Summary
The centre will help develop drones/UAVs, software platforms, data collation and analysis as well as creating broad application base
The Skill Development Centre for North East will work in collaboration with the Assam government, home affairs and defence ministries and industrial partners for capacity building and advanced training
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has launched India's first Centre for Excellence in Research on Drone/UAV Technology and Artificial Intelligence, skill development centre for drone/UAV operation and maintenance, nodal centre for overall administrative drone data management for the Northeast and droneport to support cargo drones delivering urgent/medical and emergency supplies/precious supplies to remote areas of the Northeast.
The initiatives will address various aspects of the development and implementation of drone technology such as technological advancements, training, legal aspects, administrative management, logistics, and adoption for the benefit of the entire region and the country.
AXOMDroneports would promote the development and adoption of drone technology in the Northeast.
“The government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has brought out the New Drone Rules in August 2021 and followed it up with a Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) Scheme for manufacturers. Our focus is on developing India’s capabilities as an important and integral value multiplier to the global drone ecosystem,” said civil aviation minister Gen (Dr) V.K. Singh.
IIT Guwahati director T.G. Sitharam said the institute has taken the lead and made a significant contribution in self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in several sectors and has been focusing on various technology-based development projects for the benefit of the region. “Utilising the salient features that drone-assisted technology offers, the remote and difficult terrains in the entire northeast region can be brought within reach during any emergency. IIT Guwahati will share its research expertise, impart skill development, set up a droneport and provide all administrative support and fulfil the Prime Minister’s vision of realising the potential of India to be global drone hub by 2030,” he said.
The IIT Guwahati Centre for Excellence for Drones/UAV and Artificial Intelligence addresses a broad spectrum of technical and social concerns related to drone technology. It has been established with the vision to design and develop the most advanced indigenous drones for solving the northeast region’s most persistent problems and contributing to the nation's technological achievements.
Along with the Technology Incubation Hub, where research on underwater drones is also being carried out, this centre will utilise the diverse expertise available across the institute to help develop drones/UAVs, software platforms, data collation and analysis as well as creating broad application base.
It will also assist innovators and start-ups in their research and development activities. In addition to this, the centre will work on the ideation and implementation of drone policies and regulations. Similarly, the testing and due certification of drones will also be a focal area. Already two drone-based start-ups are setting up their labs at IIT Guwahati Research Park.
The Skill Development Centre for North East will work in collaboration with the Assam government, Union home affairs and defence ministries and relevant industrial partners for capacity building and advanced training. It will provide professional UAV training to government and private organisations, including users such as farmers, security personnel, disaster relief and management and high-power fault detection.
Apart from providing technical training for drone operation, the centre will also be responsible for the training of rules and regulations. This will create a career opportunity for the youth of the regions and help the adoption of drone technology for the benefit of common people living in difficult terrain.
The Nodal Centre for North East will be responsible for the overall administrative management for the northeast region, drafting policies frameworks with state governments to build a sustainable UAV industry in India. It will promote and strive towards building a safer and scalable environment in the unmanned aviation industry in the Northeast.
Last updated on 09 Nov 2021
