Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh is going to become the nation’s leader in drone manufacturing, according to K Dinesh Kumar, chairman and managing director of the AP Drone Corporation.
He was addressing a roundtable here on Thursday which was attended by 100 prominent industrialists and investors from the drone manufacturing and services sectors gathered to discuss the promising environment for the industry in the state. He said that the state will soon be home to India’s first and largest drone city, spread across a vast 300-acre site in Orvakal in Kurnool district. With land acquisition complete, development work is set to begin shortly.
The AP government is making rapid strides to develop the drone ecosystem. The upcoming drone city in Orvakal will offer comprehensive facilities for manufacturing, testing, research, repairs, and development, all under one roof. The project is expected to generate 40,000 job opportunities, and the state will also host the world’s largest common drone testing facility.
In order to attract investment, the government is offering robust incentives for companies looking to establish operations in the drone sector. Investors will have the flexibility to set up their operations in any district of their choice, with the government facilitating seamless land allocation and permits.
With a global competitive edge in mind, AP is positioning itself to rival drone manufacturing giants like China, Belgium, and the United States. The government is actively seeking input and collaboration from industry experts to ensure the success of the initiative.
As part of the drone city’s development, the government is also focused on cultivating a skilled workforce. Specialised training programmes are being offered to students from engineering and polytechnic colleges, as well as to young talent eager to enter the drone industry. In partnership with the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM) in Kurnool, hands-on workshops are already underway.
Dinesh Kumar also emphasised that all State government departments will utilise drone technology to enhance service delivery, efficiency, and accessibility. Efforts are underway to educate government officials on potential use cases, while also exploring the integration of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies within the drone sector.
The establishment of the drone city in Andhra Pradesh has garnered praise from industrialists, who view the initiative as a model for the rest of the country. The decision to locate the drone city in Orvakal, near Hyderabad, has been widely welcomed, and several investors have already expressed their intention to set up manufacturing plants in the region. GJVM Nagabhushanam, Chief Engineer of APIIC, and V. Nagarjuna Reddy, OSD of APIIC were the prominent officials who attended the meeting.
