Wings India 2026: IIIT Kurnool Students Showcase Drone Prototypes For Aviation
Their projects are addressing real-world challenges in drone technology, focusing on affordability & innovation in the rapidly growing unmanned aviation sector.
Hyderabad: Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu used the stage at Wings India 2026 to spotlight aviation’s growing role in India’s future. Apart from the static display of aircraft, the country's homegrown aerospace capabilities were on display at the exhibition.
Among the many highlights was a stall by the Andhra Pradesh Airport Development Corporation and AP Drones Corporation, where three students from Indian Institute of Information Technology Design And Manufacturing (IITDM)-Kurnool unveiled drone prototypes designed for flight control and air traffic monitoring.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle about his project, T Akash, an M.Tech student specialising in Drones and Internet of Things (IoT), said that he was working on an innovative prototype flight controller for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Speaking about his project, Akash explained that the flight controller has been developed entirely in-house at the institute.
“The controller uses components such as an ESP32 microcontroller and a gyroscope, and its accuracy is comparable to commercially available flight controllers,” he said. The major advantage is cost reduction. Another key benefit is that it does not require a laptop for operation. Unlike conventional systems that depend on laptop-based software for setup and control, Akash’s model allows users to operate the drone directly through a mobile phone interface that he has designed himself. “This is the interface of the flight controller. Using it, we can control the drone directly through a mobile phone from anywhere,” he explained.
Calibration, which is typically a complex process requiring a laptop, has also been simplified. “In my model, calibration can be done through the mobile phone itself. The interface also shows the drone’s angle and the direction in which it is rotating, making it much more user-friendly,” Akash added.
Along with Akash, Ishwarya S. and Vikram Prasad both B.Tech Mechanical Engineering students from Chennai Institute of Technology, are also working on another drone-related project as part of their internship at IIIT Kurnool.
Explaining their work, the students said their project focuses on air traffic monitoring for drones. “Whenever a drone is turned on, all its data, such as position, flight modes and motor stabilization will be displayed on our dashboard,” they said. “Each drone appears with a unique identity, allowing us to monitor multiple drones simultaneously.”
The idea was inspired by existing flight radar applications used for aircraft. “There are apps that track airplanes, but there are no dedicated platforms for monitoring drone traffic. That gap motivated us to work on this project,” they explained.
Together, these projects highlight how these bright young minds are addressing real-world challenges in drone technology, focusing on innovation, affordability, accessibility, and safety in the unmanned aviation sector.
The AP government has launched an ambitious Drone Policy 4.0 (2024–29) with a financial outlay of Rs.500 crore to make the state a leading drone hub by 2029. As part of the policy, a specialised Drone City will be developed on 300 acres at Orvakal in Kurnool district. The Drone City aims to create a complete drone ecosystem under one roof, covering design, manufacturing, testing, research and development, skilling, and services, supported by strong government policies. The initiative will focus on using drone technology in key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, aviation, and surveillance.
Reflecting this vision, students like Akash, Ishwarya and Vikram are already actively working on innovative drone projects, that align with the state’s push to become a national leader in the drone sector.