NIDAR 2.0 launched to build India’s next generation of drone innovators

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Drone Federation India (DFI), on Monday launched the second edition of the National Innovation Challenge for Drone Application and Research (NIDAR 2.0) for 2026-27 under the SwaYaan initiative, with a focus on advancing indigenous drone technologies and autonomous systems.

The programme was held at Electronics Niketan in New Delhi in a hybrid format, bringing together students, faculty members, government officials and industry leaders from across the country.

MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan launched the problem statements, poster and rulebook for NIDAR 2.0.

Speaking at the launch, Krishnan said the latest edition of the challenge marks a shift from merely operating drones to developing their core intelligence using indigenous technology.

“NIDAR 2.0 takes our students from just flying drones to building the drone’s brain. When the drone’s brain runs on India’s own VEGA processor, we are not just training engineers. We are laying the foundation of a self-reliant drone industry,” he said.

He added that the VEGA processor has been developed under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) programme, a MeitY initiative aimed at reducing India’s dependence on foreign chip designs and associated licensing costs.

The event also featured addresses by Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary, MeitY and CEO of the India Semiconductor Mission, Tulika Pandey, Scientist G and Group Coordinator at MeitY, and Smit Shah, President of the Drone Federation India. Senior officials from the Ministries of Civil Aviation, Defence and Home Affairs, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the armed forces, academia and industry also participated.

Building on the success of the inaugural edition launched in March 2025, NIDAR 2.0 significantly expands the scope of the competition. The first edition attracted 3,448 students from 22 states, four Union Territories and 109 cities, who developed autonomous drone solutions for disaster management and precision agriculture. A total of 93 teams reached the grand finale, with 24 teams winning prizes worth Rs 40 lakh.

The new edition shifts the focus from conventional drone platforms to autonomous systems, indigenous avionics and core drone components through two competition tracks.

–IANS

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