Kurnool : Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday outlined the Government of India's commitment to advancing the next phase of reforms for India's rapidly growing drone sector, including enabling BVLOS certification by the end of 2026 and introducing a new financial incentive scheme to strengthen domestic manufacturing of drones and critical components.
Speaking at the AP Drone Industry CEO's Round Table, jointly hosted by the Drone Federation India (DFI) and the Government of Andhra Pradesh at Orvakal Drone City, the Minister said the regulatory framework must evolve alongside the industry to enable innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security.
The CEO round table brought together 150+ leading companies from the drone, counter-drone and component ecosystem, alongside senior representatives from the Government of India, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), academia and research institutions.
According to the release, Naidu said, "By the end of this year, we will have a refined certification framework with enablement of BVLOS certification. As the industry moves into its next phase of growth, the regulatory framework must evolve with it, enabling innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security."
He further highlighted the Ministry's work on a new financial incentive scheme aimed at strengthening domestic drone and critical component manufacturing and supporting the industry in scaling its capabilities. The round table focused on the next phase of reforms needed to take India's drone ecosystem from foundational growth to large-scale deployment and global competitiveness. Key areas of discussion included Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, certification, testing and sandboxing, UAS Traffic Management (UTM), airspace access, government-led adoption and strengthening India's domestic component ecosystem.
President, Drone Federation India, Smit Shah, said, "A lot of good work has been done over the last few years. The Government of India and State Governments have played a great role in establishing an industry that barely existed a decade ago. We now have the foundations of a strong Indian drone ecosystem. The next push has to be about scale."
He added, "The next wave of reforms must enable Indian companies to manufacture at greater scale, deploy advanced BVLOS operations, access world-class testing infrastructure, build critical components domestically and compete in global markets."
A key focus of the discussions was the enablement of BVLOS operations, which are expected to unlock large-scale applications across logistics, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and other sectors. Industry leaders called for a predictable, risk-based certification framework, dedicated flight-testing environments and clear operating protocols to enable the transition from experimental operations to commercially scalable drone networks.
Participants also called for strengthening India's testing and certification ecosystem through dedicated testing sites and flight-testing corridors, common laboratory facilities and greater utilisation of infrastructure available with government institutions, technical institutes and research organisations.
The discussions further highlighted the need for specialised testing capabilities spanning both civil and defence applications, alongside stronger UTM and live-tracking capabilities and more efficient mechanisms for drone operations in restricted and red zones.
Government-led adoption emerged as another key priority, with industry representatives emphasising the role of government departments in creating demand through wider deployment of drone-based solutions. Participants also highlighted the need to build a stronger domestic component ecosystem across critical technologies through deeper collaboration between industry, academia, research institutions and government.
The round table also discussed strengthening India's position as a global drone manufacturing and technology hub through improved ease of doing business, streamlined regulatory processes and stronger export and trade promotion mechanisms.
The discussions assume particular significance for Orvakal Drone City, a 600-acre purpose-built ecosystem being developed to bring together drone manufacturing, R&D, testing, logistics and supporting infrastructure. The initiative is envisaged as an integrated environment where companies can develop, test and scale next-generation drone technologies. The event also featured an exhibition showcasing technologies and solutions from key industry stakeholders, including companies that have expressed interest in investing and establishing operations at Orvakal Drone City.
The CEO roundtable reinforced a shared industry and government ambition: India's drone sector must now move from building the ecosystem to scaling it with advanced operations, stronger manufacturing capabilities, world-class testing infrastructure, greater government adoption and globally competitive Indian drone companies at the centre of the next phase of growth.