- The drone was showcased and launched at the ongoing Odisha Skill Conclave 2023, where several MoUs were signed
- The first-of-its-kind drone is made by Odisha-based start-up BonV Aero, which next aims to develop a platform to transport 200 kgs of freight over 40 km
During the inaugural event of the Odisha Skill Conclave 2023, the Chief Minister of the state, Naveen Patnaik launched first of its kind heavy lift logistics drone made by Odisha-based start-up BonV Aero. As per the reports, it can transport 50kg of weight over 10 km of distance. It must be noted that BonV Aero is an IIT Mandi, AIC CV Raman Global University Odisha and NITI Aayog-backed venture building electric aerial vehicles for cargo transportation.
The co-founder and CEO of BonV Aero, Satyabrata Satapathy remarked, “Start-up has successfully done a trial of this ‘RM001’ Electric Aerial Vehicle carrying 50-kilogram cargo at the altitude of 8000 to 10,000 feet in the Tawang of Eastern Command of the Indian Army forward post in Arunachal Pradesh and next a high altitude trial on 14,000 to 16,000 feet will be done.”
According to him, such multi-utility air vehicles were beneficial in the disaster response and the movement of any kind of cargo or goods where surface logistics were either unfavourable or time-consuming consuming. “If we talk about Odisha which is highly disaster-prone seeing cyclones and floods on regular basis, it can be useful in that situation, it is also many times cheaper than the current alternatives, so it will help to improve accessibility and efficiency of logistics solutions, especially in the remote and Hilly terrains.”
The CEO suggested that in its next phase, the startup aimed to develop its flagship platform ‘RM002’ which can transport 200 kilograms of freight over 40 kilometres.
While also taking the trial of the drone, the CM attended and addressed the inaugural session along with other government officials and dignitaries like Mr Pritiranjan Gharai, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Skill Development & Technical Education Department, Government of Odisha and Mr Subroto Bagchi, Chairman, Odisha Skill Development Authority, Government of Odisha.
MoUs Signed; Discussions Held
Notably, during the ongoing conclave, the state government of Odisha signed 12 MoUs to promote skilling and create a conducive ecosystem with major organisations and institutions like ITE Education Services, Singapore, Mission Shakti and World Skill Centre; School and Mass Education Department, Odisha Computer Application Center (OCAC), Drone Federation of India and Skill Development and Technical Education, Government of Odisha. Moreover, as reported by Orissa Diary, global leaders like Festo, Mitutoyo, Schneider, Coursera, Alterra, Philips Education and ISB expressed interest in investing in the youth of Odisha and their skill development.
The conclave also hosted three separate discussions. While in the first session, ‘Building a coherent skill ecosystem in India’, the speakers talked about creating a roadmap for Technical and Vocational Education Training in India (TVET), the second session, ‘Commendation of skilled manpower’ deliberated upon the importance of premium wages for the skilled manpower and the long-term benefits of the same. The final session named ‘Towards industry-led skilling’ discussed the disruption caused by the onset of Industry 4.0 and technologies such as AI and robotics.
The three-day-long Odisha Skill Conclave 2023 is being organised at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is the industry partner of the event.
