State to establish drone design and aero centre at Quitol

Panaji: The IT department, in collaboration with the tourism department, has proposed to establish a drone design and aero centre at Quitol. If approved by govt, it will see the creation of a dedicated facility where innovators can design, test, and fly drones, said IT and tourism minister, Rohan Khaunte.

Department sources said the joint proposal has been sent to chief minister Pramod Sawant for approval. “It should be cleared by the end of this year,” said an official. “It is a govt initiative.”

This initiative stems from the Goa Drone Policy, 2022, which seeks to position the state as a growing hub for drone manufacturing. The policy promotes drone design, manufacturing, testing, and maintenance.

State govt has already received a proposal from a private firm, Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd, to set up an integrated aero sports hub on the Quitol plateau, similar to the proposal being moved by the tourism department and the IT department. The private firm submitted its proposal on March 17 for the consideration of the tourism department and the Goa Investment Promotion Board.

The two lakh sqm plot at the Quitol Industrial Estate belongs to the Goa Industrial Development Corporation. Khaunte’s two departments are counting on a govt-to-govt proposal to succeed.

“The centre will be uniquely positioned in India and will form a part of the proposed tourism aero hub,” Khaunte said. He also mentioned that inventor, designer, and entrepreneur, Deepak Pathania, is developing an amphibian drone, with the entire design, sandbox, and manufacturing likely to take place in Goa. The IT department has initiated the empanelment of DGCA-approved agencies to provide certified drone pilot and technician training for Goan youth.