The country’s first centre for excellence in research on Drone Technology and Artificial Intelligence was on Tuesday inaugurated by Union minister V K Singh at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. Highlighting that drones offer tremendous benefits to almost all sectors of the economy, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Gen (Retd) V K Singh said unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be significant creators of employment and economic growth due to their reach, versatility, and ease of use, especially in remote and inaccessible areas of the country.
The Union minister also launched three other initiatives at the premier institute, a release issued by IIT-G said. ”Our focus is to develop India’s capabilities as an important and integral value multiplier to the global drone ecosystem. “These initiatives will address various aspects of the development and implementation of drone technology such as technologic al advancements, training, legal aspects, administrative management, logistics, and adoption for the benefit of the entire region and the country,” Singh said.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the Central government has come up with the New Drone Rules in August 2021 and has followed it up with a Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) Scheme for manufacturers. ”It is encouraging to see the IITs take some timely initiatives in this direction and I pay my regards to those who are driving the growth of drones in the country,” he said.
