Bhopal: Under the guidance of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh is moving towards becoming a leader in drone technology. To develop a better ecosystem for drone technology in the state and to discuss drone policy, a workshop was held on Monday at Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium on the topic “Use of drones in governance and development of drone ecosystem in Madhya Pradesh”. Wide-ranging applications of drone technology were discussed in the workshop. Surveyor General of India Hitesh Kumar Makwana, Additional Chief Secretary Science and Technology Sanjay Dubey, Managing Director MPSEDC Ashish Vashishtha inaugurated the workshop. On this occasion, Drone Center Information Portal https://drone.mp.gov.in/ was also launched.
Surveyor General Makwana said that there has been significant development in the field of drone technology in India in the last six years. From its initial limited use to its widespread use today, drones have emerged as a versatile tool. The Government of India has made a drone policy for the widespread use of drone technology. Madhya Pradesh is emerging as a leading state in the use of drone technology. The state has made a special achievement by using drone technology in the implementation of the Swamitva scheme. Drone technology is efficient, accessible and low cost technology.
ACS Sanjay Dubey said that the Central Government has set a target of developing drone technology based eco-system under the drone policy. In this, necessary rules, licensing procedures, period of operation etc. have been prescribed for the operation of drones. Considering this policy as inspiring, Madhya Pradesh is working for practical and beneficial use of drones at the regional level. He said that our aim is to develop a strong and holistic eco-system in the state. When we talk about drone, it is not just a flying camera but a game changing technology. This technology is capable of providing services at different levels. There is a possibility of widespread application of this technology in the state, which will provide better facilities to the citizens. Our aim is to develop such an eco-system through which drones can be used easily in various fields. This initiative will play an important role in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s self-reliant India and Make-in-India vision. Our aim is to develop drone technology and also set up manufacturing units in the state.
MD of MPSEDC Ashish Vashishtha said that today drone technology is being widely used in the agriculture sector. Effective mining is being monitored with the help of drones in the mining area. Also, drones play an important role in providing medical facilities in emergency situations. Drone technology is also being used in excise, law and order, construction activities. Our objective is to make Madhya Pradesh the drone hub of the country.
President of Drone Federation of India, Smit Shah said that drones have a transformative role in business expansion in urban and rural areas. He said that drones are being used extensively through initiatives like NaMo Drone Didi. Use of drone technology is not just an option but it is a necessity of the future. NABARD GM Qamar Javed said that remarkable work has been done in drone technology in Madhya Pradesh. Like cooperative institutions, the use of drones can be increased in PACS societies also. FICCI Drone Committee Co-Chairman and CEO Ankit Mehta said that drone technology is very useful in law-and-order and surveillance areas. Drones with their multifunctional utility are driving innovation and reshaping future technology.
Sessions organized on various topics of drone technology
In the workshop, sessions were organized on various topics of drone technology. The current use and future widespread use of drone technology was discussed on the topic Drone Policy and Industry Initiative. Information was given on the use of drones in business sectors on the topic Drone Case Studies. Information was given on the topic of drone start-up and skill development and a detailed discussion was also held on the drone policy draft.
On this occasion, a drone-centric information portal was also launched. This portal will be helpful in integrating information related to drone technology, policy and training. During this time, an exhibition based on drone technology was also organized, in which the latest uses of drone technology were displayed. On this occasion, MPSEDC Project Director Guru Prasad, Additional Project Director Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Project Manager Anoop Patel, Senior General Manager Kaviraj Mehra along with officers and employees of MPSEDC, Survey of India DGCA, IIT Indore, Drone Federation of India, NABARD, Heads of all the departments of Madhya Pradesh government, heads of drone industry like Idea Forge, Asteria Aerospace etc., representatives of drone didis and students of technical education were present.
