The drone industry in India is growing rapidly as more companies enter the market each year. Here we explain why the industry is growing and how it benefits businesses:
Growth Drivers
- Increasing Usefulness: The use of drones toward practical, in-field personal and commercial applications has increased in recent years. As technology has advanced new capabilities, drones are now being used for delivery, surveying, mapping, inspection, agriculture, etc.
- Reduced Costs: Advances in manufacturing processes and materials, battery technology, and motor efficiency, along with an increase in market competition has resulted in a reduction in the cost of drone procurement and drone operations.
- Improved Regulations: The Indian government has taken steps to support the growth of the drone industry. These efforts have included simplifying the process for obtaining permits, licenses, and other guidelines for operating drones, as well as implementing policies to encourage demand for drone technology and services.
- Growing Ecosystem: The drone ecosystem has evolved as new technologies and applications are developed. This includes over 200 startups, manufacturers, suppliers, operators, service providers, and regulators, as well as the technology (sensors, cameras, data analytics) and infrastructure (airports, heliports, and landing pads) that support the use of drones.
Commercial Applications
- Delivery/Logistics: Drones are well-suited to delivery tasks in India because they can fly quickly and efficiently to their destination, and can carry light-to-heavy packages over short distances. This creates unique opportunities for delivering goods such as packages, medical supplies, food through the last mile, along with inventory management, warehouse operations, and other logistics support.
- Surveillance: The use of drones for surveillance is a growing area of the drone industry because they can fly quietly and discreetly and can be equipped with a variety of sensors and cameras to capture high-resolution images and video. This makes them ideal for surveillance of borders, infrastructure, and wildlife, surveillance of events and crowds, as well as for search and rescue operations.
- Defense: Drones are increasingly being used in defense applications, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeted strikes. UAVs that can be operated remotely from a safe distance and equipped with a range of sensors and weapons are aiding armed forces, especially for missions too dangerous or difficult for human soldiers to carry out.
- Agriculture: UAVs have the ability to fly quickly and efficiently over large areas of land, and gather detailed, high-resolution data on crops, soil, and related factors. This data is used to improve crop yields and increase efficiency in farming operations. Drones can be used to apply fertilizers and pesticides, and to monitor the health of crops. Agribusinesses leverage drones to reduce chemical and water usage and improve the sustainability of their operations.
- Photography: Drones are ideal for capturing photos and videos from unique and hard-to-reach perspectives. UAVs are commonly used in the media and entertainment industry, as well as real estate, tourism, and other fields. Drone photography has also expanded the capabilities of photographers and videographers, and has opened up new possibilities for creative expression and storytelling.
