Dron-o-war 1.0 at Noida's JIIT puts spotlight on India's growing drone ecosystem

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Dron-o-war 1.0 was held at the Wish Town campus of Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT) in Noida Sector 128 from May 2 to 3, 2026. Panel discussions on technicalities of drone technology and its ecosystem were also a part of the two-day event.The two-day national event, which commenced on March 2 (Saturday), put a spotlight on the innovation in the country's drone technology. Lt. Gen. Anil Chandra Chait (Retd.) was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the event, with multiple other distinguished and eminent personalities also being in attendance. Dr Sarat Kumar Dash and Dr. Nishank K. Srivastava from the Indian Space Research Organisation and Dr. Bhupendra Singh from Defence Research and Development Organisation, along with senior scientists from BARC, were also present at the inaugural ceremony. According to a press release, the event was meant to serve as a “catalyst for innovation and skill development” in an era where “unmanned aerial systems are transforming defense, logistics, surveillance, and disaster management.” The event was conducted under the university's pro-chancellor Prof S C Saxena, along with other faculty from JIIT Noida, including Prof. Vikas Saxena, Prof. Shikha Mehta and Dr. Vinay Tikkiwal. The event witnessed participation from over 100 teams from different institutes, universities, and schools across the country, according to the press release. Dron-o-war also had prizes worth ₹20 lakhs, along with a lineup of several events, including FPV racing championships, autonomous drone missions, payload delivery challenges, panel discussions, design and innovation contests, and simulation-based competitions. The university said that the event had provided a platform for “students, researchers, and industry experts to exchange ideas and explore the evolving landscape of drone technology.” “The event marks a significant step toward fostering innovation, enhancing technical competencies, and advancing the vision of a technologically empowered and self-reliant India,” it added. The event also drew supoort by industry partners, including PDRL, RevUp, hoverRobotix, MentorX and FORE FIDTR, establishing synergy between academic and advancement in drone technology. Panel discussions on technicalities of drone technology and its ecosystem were also a part of the two-day event. For instance, the first session was titled ‘Empowering Viksit Bharat: The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Advancing Drone Technology and Skilled Workforce Development’. It focused on curriculum modernization, interdisciplinary research integration, and the development of industry-aligned skill frameworks to support emerging UAV technologies. Another panel session on ‘Innovations, Challenges, and the Future of Drone Technology ’, included discussions on advancements in autonomous systems, AI-enabled navigation, real-time data processing, regulatory compliance, and scalability challenges in drone deployment. Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered.Read More