Budget 2022-23: Government Announced 'Drone Shakti' To Promote Drones As Service

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget address today, February 1, announced the Drone Shakti initiative to promote drone use in the country and provide and a major boost to the sector. Drone Shakti is a initiative that attempts to promote and enable drones as a service.Startups will be encouraged to facilitate Drone Shakti through various services and for Drone-as-a-Service, according to the Budget 2022 release (DrAAS).

Along with the government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones, Drone Shakti is designed to boost local manufacturing and job creation. More corporations and startups are likely to increase their investment in the drone sector as the government opens up the field to private players.

In Budget speech, FM Sitharaman said, "Startups will be promoted to facilitate 'Drone Shakti' through varied applications and for Drone-As-A-Service (DrAAS). In select ITIs, in all states, the required courses for skilling will be started."

FM Sitharaman also stated that the use of 'Kisan Drones' for police assessment, digitalization of land records, pesticide spraying, and nutrition spraying will be encouraged. According to her Budget address, a fund has been established that will be used by NABARD to finance rural entrepreneurship and agriculture sector start-ups.

The government's announcement of Drone Shakti is considered as a fresh focus on drone technology and the developing sector. According to analysts, Drone Shakti and Kisan Drones will expand the penetration of this technology at the grassroots level, perhaps opening new options for the sector.

This fund was also established as part of the co-investment strategy for the agricultural product value chain. These start-ups, according to FM Sitharaman, would help the formation and promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as well as provide technology to farmers.