Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's biggest Drone Festival – Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 – in Delhi on Friday, 27 May.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi conveyed his fascination and interest in the drone sector and said that he was deeply impressed by the drone exhibition and the spirit of the entrepreneurs and innovation in the sector.
The prime minister also talked about his interaction with farmers and young engineers. “Today we are making technology available to the masses first,” he stated.
He said that the energy and enthusiasm in the drone sector are visible and indicate India’s strength and desire to leapfrog into a leading position. “The sector shows great possibilities of a major sector for employment generation,” he said.
Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh Mandaviya, Bhupendra Yadav, and entrepreneurs of the drone industry were among those present at the occasion.
150 Drone Pilot Certificates Handed Out
According to the PMO, over 1,600 delegates comprising government officials, foreign diplomats, armed forces, central armed police forces, PSUs, private companies and drone startups have participated in the Mahotsav.
More than 70 exhibitors are slated to showcase different use cases of drones.
The festival also witness a virtual award of 150 Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC), product launches, panel discussions, flying demonstrations, and the display of a Made in India Drone Taxi prototype.
Union Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that there are 270 drone startups in India and the drone industry is estimated to reach a Rs 15,000 crore turnover by the year 2026.
After liberalising drone rules last year, the civil aviation ministry invited two rounds of applications for the Rs 120 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components.
The government, in February, announced its decision to ban the import of drones and subsequently scrapped the requirement of drone pilot licences for operating drones in India.
The Remote Pilot Certificate issued by a DGCA-approved drone school through the single window DigitalSky Platform will now be sufficient for operating a drone in the country, officials told Mint.
(With inputs from Mint)
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