IIT Bhubaneswar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IG Drones, a leading drone tech and AI company in India, to establish an Advanced Drone Excellence Centre at the IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park, focused on disaster management R&D. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing drone technology research and development in the field of disaster management, especially as India is a disaster-prone country.
The MoU outlines the collaboration’s key objectives, including the development of cutting-edge drone technologies and research methodologies tailored for disaster management. The Advanced Drone Excellence Centre will be situated in a dedicated space of approximately 2000 sq. ft., equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to support research and development initiatives.
The new Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be dedicated to pioneering research and development in disaster management applications of drone technology. This initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of drones in responding to natural calamities, leveraging IG Drones’ extensive experience in disaster-prone areas. IG Drones has been active in disaster management since 2019, with notable experience from its work in Uttarakhand’s avalanche-affected regions, Sikkim’s landslides, and Odisha’s cyclone-prone areas. This expertise positions IG Drones uniquely to drive innovation in this critical field.
This new CoE will be the first to focus specifically on disaster management R&D. The partnership with IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park aims to further advance the development of drone technologies that can be deployed effectively during emergencies, providing critical support in disaster response and recovery efforts.
Odisha is India’s No. 1 disaster-ready state and is widely appreciated globally for its proactive disaster management strategies, advanced infrastructure, effective use of technology, strong institutional framework, and successful track record in handling major natural disasters. IG Drones, being an Odisha-based company, has excelled in disaster management with cutting-edge global drone technology and the application of AI.
Dr. Soobhankar Pati, CEO of IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park, said, “We are excited to partner with IG Drones, enhancing our focus on disaster management through startups working in cutting-edge technology. This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in high-end technological areas, aligning with our vision ‘100 Cube’—facilitating 100 startups, each worth Rs 100 Crore, as Odisha turns 100 as a linguistic state in 2036. With an existing AR and VR Center of Excellence, numerous AI and AR/VR startups incubated at IIT, and exceptional faculty research in Earth, Ocean, and Climate Sciences, we look forward to jointly advancing solutions for disaster management under this MoU.
The Indian drone market is projected to grow rapidly from USD 654 million in 2024 to USD 1,437 million by 2029, with a CAGR of 17.0%. This growth is driven by demand in sectors such as agriculture, defense, and e-commerce.
