The National Skill Development Corporation has formed a strategic collaboration with AVPL International. The partnership is focused on creating 350 Advanced Skill Centres for Drone Technology in India within the next 3 years.

The plan aims to establish one of the largest industry-integrated skilling networks in the country and provide in-demand career pathways for thousands of students in the exciting field of industry drone and advanced skilling.

Curriculum and strategic effort

The multi-year rollout will start in year 1 by developing 75 ASKs across top private universities and engineering colleges. These are imagined as industry-managed Centres of Excellence that would complement the current shore-based school-to-work transition and deliver it. 

As per the agreement, the majority of the capital required to establish such centres will be co-invested by the National Skill Development Corporation. Operationally, AVPL International will be responsible for all activities from lab management to curriculum delivery, faculty development to industry collaboration, internships to placements, and entrepreneurial activities.

This project is well supported by the National Education Policy 2020 that stresses multidisciplinary learning, experiential learning, industry linkage, and industry-institute collaboration. Advanced Skill Centres will also facilitate the integration of industry-backed drone training into the Higher Education landscape. 

Degree courses integrated with the National Credit Framework for structured skill-focused learning provide academic credit to students. It enhances the employability of the graduates in their programme of study, subject to relevant institutional and regulatory frameworks. Advanced drone labs and practical learning facilities shall be available at each centre to cover in-depth the critical domains. 

This will involve learning about drone piloting, design and construction of drones, drone maintenance and repair, precision agriculture, surveying and Geographic Information Systems, AI-empowered drone applications, infrastructure inspection, drone data analytics, and entrepreneurship. In addition to laboratory projects, students will have exposure to live projects in industry, internships, innovation challenges, hackathons, and startup incubation programs.

Demand for drone technology and initiative

In India, the demand for drone technology is rising rapidly in diverse industries including Agriculture, Infrastructure, Logistics, Defence, Homeland Security, Mining, Disaster Management, Healthcare, Smart Cities, and Environment Monitoring. This industry and university collaboration is intended to help in the fast growth of these industries.

The initiative will enhance the general innovation ecosystem in higher education institutions by fostering research and research-based technological development and the creation of new startups. The universities signing the agreement will get the best infrastructure, industry-driven curriculum, training of teachers, better placement opportunities, and a long-standing association with one of the most rapidly developing technologies in the country.

Conclusion

In the coming 3 years, NSDC from the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MTE), along with its partner AVPL International, the market leader in drone technology and the skill development segment, plans to set up 350 Advanced Skill Centres (ASC).

This program will not only benefit thousands of students annually but will also help build a student pipeline in the drone sector and help in building future ready workforce in accordance with the goals of institutions offering higher education and initiatives such as Viksit Bharat 2047, Skill India, Digital India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.