Chintamani: Chintamani is set to get a dedicated drone-testing centre, with the state govt approving a Rs 42.8-crore project at Jeedarahalli aimed at building infrastructure for testing and developing unmanned aerial systems.The centre will come up on 19.3 acres of govt land and is expected to provide testing and validation facilities for drone manufacturers, startups, research institutions and other industry stakeholders. Drone Federation India has been identified as the implementation partner.The facility will have dedicated testing areas, segregated airspace and a runway measuring about 1,000 metres in length and 23 metres in width. It is also expected to have a control centre, laboratories, repair and testing facilities, warehousing and training infrastructure.The centre will enable testing of drones for flight performance, endurance and safety, besides advanced operations such as beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights, subject to regulatory approvals.With drones increasingly being used for agriculture, surveying, mapping, infrastructure inspection, logistics and emergency response, the facility is expected to provide companies and research organisations with a dedicated testing environment outside Bengaluru.The project is also intended to support training, research and development and the commercialisation of drone technologies. Officials expect it to attract startups and research organisations working on unmanned aerial systems to Chintamani and the wider Chikkaballapur region, creating opportunities for local youth and technology entrepreneurs to participate in the growing drone ecosystem.Chintamani MLA MC Sudhakar thanked minister Priyank Kharge for choosing the town for the facility. Sudhakar said he had discussed the proposal with Kharge last year and highlighted the availability of suitable govt land in Chintamani. “The district administration was also quick to identify and allocate the land for the centre,” he said, thanking officials for facilitating the land allocation. Sudhakar said the project would bring a technology-oriented facility to Chintamani.The project was announced by then chief minister Siddaramaiah in his 2026 budget speech as a proposed facility for Chikkaballapur district. Its approval within six months of the announcement marks the move from budget proposal to implementation.
