India's first Drone testing facility in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: India’s first Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drone) Common Testing Centre under Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) would be established by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), which is the nodal agency for the implementation of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC).

This Test Centre, which would be established over an area of about 2.3 acres at the SIPCOT  Industrial Park, Vallam Vadagal near Sriperumbudur would enable the State  to be a significant contributor to the self-reliance of the country in Aerospace & Defence sector, an official press release said on Wednesday.

The test centre would showcase Chief Minister M K Stalin’s commitment towards building a thriving Defence and Aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the state and attract investors in the sector by addressing the needs of the industry in an innovative manner, the release said.

The testing centre would enable Tamil Nadu to become a  preferred destination for Aerospace and Defence companies to set up their Indian  operations.

Currently the non-availability of test centres which can support the Aerospace and Defence Standards outside DPSU/DRDO is an entry barrier for many organisations, which TIDCO had planned to lower, the release said.