How drones are proliferated in India — from R-Day parade to drug delivery

Don’t be surprised if, in some time from now, the pizza you ordered reaches your home through a drone. As India aims to become a global drone hub by 2030, the industry is confidently taking both small and big steps, steadily increasing the use of the technology in various sectors.

While drones filming crowds are today a common sight in political rallies as well as social events like weddings, they are set to enter every aspect of our lives in the near future. In line with this, the Republic Day this year is scheduled to feature a spectacular drone show. As a part of this, 3,500 indigenous drones will illuminate the evening sky over Raisina Hill.

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While the R-Day parade is a Union government initiative, the states have not been far behind. Now, more than 15 states have conducted demonstrations and technical feasibility pilots in the use of drones. And more is in the offing. As the Republic turns 73, The Federal takes a look at the drone initiatives taken across the country. 

Telangana does it

In September 2021, Telangana became the first state in the country to use drone technology to speedily deliver medicines to far-flung rural areas as well as vulnerable communities.

Drones flying in semi-urban and rural areas are a common sight in states such as Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The main reason for their popularity is that they can deliver goods really fast, including in areas that are not easily accessible. 

The military and security agencies do of course use drones, and with deadly effect. But it is in the health sector that the technology is turning out to be very useful for the common man.

More states

The Arunachal Pradesh government launched in August 2022 a healthcare drone network in East Kameng district. Meghalaya also initiated a drone delivery hub three months later.

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While Arunachal Pradesh partnered with Bengaluru-based Redwing Labs, Meghalaya took the help of TechEagle, a drone tech start-up.

In December, online medicine delivery firm Tata 1mg introduced drone delivery in Dehradun. The service will be extended to other parts of Uttarakhand, a hill state where commuting from one place to another by road can take hours.

In Assam, drones were also used to deliver relief to those by floods. In other states, it has been used to map farm and forest areas.

New rules

The dramatic growth in the industry has followed the deregulation of the drone ecosystem by the Civil Aviation Ministry in August 2022 on the strength of the new drone rules announced the previous year.

India has banned the import of drones as it is intent on setting up a domestic industry that can design, construct and manufacture drones as well as their components within the country. If this happens, India could well become the world’s drone hub by 2030.

Government boost

But experts say that the government will have to come out with more innovative and competitive manufacturing capabilities and plans to boost production, woo investments and promote exports.

The drone delivery ecosystem includes multiple hardware and software technologies. Much of the growth thus far in India has taken place in rural and semi-urban locations because of the green zone regulations. Most of urban India lies in red and yellow zones and needs major government approvals.

Fortunately, most of the country lies in the green zone.

Under the new rules in India, now a remote pilot licence is not required for the non-commercial use of micro and nano drones. No permission is needed to operate drones in green zones.

Drones can be used as unmanned flying taxis with payloads up to 500 kg.

Food delivery

Interest in drones is certainly picking up in multiple industries. Food delivery companies have announced plans to launch drone delivery across the country. One of them, Zomato, has even done test deliveries of food. Drones that could carry a payload of 5 kg managed to cover 5 km in 10 minutes.

You may well be getting your food delivered by drone one day. You may give it a tip.