PRAYAGRAJ: The Naini Aerospace Limited (NAL), which makes looms (electrical wiring harness) and stub wings (part of a wing on certain aircraft that lies next to the fuselage) of the light combat aircraft (LCA) TEJAS, will soon also train youngsters to fly drones which have multiple uses in different sectors.

“Drone pilots will be trained on the unit’s premises in Naini and the course will start by the end of January or February next year,” said chief executive officer of Naini Aerospace, Amit Mai Shrivastava.

“We have started making preparations to open a dedicated training centre for drone pilots that would be spread across an area of around 10 acres,” he added.

Human resource head of the company, Ritesh Singh said, “We are of the opinion that the use of drones is not limited only to photography. Their use in different sectors, whether for delivery of medicines and other necessary items in remote areas or for various uses in agriculture and defence sectors necessitates expert pilots. We will supply the expert hands.”

“We have signed a memorandum of understanding with Empyrean robotic technology of Prayagraj to jointly collaborate and make the ambitious project of remote pilot training organisation (RPTO) a success”, said the CEO of NAL. The MoU was signed at defence Expo 2022 held in Gandhinagar.

He added that a team of experts was deliberating on the course curriculum, number of seats and fees. “But we hope that youngsters who have passed intermediate can take the course which would be of short term, may be of two weeks of duration. Those with science background would be preferred,” he added.

License will be taken from Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA), meeting all set parameters to open the training centre, he shared.

Moreover, the duration of the course would depend on the size of the drone on which these budding professional drone pilots would be trained.

Like the looms for TEJAS, NAL would also make looms for Dornier aircrafts which are used largely for guarding Indian coastline, as per the CEO, Shrivastava.

NAL has already received the order to manufacture looms for Dornier aircraft. Till now the looms of Dornier aircraft were being built in Kanpur. Being smaller, Dornier aircraft flies much lower than fighter and normal aircraft. This aircraft is used to guard the border connected with the sea.