India’s drone ecosystem expands: 38,575 UAVs registered, 39,890 pilots certified as of February 2026

India has built a regulated drone ecosystem as of February 2026, with more than 38,500 registered drones, 39,890 DGCA-certified remote pilots and 244 approved training organisations in operation, the Press Information Bureau said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that drones have become an integral component of India’s military capabilities, enhancing surveillance, intelligence gathering and precision strike operations for the Armed Forces. “During Operation SINDOOR, Indian drones and loitering munitions destroyed enemy targets safely and accurately. Drones work together with air defence systems, radar networks, and command centres to protect critical infrastructure and respond quickly to threats,” the Press Information Bureau statement said.

Drones have been deployed extensively under the SVAMITVA Scheme, surveying 3.28 lakh villages and enabling the preparation of 2.76 crore property cards across 1.82 lakh villages in 31 states.




The government has also distributed 1,094 drones to women self-help groups, including over 500 under the Namo Drone Didi initiative, to enhance farm productivity and strengthen rural livelihoods.

According to the PIB, drones are now widely used across public services, including land surveys, crop assessment, infrastructure monitoring, disaster response and defence operations. Flagship schemes such as SVAMITVA and PMFBY are deploying the technology to improve transparency, speed and accuracy in service delivery.

It further noted that the Drone Rules, 2021 and subsequent amendments in 2022 and 2023 have significantly liberalised the sector. Regulatory processes were simplified, with required forms cut from 25 to five and approvals reduced from 72 to four. Fees were rationalised and delinked from drone size, while civilian operations were permitted for drones weighing up to 500 kg, expanding commercial and industrial use.