, we are opening up opportunities that were once out of reach and ensuring their participation in India’s digital economy.” Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, founder & CEO of IG Drones, highlighted the significance of the initiative. “These centres aim to provide specialised training to rural students and unemployed youth, preparing them for roles as drone pilots and technicians.” The initiative integrates the Prime Minister’s ‘Drone Didi’ programme, which encourages women’s participation in drone operations in agriculture and other sectors. It also aligns with the National Education Policy’s focus on STEM learning, ensuring schoolchildren have access to emerging technology. With the growing demand for skilled professionals in the drone industry, the centres are expected to create employment opportunities through IG Drones’ partnerships with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). The initiative positions Kalahandi as a key hub for skill development while advancing India’s broader technological and economic goals. Sanghapriya had previously shared with AIM his perspective that India can bolster national security by focusing on dependable drone manufacturers and solution providers. This approach will also improve the nation’s capabilities in surveillance, infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response. “Although some operational challenges remain, particularly in securing approvals for sensitive zones such as defence areas and no-drone zones, the regulatory mechanism is much more streamlined than before,” Sanghapriya added. He further said that regulatory delays have been reduced compared to previous years, particularly for startups manufacturing 100% made-in-India drones with no Chinese components. This aligns with the government’s vision for Atmanirbhar Bharat and its push to make India a global drone hub by 2030.
The centres are part of a larger effort to promote skill development in rural India.
The centres are part of a larger effort to promote skill development in rural India.
["CoE", "Drone"]
["Go", "Drone", "CoE", "AI", "programming_languages:R", "ML", "programming_languages:Go", "Git", "RAG", "Aim", "R", "startup"]
["AI", "ML", "Aim", "RAG", "R", "Go", "Git", "startup", "programming_languages:R", "programming_languages:Go"]
An information designer who loves to learn about and try new developments in the field of tech and AI. She likes to spend her spare time reading and exploring absurdism in literature.