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New Delhi .The use of drones technology in India has become increasingly widespread in the last few years. Drones, once seen only as flying machines that take pictures and videos, are now being used in important sectors like agriculture, land survey, road and railway monitoring, disaster management and defence. The growing demand has expanded the entire ecosystem of drone manufacturing, software, parts, training and services.

India's drone market was worth around $1.22 billion i.e. around Rs 10,977 crore in 2025. It is estimated that by 2030 this market can reach 3.23 billion dollars i.e. about Rs 29,080 crore. During this period, the average annual growth rate of the market is estimated to be 21.51 percent. This expansion is not limited to the sale of drones only, but the construction and service business to it is also gaining momentum.

The major reason for the increasing demand for drones is their ability to monitor and survey large areas in a short time. Even in difficult geographical conditions or remote areas, drones can provide rapid information through photographs and video. For this reason, their use is increasing in government departments as well as in the private sector.

Namo Drone Didi Scheme has given a new direction to the use of drones in the agriculture sector. Launched in November 2023, the scheme aims to provide drones to women self-help groups so that they can spray pesticides and other agricultural inputs in farmers' fields. This provides services to farmers in a larger area in less time and creates a new income opportunity for women groups. As per available data, 1,094 drones have been given to women self-help groups through lead fertilizer companies.

Drones are also playing an important role under the ownership scheme in rural areas. Accurate maps and property records are being prepared by doing drone survey of populated land of villages. By December 2025, the survey of about 3.28 lakh villages had been completed, while 2.76 crore property cards were prepared for 1.82 lakh villages.

Drone video recording is being used to monitor highway projects in infrastructure. Drones are also useful in monitoring the tracks, bridges and other structures in railways along with keeping an eye on the security arrangements around railway yards, stations and tracks. In case of disaster, taking photographs of flood and landslide affected areas helps relief teams in planning rescue operations.

The importance of drones has also increased in the defense sector. They are being used in tasks like border surveillance, intelligence gathering and target identification. According to the source, Indian drones and surface-to-target attack weapons were used during Operation Sindoor. The increasing demand of defense sector has also created a big market for domestic companies. There are more than 600 drone companies in the country, out of which more than 100 are developing drones for the defense sector.

The government eased drone rules to boost the industry and implemented PLI scheme for indigenous production. Under this, companies were given incentives up to 20 percent on value addition. GST on drones was reduced to five percent in September 2025. Further emphasis is also being laid on increasing localization in the drone sector and development of components, software and services.

As of 9 February 2026, 38,575 drones were registered in the country and 39,890 remote pilot certificates had been issued. Employment opportunities are not limited to drone pilots only. Opportunities are also growing in sectors like manufacturing, software, sensors, repair, data analysis and surveying. It is estimated that the drone industry could create millions of jobs in the manufacturing and service sectors in the coming years.