India’s first, largest drone city to come up in Kurnool district
Andhra Pradesh is gearing up to lead the nation in drone manufacturing by establishing India’s first and largest drone city in Orvakal, Kurnool district.
Spread across a vast 300-acre site, the drone city aims to position Andhra Pradesh as the country’s drone capital. Announcing the initiative at a roundtable conference held at Vijayawada’s Novotel Hotel, K Dinesh Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh Drone Corporation, revealed that land acquisition has been completed and development work will commence soon.
The conference attracted over 100 industrialists and investors from the drone manufacturing and services sectors, all of whom discussed the promising opportunities the state offers. Highlighting Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision, Dinesh Kumar explained that the drone city will serve as a comprehensive ecosystem for manufacturing, testing, research, repairs, and development — all under one roof. The project is expected to generate around 40,000 jobs and will include the world’s largest common drone testing facility.
To attract investment, the government is offering generous incentives and has streamlined processes for land allocation and permits. Investors have the flexibility to set up operations in any district, further boosting the State’s appeal. Andhra Pradesh is aiming to rival global drone manufacturing hubs like China, Belgium, and the United States by fostering innovation and collaboration with industry experts.
The government is prioritising workforce development. Specialised training programmes are being offered to students from engineering and polytechnic colleges.
