PUNE: DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Ltd. has received updated authorization from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct training for Medium Class drones at its Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) located at IIT Ropar, Punjab. The RPTO was earlier approved for Small Class drones and now includes both Small and Medium Class training under Rotorcraft (RPAS) for VLOS operations.
DroneAcharya has already trained over 1500 DGCA-certified drone pilots Pan India, with defence officials, including defence personnel from the Directorate General of Resettlement of the Indian defence forces at IIT Ropar. Additionally, in collaboration with C-PYTE, DroneAcharya has trained 150 youths from Punjab in drone operations and agricultural applications at this centre with a focus on driving the advancement of India’s aerospace sector.
DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Ltd. has received revised approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for its RPTO at IIT Ropar, Punjab. The latest certification includes medium-class drone training, expanding the scope of operations at the center, which previously offered only small-class RPAS training. The RPTO falls under the rotorcraft category, sub-category RPAS, and is approved for VLOS (Visual Line of Sight) conditions.
The RPTO at IIT Ropar currently offers courses such as drone pilot training (DGCA certified), aerial cinematography, GIS for drone data processing, drone building, drone in agriculture, Python for GIS, advanced LiDAR and GIS, disaster management with drones, and drone racing.
DroneAcharya has already trained over 1500 DGCA-certified drone pilots Pan India, with defence officials, including defense personnel from the Directorate General of Resettlement of the Indian defence forces at IIT Ropar. Additionally, in collaboration with C-PYTE, DroneAcharya has trained 150 youths from Punjab in drone operations and agricultural applications. The training efforts at this centre contribute to India’s broader skilling efforts under national initiatives like Skill India, Drone Shakti, and Namo Drone Didi, which aim to develop a robust drone ecosystem by fostering certified and technically sound drone professionals.
Prateek Srivastava, Founder and Managing Director of DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations Ltd., said,
“The inclusion of medium class certification at DroneAcharya IIT Ropar RPTO is a strategic step. It enables us to bridge the skill gap in advanced drone operations and support national initiatives such as Drone Shakti, Skill India, and Namo Drone Didi. With drone operation, repair, aerial mapping, and payload handling now integrated into the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and aligned with levels 3 to 6, our programs are structured to produce technically sound, industry-ready professionals. Our collaboration with IIT Ropar strengthens academic–industry alignment. It empowers us to deliver DGCA-certified training enriched with GIS, Python, agri-tech, and cinematography, creating multi-skilled talent across India, with a strong focus on young talents, Self-help Groups (SHGs), and women. Such partnerships are vital to scaling India’s drone ecosystem sustainably and inclusively.”
DroneAcharya is India’s highest-rated DGCA-certified RPTO, operating across India in states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, along with a suite of non-DGCA drone programs delivered pan-India.