New Delhi : The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Drone Federation India (DFI), launched the National Innovation Challenge for Drone Application and Research (NIDAR) under the ‘SwaYaan – Capacity Building for Human Resource Development in Unmanned Aircraft Systems’ initiative. The event was held at Electronics Niketan, MeitY government representatives, industry experts, and students from across the nation through online video-conferencing mode.
The challenge was formally inaugurated by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, who unveiled the official concept video, launched the website and registration portal (https://nidar.org.in)and released the NIDAR Poster and RuleBook. In his address, Shri Krishnan emphasized the pivotal role of drones in transforming various sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, logistics, healthcare, and infrastructure and the need for taking the NIDAR program at a larger scale to contribute to India’s vision of becoming a global drone hub by 2030.
Prof. T. G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE highlighted the need for taking the NIDAR challenges to engineering colleges across the country. He emphasized that academic institutions, startups and industries need to collaborate. He highlighted the need for innovative collaboration and leading the way in drone technology.
NIDAR under the project SwaYaan aims to inspire and engage India’s student and research communities to develop collaborative autonomous drones, addressing real-world challenges across two critical domains:
- Disaster Management (Scout & Deliver Drones): Identifying and assisting survivors in disaster-affected areas using autonomous drones for scouting, communication, and parcel delivery.
- Precision Agriculture (Scan & Spray Drones): Enhancing productivity and sustainability in agriculture through targeted interventions like crop health monitoring and precise pesticide/nutrient delivery.
The challenge offers a total prize pool of INR 40 Lakhs along with opportunities for startup incubation, cloud credits, software support, and internships with India’s leading drone companies. Over 100 student teams from higher education institutions across the country are expected to participate, presenting innovative solutions aimed at addressing pressing challenges in agriculture and disaster response.
The initiative is part of the Government of India’s broader effort to enhance entrepreneurship in academia and encourage applied research in drone technology. The Drone Federation India (DFI), a premier industry body representing over 550 drone companies and 5500 drone pilots, will support participating students by providing mentorship and industry exposure.
The competition will be conducted in multiple phases, including technology presentation, business case presentation, and final operations, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of students’ technical and entrepreneurial capabilities.
The event also featured participation from distinguished industry leaders besides students and professors from higher education colleges and technical institutions. Over 100 student teams from these institutions are expected to participate in this competition to build two collaborative autonomous drones for solving image-based detection and autonomous delivery.
The launch of NIDAR marks a significant step towards nurturing talent and promoting research & development in India’s rapidly growing drone ecosystem. The competition is expected to enhance technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and project management skills among participants, preparing them for impactful careers in emerging technology domains.
About SwaYaan
Capacity Building for Human Resource Development in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drone & Allied Technologies)
The SwaYaan initiative, approved by MeitY in July, 2022, focuses on capacity building for human resource development in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including drones and related technologies. The project aims to train 42,560 participants, combining both formal and non-formal educational programs to create a skilled workforce in drone technology. The initiative is implemented through a hub-and-spoke model involving 30 premium institutions like IISc, IITs, IIITs, NITs, CDAC, and NIELIT. Five key work themes guide the project—Drone Electronics, GNC Algorithms Simulation, Aeromechanics, Drone Applications, and Allied UAS Technologies—ensuring specialized focus areas. To date, over 14,000 beneficiaries have been trained. Notable achievements include the launch of an M.Tech. in UAS Engineering at IIT Kanpur, initiation of multiple minor degree programs, and successful conduction of numerous bootcamps and workshops. SwaYaan engages industry partners through innovation challenges and industry meets, reinforcing the link between academic training and real-world application in drone technology. For further details, refer to https://swayaan.meity.gov.in)