Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh is determined to become the nation’s leader in drone manufacturing, said K Dinesh Kumar, chairman and managing director of AP Drone Corporation (APDC). He announced that the state will soon be home to India’s first and largest drone city, spread across a vast 300-acre site at Orvakal in Kurnool district. Land acquisition for the project has been completed, and works are set to begin shortly.
APDC organized a roundtable conference recently which was attended by over 100 prominent industrialists and investors from the drone manufacturing and services sectors. Dinesh Kumar highlighted chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision to establish Andhra Pradesh as India’s drone capital.
He said AP govt 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. The state will also host the world’s largest common drone testing facility,” he said.
He said the govt is offering robust incentives for companies looking to establish operations in the drone sector. “Investors will have the flexibility to set up operations in any district of their choice, with the govt 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,” Dinesh Kumar added.
He explained that the govt is also focused on cultivating a skilled workforce as part of the drone city’s development. He said specialized training programs are being offered to students from engineering and polytechnic colleges, as well as to young talent eager to enter the drone industry. Hands-on workshops are already underway in partnership with the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design, and Manufacturing (IIITDM) in Kurnool.
Dinesh Kumar also emphasized that all state govt departments will utilize drone technology to enhance service delivery, efficiency, and accessibility. Efforts are underway to educate govt officials on potential use cases, while also exploring the integration of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies within the drone sector.
Plans to establish the drone city 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. The event was also attended by key officials, including GJVM Nagabhushanam, chief engineer of APIIC, and V Nagarjuna Reddy, OSD of APIIC.
APDC organized a roundtable conference recently which was attended by over 100 prominent industrialists and investors from the drone manufacturing and services sectors. Dinesh Kumar highlighted chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision to establish Andhra Pradesh as India’s drone capital.
He said AP govt 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. The state will also host the world’s largest common drone testing facility,” he said.
He said the govt is offering robust incentives for companies looking to establish operations in the drone sector. “Investors will have the flexibility to set up operations in any district of their choice, with the govt 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,” Dinesh Kumar added.
He explained that the govt is also focused on cultivating a skilled workforce as part of the drone city’s development. He said specialized training programs are being offered to students from engineering and polytechnic colleges, as well as to young talent eager to enter the drone industry. Hands-on workshops are already underway in partnership with the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design, and Manufacturing (IIITDM) in Kurnool.
Dinesh Kumar also emphasized that all state govt departments will utilize drone technology to enhance service delivery, efficiency, and accessibility. Efforts are underway to educate govt officials on potential use cases, while also exploring the integration of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies within the drone sector.
Plans to establish the drone city 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. The event was also attended by key officials, including GJVM Nagabhushanam, chief engineer of APIIC, and V Nagarjuna Reddy, OSD of APIIC.
