Kohima: Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav visited the Nagaland GIS & Remote Sensing Centre (NGISRSC) and the Drone Centre of Excellence under the Planning & Transformation Department on September 9, where he reviewed the state’s progress in drone technology and its potential to create new employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people.
During the visit, the Governor was briefed on Nagaland’s adoption of drone technology, which began with the establishment of a Drone Unit for mapping, surveying and geospatial data acquisition.
The centre has since expanded its work through research and development programmes and collaborations with government departments and other stakeholders, gradually establishing recognition in the region for UAV training and applications.
Officials briefed Yadav on the evolution of the Drone School into a Centre of Excellence, with a focus on developing skilled manpower and creating career pathways in employment, entrepreneurship, start-ups and public-sector UAV applications.
The Drone Centre of Excellence currently offers specialised training programmes, including DGCA-compliant Remote Pilot Certificate courses for small and medium-category drones, along with courses in first-person-view (FPV) operations, drone repair and maintenance, GIS-based drone surveying and mapping, drone cinematography and hands-on avionics.
The centre’s role in youth skill development was also highlighted during the visit.
Under the Nagaland Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Mission (NSEDM), 70 candidates have been selected for training in various drone-related courses. In total, 72 trainees have completed training under the Drone Centre of Excellence.
The initiative aims to equip young people with skills in an emerging technology sector while encouraging self-employment, start-ups and employment opportunities both within and outside Nagaland.
Officials also outlined the future vision for the NGISRSC, which includes the proposed development of a State Geospatial Campus at Tuoliezou, Kohima, and an Advanced Drone Technology and UAV Innovation Hub.
The proposed facilities are expected to focus on emerging technologies such as AI-enabled drones, LiDAR, multispectral and thermal sensors, autonomous systems, fabrication, prototyping, repair and manufacturing.
These technologies could have applications in areas including disaster response, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental monitoring and geospatial mapping.
Yadav appreciated the efforts of the NGISRSC and the Drone Centre of Excellence in building capacity in emerging technologies.
He emphasised the need to prepare Nagaland’s youth for future employment opportunities and noted that drone technology has wide-ranging applications across sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, disaster management, environmental monitoring, cinematography and geospatial mapping.
Expressing his appreciation for the work being undertaken by the centre, the Governor said he was “truly fascinated” by the functioning and initiatives of the NGISRSC and encouraged the organisation to continue strengthening its activities and capabilities.
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He also stressed the importance of leveraging modern technology and innovation for effective governance and development, while encouraging the centre to contribute to the vision of a self-reliant India and the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Development Commissioner Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS, and other officials of the Planning & Transformation Department were present during the visit.
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