India: New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organization (NEDO), in collaboration with TechSci
Research, conducted a webinar titled India Drone Market-An Emerging
Opportunity in India on March 29, 2022. The virtual
event was organized to discuss the expanding applications of drones across
various sectors, supported by increasing initiatives by the Indian government
to promote the usage of unmanned aerial vehicles in the country. Mr. Takeshi
Murakami and Mr. Dheeraj Bhardwaj from NEDO, Mr. Vikas Yadav, and Mr. Alwin
Samuel from TechSci Research were key notable speakers.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Murakami stated that Drones have the ability
to reach remote areas with minimal effort. India is a vast country with various
regions, including mountains, rivers, hills, and undeveloped infrastructure in
urban and rural areas, which are difficult to access. It is the reason that
Drones will find growing usage in infrastructural inspection in the oil &
gas and power sector, agriculture, logistics, healthcare, security, etc.
The key presenter of the webinar, Mr. Vikas Yadav, Assistant Vice
President, TechSci Research, shared his research findings on the changing dynamics
of the drone ecosystem in India. The presentation included the basic
introduction of drones, current and future market potential, key drivers and
barriers impacting the drone market, potential and emerging drone use cases
across various sectors, including the possible collaboration between India and
Japan. He stated, “Indian drone market was valued at USD0.92 billion in 2021
and will reach at USD2.13 billion in 2027. Government’s aim to make India a
global drone hub and emerging potential applications will drive the growth of
India drone market in the coming years.”
He further added, “More companies and start-ups are entering and raising
their investments to provide solutions for mapping, topographical surveys
including industrial, transmission, pipeline, railway line inspections.
Besides, various research institutions are working to handle drone development,
usage, and application challenges.
He concluded that drones for surveying, disaster management, search,
rescue operations, etc., will be crucial for saving human lives, including
wildlife and resources. However, while the New Rules have opened the drone
sector to domestic and global players, the work is far from finished. With the
increasing number of stakeholders in the drone sector, new regulatory and
security concerns will also arise, which will need to be evaluated by the
participants. In addition, the development of public trust in drones will
require considerable efforts from all stakeholders toward ensuring that drone
operations are safe and welcome.
Commenting on the successful webinar session, Mr. Dheeraj Bhardwaj,
NEDO’s representative, commented, “I thank TechSci Research for conducting
research on drone market in India with perspective to India and Japan
collaboration in this new technology and emerging market. We had an interactive
and informative session today on a very pertaining topic concerning the drone
ecosystem in India. This webinar was helpful in understanding the existing
policies, technologies, and use cases of drones. In addition, it would help us
to understand gaps and build partnerships between India and Japan at both
government and industrial levels.”
NEDO is Japan’s largest public management organization promoting
research & development and deployment of industrial, energy, and
environmental technologies. Acting as an innovation accelerator, NEDO aims to
contribute to resolving social issues. TechSci Research is a research-based
management consulting firm headquartered in India.