Chennai-based Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd (KICL), part of the DC Kothari Group, has drawn up plans for the expansion of its drone business with an investment of more than ₹150 crore over the next few years.

The company has ventured into agriculture drones segment with the introduction of a fleet of drones designed to spray nano-urea. It has established a separate drone division.

Expansion plans

The company is planning to set up a drone manufacturing unit to expand its drone fleet to more than 100. The finer details of the drone production plan are still being worked out and the production may be ready by next year, per a statement by the company.

The company is planning to roll out drones which are designed, developed, and manufactured in-house.

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The company established the Kothari Drone Station for Chennai City Police a few months ago. 

“This state-of-the-art drone station showcases their expertise in utilising drones for various applications, including crime prevention, search and rescue, traffic management, and disaster response,” said Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed, Managing Director of KICL.

Drones in Agriculture

This experience has prompted KICL to make its foray into agriculture related areas. 

The introduction of nano-urea in the farming process holds tremendous promise. Nano-urea effectively fulfills crop nitrogen requirements and increases leaf photosynthesis and root biomass. The use of drones allows for more precise and efficient nutrient distribution, leading to enhanced crop yields and reduced environmental impact, it said. 

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KICL is now in the process of getting type certificate for their drone model. KICL is also in the process of getting approval for a remote pilot training organisation (RPTO) to develop drone skills in rural Tamil Nadu.

KICL has plans to expand its drone services to other areas such as mining, urban mapping, ports and waterways.

Drone registrations in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu occupies fifth place in the country after Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka in terms of registration of drones.

There has been an increase in the number of drones that were registered with unique identification numbers. In Tamil Nadu, only 10 drones were registered in 2021. This number increased to 328 in 2022 as a result of the Centre’s drone policy. Over 5,300 drones were registered in the country as of December last year, it said.

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