E-Paper
Will transform Andhra into a drone hub in coming yrs: CM
“I shall be the best ambassador for the industry to promote its ecosystem by transforming the state into a drone hub.It will be a testing ground for drone applications in any field,” he said.
Describing the drone industry as a game-changer in the effective delivery mechanism of the governments in various fields, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday vowed to transform the state into a drone hub in the coming years.
Inaugurating the two-day “Amaravati Drone Summit-2024” on October 22 and 23, the first of its kind national drone summit at Mangalagiri in Guntur district, Naidu said he would take the lead in promoting drone industry across the country.
“I shall be the best ambassador for the drone industry to promote its ecosystem by transforming the state into a drone hub. Andhra Pradesh shall be a testing ground for drone applications in any field,” he said.
At least 1,711 delegates and 1,306 visitors took part in the two-day summit, where the state government will sign two agreements with Quality Council of India (QCI) and IIT Tirupati. The mega drone summit will feature drone hackathons, exhibitions and participation from industry experts.
The chief minister recalled how drones had played a big role during the recent flood relief operations in Viayawada, delivering food and drinking water to the people stranded in their colonies which could not be reached by the authorities.
Naidu explained how his government was contemplating using drone technology in agriculture and infrastructure. “The drones, equipped with closed-circuit television cameras, can identify the crops affected by pests and sprinkle pesticides only in those areas, without affecting the adjacent parts of the crops,” he pointed out.
Similarly, drones could be used in traffic management in urban areas and healthcare delivery, allowing patients to receive care from home. “Even in the maintenance of law and order, drones can be used for surveillance on potential problematic individuals, besides keeping a watch on traffic offenders. We will be utilising drones extensively within the police department, including tracking the movements of rowdy sheeters,” he asserted.
Naidu announced that the state would unveil its drone policy within the next 15 days. He said the government would allocate 300 acres of land near Orvakal in Kurnool district for the establishment of a drone hub.
Stating that real wealth of the nation is data, Naidu said the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with data could lead to groundbreaking developments.
Earlier, Union aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said that the government does not want to import drones as it envisages the people of the country to manufacture them. He pointed out that the Centre has liberalised rules for the drone ecosystem and enabled 27 companies to benefit from the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
Noting that India has emerged as a drone hub in the past few years, the Union minister said the government wants to push the industry further. “Looking at a drone hub in Andhra Pradesh in the future. I want to ensure that Andhra Pradesh grows to the best of its ability,” he said, adding that the government wants to ensure that the southern state will emerge as the drone hub of the world.
