Chennai, Nov 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu plans to establish commercial drone corridors in 10 districts, allowing specified activities, including goods delivery, agricultural spraying and construction monitoring, without prior police clearance.
The proposal, outlined in the TVK government’s Higher Education Department vision document, seeks to widen the commercial application of drones and create a market for locally manufactured equipment.
Disaster management operations would also be permitted within the designated corridors.
Higher Education Secretary Dheeraj Kumar said the initiative would be implemented with support from the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco), which functions under the Industries department.
The corridors are intended to simplify procedures for operators undertaking approved activities. Farmers could use drones to spray fertilisers and pesticides, while businesses could deploy them for deliveries and monitoring construction projects.
A key component of the proposal is mandatory use of locally manufactured drones for police surveillance and agricultural purposes, linking wider adoption of the technology with support for domestic production.
K. Senthil Kumar, director-in-charge of the Centre for Aerospace Research (CASR) at Anna University, said the proposed corridors would create business opportunities for drone manufacturers and companies working on related technologies.
"The corridors will help local drone startups move beyond developing prototypes and explore commercial applications," he said.
Tamil Nadu already has training facilities and institutional support that could underpin the programme. The drone pilot training centre at Anna University’s Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) campus has trained around 6,000 pilots so far.
The state drone corporation, which operates under the Higher Education Department, has also been promoting drone applications across different sectors.
Alongside the corridor proposal, Anna University is preparing to begin drone trials at the Chettinad Aeronautical Aviation Hub in Kanadukathan. Tidco has granted in-principle approval for the university to use the airfield. The trials are expected to focus on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, under which drones fly beyond the pilot’s direct field of vision. Such flights rely on communication, navigation and surveillance systems for control.
Together, the proposed corridors and planned trials seek to expand opportunities for drone deployment, supported by the state’s existing pool of trained pilots and research facilities. The initiative envisages a broader role for drones in everyday commercial activity, agriculture and public services, while giving local manufacturers opportunities to take their products into operational use.
Source: IANS
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