Here’s all you need to know about drone pilot training courses in India

• To become a professional drone pilot in India, candidates must get a certificate from an institute approved by DGCA, the aviation regulator.
• A 12th standard (or equivalent) passout can apply for drone pilot training and no college degree is required to become a drone pilot.
• Candidates will have to clear a medical examination as specified by the DGCA, and a background check by the government agency concerned.

The Indian government is promoting the drone industry in India – which is expected to create around one lakh jobs in the coming years.

“India will be a drone hub by 2030,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 'Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022' in New Delhi on May 27.

The government eased regulations too and removed strict mandates needed to fly drones. However, to become a professional drone pilot in India, candidates must get a certificate from an institute approved by DGCA, the aviation regulator.

"We are actively working towards making drone services easily accessible. India will soon witness a higher number of industries embracing drone innovation. This will eventually lead to a revolution that will touch the life of every citizen,” said civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia during the launch of NITI Aayog’s Experience Studio on drones in Delhi on May 10.

Eligibility for becoming a drone pilot in India

The qualifications required for taking this course are low too. A 12th grade (higher secondary school or its equivalent) passout can go for a drone pilot training course, Scindia said. The maximum age to receive this certificate is also fixed at 65 years, to carry out commercial activities.

Candidates will have to clear a medical examination and a background check by the government agency concerned, as per DGCA guidelines.

Institutes and universities offering drone pilot training courses

These institutes and universities which offer drone pilot training as approved by DGCA:

• Flytech Aviation Academy, Hyderabad
  
• Alliance University, Anekal, Bengaluru
  
• Fore Institute Of Drone Technology And Research (FIDTR), Gurugram
  
• Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, Furstatganj Airfield, Amethi
  
• Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior
  
• The Bombay Flying Club – Juhu Airport, Mumbai
  
• CASR Anna University – Centre for Aerospace Research MIT Campus, Chennai
  

More drone schools means less fees

The training period is low too — at 2-3 months, and the median salary could be as high as ₹30,000. However, the fee ranges anywhere between ₹30,000 and ₹1 lakh. This fee will also drop in the next few months, assured Scindia, as more institutes move to offer drone pilot courses.

“So, now, the DGCA will only certify drone schools, and it is the drone school concerned which will grant certificates to pilots. We have completely removed bureaucracy from this process,” he said.

Drone Destination, a Delhi-based company, is planning to establish at least 150 drone pilot training schools across the country by 2025, its CEO Chirag Sharma told PTI.

"We intend to partner with universities, agricultural institutes and police academies to serve the distinct needs of the ecosystem and enable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to over one lakh individuals required by our industry by 2025,” Sharma said.

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