TNUAC plans to equip state villages with drone units in next 3 years

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Corporation (TNUAVC) will train drone pilots in the state to equip all villages in the state with drone units in the next three years.

This plan, according to the TNUAVC will equip all the villages in the state with agricultural purposes including spraying of pesticide, land survey, mining, disaster management, monitoring of works and revenue among others.

TNUAVC which was constituted in 2021, January has trained 200 drone pilots and is in the process of training 600 drone pilots in the coming days.

The agency that is situated within the Anna University campus expects the project to equip all the 15,000 villages of the state with drone units.

The TNUVAC is also in the process of empaneling with companies Athat are into drone manufacturing that will help the trained drone pilots easy access to drones at subsidized rates.

Sources in the TNUVAC told IANS that with drones being utilised for agriculture purposes, the possibility of more subsidies from the Union Government is high.

It is to be noted that the Central government is aggressively focusing on the drone industry and the usage of drones in agriculture and has brought in several schemes for promoting drones in Indian villages.

The TNUVAC is also in the process of creating awareness among the farmers of Tamil Nadu on the advantages of using drones for spraying pesticides and other agriculture purposes.

The state is also planning to introduce new courses in drone technology to train professionals in the maintenance and repair of drones.

According to DGCA norms, a license is required to fly remotely piloted aircraft systems in the country and the Anna University has a centre to train drone pilots.

The state government is expecting that in due course of time, the use of drone technology will help do away with several issues pertaining to agriculture including pest attacks and lack of spraying of fertilisers and the state expects to equip all the villages in the state with drone technology.