Parliament Data Reveals Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Lag In Drone Adoption

A written reply tabled in the Lok Sabha has brought fresh scrutiny to the pace of drone adoption in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, even as the Centre claims to have significantly liberalised India's drone ecosystem.

Responding to a question raised by MP Sajda Ahmed, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol outlined the national framework to promote and regulate civilian drones. In his written reply, the minister stated that the government has implemented the Drone Rules, 2021, to ensure safe, secure and regulated operations, especially for developmental use in rural and remote areas.

The reply further noted that amendments in 2023 and 2024 simplified compliance by removing the mandatory passport requirement for Remote Pilot Certificates and easing drone registration and transfer norms. Nearly 90 per cent of India's airspace has been designated as "Green Zone," where drones can operate without prior permission. A Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems was also notified in 2022 to establish a globally aligned validation framework. To prevent misuse, mandatory Unique Identification Numbers (UIN), valid Remote Pilot Certificates, DGCA-authorised training institutions, and strict restrictions on the carriage of weapons or hazardous materials remain in force.

However, the state-wise registration data annexed to the parliamentary reply tells a different story for central India. As of January 31, 2026, Madhya Pradesh has only 480 registered drones, while neighbouring Chhattisgarh has just 161. In sharp contrast, Maharashtra leads the country with 8,210 registered drones, followed by Tamil Nadu (5,878), Telangana (3,657), Karnataka (3,258), Haryana (2,179), and Andhra Pradesh (1,876). Nationwide, the total number of registered drones stands at 38,475.

The data has raised questions for Madhya Pradesh, particularly in light of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav's ambitious push to position the state as a "drone hub." The state government recently implemented the "MP Drone Promotion and Utilisation Policy-2025," offering substantial financial incentives. The policy provides capital subsidies of up to 40 per cent for drone manufacturing units, capped at Rs 30 crore, along with grants of up to Rs 2 crore for research and development.

Despite these "bumper" incentives and a declared vision to attract investment, Madhya Pradesh ranks only 13th nationally in drone registrations. Even relatively smaller industrial states such as Haryana and Andhra Pradesh have significantly outpaced it. For a state with vast agricultural land, forest coverage, mining zones, and expanding infrastructure corridors sectors, where drones could play a transformative role, the modest figure of 480 registrations signals a slow uptake.

Chhattisgarh's situation appears even more concerning. With only 161 registered drones, the state lags behind many others, despite its significant requirements in forest monitoring, disaster response, and remote healthcare logistics. The parliamentary data suggest that while regulatory frameworks are uniformly liberal across the country, ecosystem development and adoption vary sharply by region.

With airspace opened up, certification frameworks in place, and compliance norms simplified, the central policy architecture appears robust. The pressing question now is whether states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh can translate policy announcements and financial incentives into real industrial momentum.