Mandate:

1. Offer DGCA approved Remote Pilot Training (Small and Medium category) to rural youth / progressive farmers / Women SHGs / FPOs / Agri-graduates / Diploma Holders. 
2. Providing certification, diploma, drone repair and maintenance and short-term training programmes aligned with national aviation and safety standards in order to promote agri drone ecosystem in India.
3. Actively support and host M.Sc and PhD students by enabling drone-focused research projects as part of their academics by providing access to infrastructure, expert mentorship, and collaborative research opportunities with academia, industry, and government.

Key Research Themes:

• Capacity Building in DGCA-Approved Drone Pilot Training
• Skill Development for Agri-Drone Ecosystem Promotion
• Drone Repair and Maintenance Workforce Development
• Academic Research Support to PG and PhD in Agri-Drone applications.
• Facilitating Collaborative Research with Academia–Industry – Government.

Extension Activities / Outreach Programs:

• Farmers training cum demonstration of drones under NABARD – Drone – DSR project (8 Nos.)
• Demonstration of Drone Seeding in Wet Direct Seeded Rice (4 Nos.)

Others:

1. Training programme on Drones for Crop Health Monitoring using NDVI and Remote Pilot Certification for Medium Class Drones

Funding agency: TGCOST-SC&ST Duration: One year (2025-26).

2. Training programme on Empowering Rural Tribal Youth in Telangana through Remote Pilot Skill Development 

Funding agency: TRICOR

Duration: Two years (2025-26 t 2026-27).

3. Building and promotion of drone enabled agri-ecosystem to create new job avenues and boost agrarian economy in Telangana

Funding agency: RKVY

Duration: Two years (2024-25 to 2025-26)

Infrastructure Facilities Available:

• Drone Lab, Simulation Lab, Virtual Class Room
• Agri Drones / UAVs – 2 Nos.
• RPTO / Survey Drone – 1 No.
• Drone Simulation Software’s: 10 Nos.

• Development of “Standard Operating Protocols” (SOPs) in seven crops (paddy, cotton, red gram, soybean, groundnut, sesamum and safflower) for drone spraying of pesticides in collaboration with M/s. Marut Dronetech Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad and these outcomes were included in crop specific SOPs for pesticide spraying using drone released by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi.
• PJTAU is part of National Committee on Development of crop specific SOPs for pesticide application using drones in major field crops.
• Developed drone based package of practices for wet-direct seeded rice. Complete package of practices were evolved for spraying herbicides, nutrients and pesticides in wet direct seeded rice along with standard operating protocols.
• The patent granted for drone seed dispensing device on “Method and system for dispensing multi-varied seeds through multi nozzle aerial seed dispensing device” which was jointly developed by PJTAU, Rajendranagar (primary applicant) and M/s. Marut Dronetech Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad on 30.01.2024.
• Three designs of the drone seeding device approved and design patents (3 Nos.) were granted.
• Four PJTAU faculty members have successfully completed the Master Trainers Training Programme on Drone operations (both small and medium category) and notified by DGCA, Govt. of India during May, 2024.
• DGCA given approval for PJTAU Drone Academy to offer dual certification for small and medium-category drone pilot training.
• PJTAU Drone Academy is the first in the Telugu states among RPTOs and State Agricultural Universities in India to offer DGCA-approved dual certification for small and medium-category drone pilot training.
• At present, a total of 520 remote pilots under small and medium category were trained as remote pilots promote drone ecosystem in India & Telangana state and encourage rural entrepreneurship.

Station In-Charge (Name & Designation): Dr. T. Kiran Babu, Accountable Manager

Mobile Number: 9848329394

Email: pjtaudroneacademy23@gmail.com

Full Postal Address with PIN Code: PJTAU Drone Academy,  Centre for Digital Agriculture & Technology, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 500 030