Market Reports

Defense & Security

• The Indian Army is using advanced drones with precise targeting to improve combat efficiency, enabling accurate threat neutralization in counter-insurgency operations while minimizing collateral damage.
• In high-altitude and remote regions like Ladakh and Siachen, drones are transforming logistics by delivering essential supplies to troops in compact containers, ensuring timely support where traditional methods may fall short.
• Besides combat, the Indian Army deploys drones for search-and-rescue missions during natural disasters. These rescue drones quickly and accurately assess affected areas, significantly improving the coordination of relief operations.

Agriculture

• The Indian agricultural drone market is in its early stages but shows significant growth prospects. With uses like soil analysis, seed planting, crop spraying and livestock monitoring, drones are quickly becoming essential for modern farming.
• Under the Agricultural Mechanization Sub-Mission, ICAR and related agricultural institutes receive full financial support, up to INR 1 Mn per drone, plus additional costs to acquire drones and demonstrate their use in farmers fields.
• To simplify the use of Nano fertilizers like Nano Urea via foliar application, efforts include drone spraying and providing battery-operated sprayers at retail outlets. Additionally, pilot training and custom hiring of spraying services through Village Level Entrepreneurs are being actively encouraged.

Environmental Monitoring and Wildlife Conservation

• Wildlife conservation is a national priority, with over 100 national parks and 500+ sanctuaries needing strong surveillance to protect animals.
• In India, drones are used for anti-poaching patrols, tracking animal migration, monitoring forest fires and livestreaming remote wildlife areas for research.
• In Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, drones have been deployed to patrol against poachers, helping reduce rhino poaching by 70% between 2021 and 2023 by providing forest officials with aerial views during early mornings and late evenings.

Media, Film and Events

• In 2025, drones became a key tool in India’s media and entertainment sector, widely used to capture breathtaking aerial shots for films, television shows and live events, adding a new dimension to visual storytelling.
• By enabling high-quality footage at lower costs, drones have revolutionized how content is created, making productions more dynamic and helping creators engage audiences with more immersive experiences.
• Today, drone cinematography is a standard practice for corporate events, cinematic film shoots with dramatic aerial views, live sports broadcasting and promotional videos for tourism, setting new industry standards across India.

Land Surveying and Mapping

• Drones provide high-resolution aerial imagery that speeds up land surveys and project planning while improving accuracy and reducing manual errors.
• Government initiatives like SVAMITVA use drone mapping to create transparent property records and enable efficient resource allocation.
• Drones are used for topographical surveys, 3D land record creation, pipeline and utility inspections and mining area monitoring to support infrastructure development and regulatory compliance.