Nagaland has opened its first Drone School and Drone Centre of Excellence in Kohima. The new facility is located at the Nagaland GIS and Remote Sensing Centre. It was officially inaugurated by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio during the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
The drone school is a new initiative by the State GIS and Remote Sensing Centre under the Planning and Transformation Department. Its main aim is to train young people in modern drone technology and help create new job opportunities through innovation and skill development.
Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the drone school is an important step towards using advanced technology for better governance, development and public services. He praised the department for starting the project and said the centre would help spread technical knowledge to districts and remote areas, ensuring technology benefits reach everyone.
The chief minister added that the initiative would help Nagaland prepare for future challenges and support the state in becoming a leader in the practical use of drone technology.
The Drone School will offer DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Certificate courses. It will also run short-term courses that do not require DGCA approval. These include FPV drone flying, drone repair and maintenance, and drone data analysis and mapping.
The first batch of 50 students will begin training from today. Their training is sponsored by the Nagaland Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Mission. The trainees will receive free training in different special areas, along with job placement support and links to industry partners.
The centre is fully equipped with modern classrooms, laboratories, flight simulators, assembly workshops and flying areas at Tsiesema and Thizama. It will also serve as a Centre of Excellence for drone research, innovation and technical support to government departments.
