Chandrababu Naidu Vows to Make Andhra Pradesh a Global Drone Hub, Promises 20,000 Drone Pilot Certificates

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced his commitment to making the state a leading hub for the drone industry, pledging to be the industry's best ambassador. Speaking at the two-day national drone summit in Mangalagiri, Guntur district, Naidu called drone companies to use Andhra Pradesh as a testing ground for developing and validating use cases and proof of concepts.

"Andhra Pradesh will serve as a testing bed for drone applications. Bring your ideas, and we will help test them," said Naidu as he inaugurated the summit alongside Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. During the summit, the Chief Minister expressed the state's intention to adopt 150 drone use cases and encouraged industry players to place their data and concepts in a sandbox for further refinement.

Recognizing drones as the "game changer" of the future, Naidu highlighted their versatile applications, ranging from identifying traffic violations and criminals to enhancing farming practices. To foster the growth of this industry, he revealed the state's goal of issuing 20,000 drone pilot certificates and achieving 80% indigenization in drone manufacturing.

In a significant initiative, Naidu also promised to allocate 300 acres in Orvakal, Kurnool district, to establish a drone certification hub in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He urged drone manufacturers to keep their costs affordable to enable broader adoption and avoid price hikes driven by greed.

During the summit, the Andhra Pradesh government signed an agreement with the Quality Council of India (QCI) to certify drone startups in the state. At the same time, IIT-Tirupati partnered with the Technology Innovation Hub to collaborate on drone technology development and skill-building initiatives.

Union Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu echoed the state's ambition, emphasizing that the government aims to manufacture drones domestically and further develop India's drone ecosystem. He noted that the liberalization of drone regulations and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has benefitted 27 companies, helping position India as a rising global drone hub.

The summit, attended by over 1,700 delegates and 1,300 visitors, will feature drone hackathons, exhibitions, and a remarkable drone show at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada, drawing participation from experts across the industry.