Current Affairs

Issue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated India's biggest drone festival, Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

 

Background

The drone festival is a two-day event that will be held on May 27 and May 28.

 

Details

• The forum aims to increase India's presence in the sector by bringing together key stakeholders including StartUps.

• Participants in the drone festival include government officials, foreign diplomats, armed forces, central armed police forces, private companies, PSUs and drone startups.

• Other activities in the forum includes virtual award of drone pilot certificates, panel discussions, product launches, flying demonstrations, display of a Made in India Drone Taxi prototype.

 

Drones

• Drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), are a type of flying object without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. 

• They can be operated through remote control by a human operator, as remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA), or with various degrees of autonomy.

 

Potential for drone use

Drones in India have potential for use in agriculture, mining, infrastructure, surveillance, emergency response, transportation, geo-mapping, defence and law enforcement. 

 

Functions of drones

• Monitoring climate change

• Agriculture

• Geo mapping

• Carrying out search operations during natural disasters

• Photography and filming

• Delivering goods

• Used by security agencies for surveillance and attacks

 

Drone policy of the government

The Government has been trying to establish a globally-leading drone ecosystem in India which will create the physical and digital infrastructure to support safe, efficient and secure operation of drones in the country’s airspace.