India’s Drone Industry – What The Future Looks Like?

The Indian government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Make-in-India) campaign is conscientiously fostering indigenous enterprises by tweaking policies and regulations, thereby facilitating a surge in the domestic production of a variety of commodities. The drone industry in India is receiving extensive support and impetus from the government as one of the key sectors. India has set an established objective of becoming a global hub for drone manufacturing by 2030, and the growth potential of the drone industry in India is incredibly strong.
Drone services are becoming more widely recognised in many industries as a more practical alternative to drone ownership. For instance, given the size of their landholdings, not all farmers in the agricultural industry may be able to afford and use drones. This opens the door for “drones as a service,” a pay-per-use business model that does away with the expense of drone ownership and pilot salaries. However, given the financial and commercial advantages, companies whose drone usage is regular and repetitive, like insurance, may find it more viable to permanently own drones.

Many businesses and startups have started to provide their services to various sectors as the drone service industry continues to grow. Industry researchers predict that by 2025, the global drone industry would be valued at an astounding US$ 54 billion. With this progress, it is anticipated that India’s drone manufacturing capacity could be valued at approximately US$ 4.2 billion by 2025 and is projected to grow to US$ 23 billion by 2030.

Given Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming India into a global drone hub by 2030, the pursuit of drone pilot training is poised to unlock an array of promising career prospects in the field of drone technology. During the inauguration of the “Drone Yatra 2.0” in Chennai, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur stated, “India will require at least 1 lakh pilots in 2023, which would create ₹ 6,000 crores a year worth of employment under the Drone sector”.

Obtaining a certification from a DGCA-approved institute is mandatory for individuals seeking to become licensed drone pilots and pursue a career in the drone industry. A few of the DGCA-approved institutes in India are:

• CASR Anna University, Chennai
• FORE Institute Of Drone Technology And Research (FIDTR), Gurugram
• Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), Bengaluru
• The Bombay Flying Club, Mumbai
• ST Institute of Aeronautics, [STIA] Jaipur
• TMI Academy of Travel, Tourism and Aviation Studies, Delhi
• Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited, Dharmapuri
• Southern College of Engineering and Technology, Calicut
• Pune Institute of Aviation Technology, Pune
• Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur

The government is actively supporting the growth of the budding drone industry with several initiatives and schemes, such as SWAMITVA and Drone Shakti, which are designed to provide young people with the tools and resources they need to thrive in this emerging industry.

A potential candidate aiming to undertake a drone pilot training course must have successfully completed their 12^th grade education. The duration of drone pilot training programs can range from as little as 5 days to as long as 3 months, depending on the specific program. These programs are segmented into various categories, including Nano, Micro, Small, Medium, and Large, which are determined based on the Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) of the drones being operated.

One important aspect to consider when obtaining a certificate for commercial drone activities is the age limit, which is set at 65 years of age.

Listed below are the top emerging job roles in the drone industry:

• Drone Pilots
• Drone Technicians
• Design Engineers and Assemblers
• Drone Flight Planners
• Pilot Trainers
• Drone Software Engineers
• Drone Data Specialists

In conclusion, India’s drone industry is poised for rapid growth in the coming years, fueled by a burgeoning manufacturing industry, a rising demand across diverse sectors, and a need for skilled drone pilots. As the government continues to provide support and impetus through various initiatives, the future of the drone industry in India looks bright, offering both promising economic prospects and significant career opportunities.