HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 25: In a significant stride towards empowering the youth and boosting the regional economy, the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) has proudly inaugurated Northeast India’s third Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO). This pioneering initiative, launched in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru College, Boko and training partner EduRade — a brand owned by RC HobbyTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (RCH) and it is situated at Jawaharlal Nehru College, Boko.
NECTAR undertook this opportunity to showcase the capabilities of Agriculture drones for spraying and how it can increase the source of livelihood to the people of North East.
A unique type of drone named as Aerostatic Drone which has high endurance capabilities for surveillance and monitoring was also showcased during the event.
NCTAR’s RPTO was inaugurated on June 25, 2024 with first batch of female pilots getting training from the 8 North Eastern states of the country. In the auspicious presence Laya Madduri, IAS, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Assam as Chief Guest, Nandita Das, MLA, Boko LAC and Lakshi Kanta Sarmah, president, Governing Body, JN College as the guests of honour.
Arun Kumar Sarma, Director General, NECTAR embarked the importance of Drone ecosystem in the North East. He further stated that the establishment of an RPTO in the Northeast region significantly enhances the employability of locals by providing specialized drone pilot training, aligning with the DGCA standards. This RPTO will also be align to Drone Didi scheme so that women of NE can extract maximum benefit out of this scheme.
Accordingly, NECTAR RPTO at Boko will be initially focusing on producing women pilot in NE so that they can avail the Drone Didi scheme. NECTAR is in touch with all state Govt. department and requested them to nominate members for the drone pilot (only women) training program. Initial few batches will be concentrated on only women pilot training. This certification equips individuals with highly sought-after skills in various sectors such as agriculture, logistics, and emergency response, opening diverse career opportunities.
Laya Madduri, IAS, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India stressed that drones will be the game changer in the North East. She told the participants that within a very short span of time international drone technology is now reaching in the rural areas of the North East due to efforts of the Prime Minister and central government through schemes such as Drone didi. She also narrated an incident of how a drone was used to deliver the relief materials in the flood affected areas of Cachar. She said that being the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology she will extend all the help in the drone sector for the outreach of drone technology in Assam as well as North East India. She further inaugurated the NECTAR’s RPTO with the first batch of 10 female candidates and visited the drone simulation room, classrooms and also flew the drone under the supervision of Drone Instructors. She also took the overview of the Aerostatic Drone and understood the importance of Aerostatic Drones for forest surveillance, wildlife monitoring and for planning flood rescue operations.
Nandita Das, MLA, Boko Legislative constituency was excited with the opening of RPTO in the Boko. She said that it will bring prosperity in the region and will set an example for the whole Assam. She said that till today she only knew that drones can be used for wedding photography only but came to know about various applications such as agriculture, drone planning, oil and gas agencies, emergency response etch. She told the participants that she will extend all the help from her side and will get more schemes through the science and technology minister of the state. She also emphasised about popularis
ing the drone technology to the masses.
Tapan Dutta, Principal, JN College, Boko extended his gratitude to Dr Arun Kumar Sarma, Director General NECTAR for providing the opportunity to his college in opening the RPTO. He said that the students of college will benefit from the RPTO and drone technology. He also extended his regards to all the dignitaries and participants for attending the event.
The establishment of this DGCA-approved RPTO marks a crucial milestone in advancing drone technology education and training in the region. It represents NECTAR’s initial step towards fostering technological growth, with many more initiatives to follow. DGCA-approved RPTOs, such as the one at Boko, are tasked with delivering drone pilot training programs that meet stringent DGCA standards. These meticulously designed programs provide comprehensive knowledge and hands-on skills essential for aspiring remote pilots to obtain certification, underscoring the necessity of having an RPTO in the region.
The strategic collaboration between NECTAR, EduRade and Jawaharlal Nehru College, Boko in the Northeast region significantly enhances the employability of locals by providing specialized drone pilot training, aligning with the DGCA standards. This certification equips individuals with highly sought-after skills in various sectors such as agriculture, logistics, and emergency response, opening diverse career opportunities. Jawahar Lal Nehru college under the aegis of principal Tapan Dutta has extended the much needed infra for the institutional setup.
As the nation aims to become a drone hub by 2030, with a need for 100,000 certified pilots by next year, several initiatives like Namo Drone Didi, which will train 15,000 women to become certified pilots, are already underway to boost employability and meet this growing demand.
The program was moderated by Alimpa Bhuyan, assistant professor of JN College, Boko.
