Karnataka is stepping up efforts to position Bengaluru as a leading hub in India’s rapidly growing drone economy through new infrastructure plans, policy support, and wider public adoption of drone technology.
During a high-level industry consultation held on Thursday in collaboration with the Drone Federation of India, the state government announced plans to develop a dedicated drone flight testing facility near Bengaluru. The government also proposed launching an annual “Bengaluru Drone Festival” to highlight the city’s growing role in drone innovation.
IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge said, “Karnataka is committed to leading India’s drone economy by moving decisively on infrastructure, policy enablement and real-world adoption.” He further added, “Drones have the potential to significantly transform governance and public service delivery, and we are working to ensure Karnataka becomes the sought-after hub for this next wave of innovation.”
Officials from the electronics and IT-BT department said the proposed testing facility will follow an accelerated operational model. This will allow early-stage access for the industry while institutional partnerships, regulatory systems, and supporting infrastructure continue to develop.
The consultation also focused on simplifying approval systems and standard operating procedures for emerging drone applications.
The initiative comes as multiple Indian states compete to attract investments in drone manufacturing and unmanned aerial technologies, a sector identified by the central government as an important part of India’s deep-tech and defence innovation ecosystem.
Bengaluru already has a strong aerospace, defence, and deep-tech startup ecosystem and also hosts Aero India, the country’s major biennial air show.
The Karnataka government is also exploring the use of drones across agriculture, rural development, disaster response, land surveys, and urban planning. The state has already used drones for 3D tax mapping, SVAMITVA village mapping, and police surveillance operations.
The Kalaburagi police earlier gained national attention in 2025 for using AI-powered drones such as Nimble-i and NS01 for surveillance, number plate recognition, and night monitoring.
The proposed “Bengaluru Drone Festival” is expected to include drone racing, hackathons, startup showcases, and live demonstrations. Representatives from ideaForge, Asteria Aerospace, NewSpace Research & Technologies, and several startups attended the consultation.
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