IIT-Guwahati’s programme on drone technology for armed forces

 GUWAHATI: The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has initiated a three-month training programme on drone technology for junior commission officers (JCOs) and other rank officers , which w will be extended in due course. Implemented by the Centre for Educational Technology (CET), Centre for Intelligent Cyber Physical Systems (CICPS), Centre for Drone Technology, and IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation (IITG TIDF), the primary objective of this programme is to modernise armed forces operations, provide state-of-the-art skills for drone operations and utilities, and facilitate a smooth transition for the armed forces as they consider post-retirement career options in the rapidly expanding drone technology sector.

Speaking on this major initiative for the armed forces, Prof. Parameswar K. Iyer, Centre for Drone Technology and Dean, PRBR, IIT Guwahati, mentioned that “Over the past few years, IIT Guwahati has been engaging with the armed forces to augment them with niche technologies, services, and skilling and other programmes.”

Speaking on the programme, Prof. T. V. Bharat, Head, Centre for Educational Technology, IIT Guwahati, said, “IIT Guwahati is offering a certificate program on drone technology-related courses to the defence forces for the first time in the country to skill the armed forces with this upcoming technology and to boost their career opportunities post-retirement for senior officers.”

Speaking on the course structure, Prof. Santosha K. Dwivedy, Head, Centre for Intelligent Cyber Physical Systems, IIT Guwahati, and Project Director IITG TIDF said, “While expert faculties from CICPS are taking care of the theory courses, the technical members from IITG TIDF are imparting practical training and hands-on experience to the participants to make them understand the core concepts, which will help them to be entrepreneurs and to have their own start-ups in the field of drone technologies.”

The current batch of the Drone Technology Programme has 30 personnel from various armed forces. While the theoretical part focuses on the fundamentals of Maths and Computing Foundation, Drone Technology, Fundamentals of Electrical, Electronics & Mechanical Engineering, and Applied Engineering, the practical part is more focused on the hands-on training using Flight Simulator, Basic Assembly, Risk Assessment and Analysis, Drone Equipment Maintenance, Payload, Installation and Utilization, and Intro to Drone Data and Analysis. Along with this, robotics, 3D printing, practical flying with an instructor, and solo flying are also part of this unique programme.

As members and officers of the Armed Forces, participants already possess a high level of discipline, leadership, and professionalism, which are invaluable traits for mastering new skills. Through this training, they will gain the necessary reorientation, retooling, and skills to thrive in the evolving drone industry. Emphasising the need for the course, Brigadier Rajeev Kapur, SM, Assistant Director General of the Directorate General of Resettlement (DRZ), said, “The aim of the Armed Forces Resettlement Courses Programme is to enable a smooth transition of service personnel who aspire for a second career in the corporate world at various levels after retirement. The three-month course on drone technology has been specially designed for JCOs and ORs of the Armed Forces to not only expand their knowledge on the dynamics of drone technology and its various applications in the emerging global environment, but also to give them an insight into the civil domain and familiarise them with the working environment of the corporate world.”

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