Gujarat: Drone operation to be part of ITI curriculum

The Gujarat government, which for the first time, allotted funds for the drone sector in its budget, has planned to train about 10,000 students to use drones and cater to the needs of industries and other sectors. These students will be trained at industrial training institutes.

Key sources close to the development said, "The government aims to establish a 'school of drones' to provide skill development programmes encompassing the entire drone value-chain - from drone flying to assembly and maintenance. The courses will also cover value-added services such as data analysis, AI applications, etc."

Sources added, "This school is expected to be a torch-bearer for skill development in the drone sector. It will also encourage research, innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship, and foster startups in drones and allied sectors." Sources added that Gujarat will attempt to gain the first-mover advantage in this sector by not only training students to operate drones, but also creating an environment for growth of the drone industry in the state.

"The state government is planning to implement a new policy to provide stimulus for the adoption of the 'digital sky platform' launched by the Centre to promote drone technology," sources added.

Sources added, "The state government plans to use drones for the development of human resources in the state. Drones can be utilized to improve governance and achieve transformational changes in the fields of agriculture, policing, defence, and mining. Key MoUs have been signed with various academic and specialized institutes to promote use of drone technology in Gujarat."