Author: Dr Ruchi Saxena
Published on 3 April 2025
Drones, or uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), have emerged as transformative tools across various sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, disaster management, and environmental conservation. Their ability to access remote areas, collect real-time data, and perform tasks with precision has positioned them as critical instruments for addressing development challenges. However, their association with military applications has significantly impacted public perception, often overshadowing their potential as instruments of development and equity. This article explores the need for cross-border cooperation in the Indian Subcontinent to harness drones for development purposes. It highlights the benefits of such collaboration and outlines specific strategies that countries can adopt to foster innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
The widespread use of drones in military operations has marred their image as tools of destruction rather than development 1. Civilian casualties from drone strikes have further eroded public trust, with research showing a significant drop in support when such outcomes are highlighted 2. This negative perception poses a challenge for integrating drones into development initiatives.
To overcome this stigma, it is essential to reframe the narrative around drones by emphasizing their potential to address pressing global challenges such as climate change, resource conservation, and public health access. Highlighting successful non-military applications can help shift public opinion and build support for collaborative efforts. For instance, governments and organizations can run public awareness campaigns showcasing how drones have aided disaster relief efforts or improved agricultural productivity. Multi-stakeholder workshops such as ‘Drones and Data in Disasters’ and ‘Drones in Sustainable Agriculture’ when conducted in partnership with local leaders in states and districts which are most vulnerable to climate emergencies, bring together voices of the community to the forefront, demonstrates the positive impacts of drone technology to people at the grassroots.
Further, demonstrating a transparency in operations by ensuring that drone usage aligns with ethical guidelines can build trust among stakeholders. Tools such as Uncrewed Traffic Management and Blockchain-enabled drone data can make it easier to build trust-centred drone data systems. 3,4
The Indian subcontinent is home to diverse ecosystems, shared natural resources, and inter-connected economies. A cross-border strategy for drone technology can unlock numerous benefits for all member countries. We will explore some of the areas that will be directly and indirectly impacted when innovations such as drones and AI are adopted within a cross-border cooperation strategy.
1. Advancing Technology and Innovation
Collaborative research programs can accelerate the development of cutting-edge drone technologies tailored to regional needs. For instance, joint ventures between universities and private companies can focus on creating drones optimized for local climatic conditions. Shared expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can enhance drone capabilities in data analysis. Examples of such collaborations from India are ICMR’s medical drone initiatives in partnership with AIIMS 5.
2. Economic Growth
Harmonized regulations and shared infrastructure can lower costs for drone-based services, making them more accessible to businesses and governments. Additionally, regional manufacturing hubs can be established to produce affordable drones for development purposes. The creation of a regional drone ecosystem can attract investments and spur job creation in manufacturing, software development, and service industries 6.
3. Equity and Inclusion
Cross-border cooperation can ensure equitable access to drone technology, enabling smaller or less-developed nations to benefit from advancements without bearing disproportionate costs. For example, subsidized programs for deploying drones in rural areas can bridge gaps in agricultural efficiency. An example is the NAMO Drone Didi program in India7. Joint initiatives like these can focus on addressing disparities in climate resilience and health access capabilities across borders.
A robust ecosystem maximizing the developmental impact of drones can be created through regional cooperation in resource pooling and strategy alignment.
1. Climate Crisis Mitigation
Drones are invaluable tools for monitoring environmental changes and mitigating climate impacts. Some of the impactful outcomes include collecting data on air quality8, deforestation rates 9, and wildlife populations10, assessing potential sites for renewable energy projects like solar farms or wind turbines11, and supporting reforestation efforts by planting trees in hard-to-reach areas12. Such applications are particularly relevant given the region's vulnerability to climate change impacts like rising temperatures and erratic monsoons13.
2. Conservation of Natural Resources
Shared natural resources such as rivers, mountains, and forests require coordinated management. Drones can monitor water quality in trans-boundary rivers such as the Ganga and Brahmaputra14. They can also assist in wildlife conservation by tracking migratory patterns across borders, as for birds and dolpins 15.
3. Agriculture
Agriculture is a critical sector in the region's economy. Drones equipped with sensors can monitor crop health, optimize irrigation, and detect pest infestations16. Cross-border collaboration can standardize agricultural practices and share data on weather patterns or pest outbreaks. This approach can help mitigate risks associated with climate variability while improving food security 17.
4. Public Health Access
Drones have proven effective in delivering medical supplies to remote areas. Coordinated efforts can establish regional networks for drone-based delivery of vaccines, blood samples, or emergency medical kits. Such initiatives can significantly improve healthcare access in underserved regions. For example, during pandemics or natural disasters, drones could play a vital role in ensuring timely delivery of life-saving supplies 16.
5. Infrastructure Development
Drones are increasingly used for infrastructure inspection and maintenance. They can survey construction sites, inspect bridges or railways, and monitor urban planning projects 18. Cross-border projects like international railways or highways can benefit from shared drone capabilities by ensuring consistent standards across regions.
To realize the full potential of drones in the development sector, countries must adopt a collaborative approach. Key strategies include:
1. Capacity Building
Cross-border cooperation can establish regional training centers to build technical expertise in drone operation and maintenance. Training programs may focus on both technical skills (e.g., programming flight paths) and ethical considerations (e.g., privacy protection). Promote knowledge-sharing through workshops involving experts from academia, industry leaders, and policymakers.
2. Easing Access to Technology Imports
The countries can jointly formulate strategies to simplify import regulations for drone components and related technologies. Countries may negotiate trade agreements that reduce tariffs on essential drone parts and encourage partnerships with global tech companies to facilitate technology transfer.
3. Data Sharing
A multistakeholder working group can develop protocols for sharing data collected by drones while ensuring privacy and security. A centralized database accessible to all member countries could facilitate research on shared challenges like climate change or resource management.
4. Safety and Security Frameworks
The drone companies can standardize safety protocols to minimize risks associated with drone operations and the multilateral institutions can help implement measures to prevent misuse of drones for illegal activities such as smuggling or espionage.
5. No-Harms Policy
A cooperative regional policy needs to establish guidelines ensuring that drones are used solely for peaceful purposes. Transparency measures such as public reporting on drone missions could help build trust among stakeholders.
6. Harmonizing Airspace Regulations
Aligning airspace regulations to enable seamless cross-border drone operations shall develop mechanisms for real-time communication between air traffic control agencies. This ensures safe navigation while avoiding conflicts between civilian air traffic systems.
The time is ripe for leaders across the Indian subcontinent to prioritize cross-border cooperation on drone technology. By fostering partnerships among governments, research institutions, multilateral agencies, and think tanks, the region can unlock the transformative potential of drones for sustainable development. Establishing a regional organization dedicated to this effort will provide the necessary framework to coordinate activities, pool resources, drive innovation, and ensure equitable access across all nations involved.
The future of development lies in collaboration. By working together through shared strategies the countries of the Indian Sub-continent can overcome common challenges to the region, and harness each other’s capabilities to create an equitable and sustainable world.
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