Delhi plans drone push for governance, security

The Delhi government is working on a drone policy aimed at attracting investment, generating jobs and expanding the use of drones across governance sectors such as urban planning, infrastructure monitoring and pollution control. The technology is also expected to support the police in security-related operations.

An apex panel comprising the IT secretary, home secretary and a special commissioner of Delhi Police has already held discussions on multiple aspects of the policy, including ways to make it competitive. According to a Delhi government official, the panel also reviewed learnings from similar policies in other states and explored aligning Delhi’s framework with the Centre’s Drone Rules, 2021, to ensure regulatory consistency.

A working committee will now be set up to prepare the finer details in consultation with government departments and stakeholders. “Consultations with the stakeholders, including start-ups, academic institutes and industry representatives, are expected to begin next month before the policy is drafted,” the official said.


The government is examining drone policies adopted by Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, with a view to adapting their best practices for Delhi. A team of officers recently visited Telangana for the same purpose.

“These states have adopted progressive frameworks offering capital subsidies for drone manufacturing units, production-linked incentives, R&D grants, reimbursement of certification costs and dedicated drone parks or testing corridors,” said another official. Their USP lies in creating an end-to-end ecosystem — from manufacturing and component supply chains to pilot training schools and assured govt demand for mapping, agriculture and infrastructure projects, the official said, adding that some of these states have integrated drones into broader start-up and skilling policies, ensuring industry support is backed by talent development and market access.

“We are also exploring provisions to provide incentives for setting up research, testing and prototyping facilities. Plug-and-play incubation hubs could be encouraged to lower entry barriers for young entrepreneurs. This can help attract investment into drone analytics, mapping solutions and hardware manufacturing,” the official said.

Employment generation is a key focus of the proposed policy, with opportunities expected in drone piloting, maintenance and repair, data analytics, GIS mapping and assembly-line manufacturing. As part of an academic collaboration, the government is likely to engage Indian Institute of Technology Delhi to help shape the framework.

The policy also aims to expand drone use across departments. “They can be used extensively in governance, for which the policy will set up enabling frameworks. They can be deployed to mitigate pollution through mist spraying in hotspot areas. More departments are expected to be roped in as discussions progress,” the official said.

It will further define no-fly zones and mandate the registration of drones operating in the city. A unique identification number mechanism may also be introduced to maintain a comprehensive database.