In a sunlit drone hangar in Karnal, 36 women gather as the first cohort of Haryana’s Drone Didi program takes flight. The scene is charged with a practical energy: rotor blades start with a soft whirr, and the trainees listen as instructors outline the road ahead. It’s not just about flying drones; it’s about turning a high-tech tool into a livelihood. This launch marks a deliberate shift by the state toward integrating drones into rural work, farming, and women’s economic participation.

The inaugural batch is split into two groups of 18 students each, with sessions underway in Karnal and Kurukshetra at DRlISHYA—Drone Imaging and Information Service of Haryana Limited. This state-backed hub is designed to scale up drone education, combining piloting excellence with hands-on farming applications. The approach is pragmatic: trainees learn to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot drones, not just to fly them for show. Drone Didi Haryana is framed as a catalyst for income generation through skill-based work in drone services and agritech applications.

Beyond the classroom, the program emphasizes practical agricultural use. Trainees are introduced to spraying pesticides, fertilisers, and nano liquid nutrients using drones, equipping them with a portfolio of marketable services. The aim is not merely to certify pilots but to build a workforce capable of delivering end-to-end drone-enabled farming solutions. This aligns with broader policy goals to modernize agriculture, improve yields, and expand rural livelihoods through technology.

According to The Tribune India, the state plans to scale the effort to 5,000 women drawn from 500 self-help groups (SHGs). That scale signals belief that women-led drone services can reach farmers across districts, lowering barriers to entry for rural women in high-skill, tech-enabled sectors. Haryana’s leadership has repeatedly tied these efforts to empowerment and income generation, a message that resonates beyond the borders of Karnal and Kurukshetra.

The initiative is anchored by DRIISHYA, a state-run venture that coordinates training, certification, and ongoing support. Uttam Singh, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Additional CEO of DRIISHYA, emphasizes that the program goes beyond flying skills. Trainees learn maintenance, safety procedures, and the economics of drone services, framing drone work as legitimate, sustainable employment rather than a short-term pilot project. The DGCA-approved certification pathway adds legitimacy and portability, helping graduates pursue freelance work or employment with agritech firms.

For readers outside of Haryana, the Drone Didi program offers a compact blueprint for how to scale tech education for women in the countryside. It demonstrates how government agencies can partner with state-backed training hubs to deliver structured curricula, practical fieldwork, and a clear route to income. The broader takeaway is straightforward: when training programs marry skill development with market demand, they become engines of social and economic change. For policymakers, the message is unmistakable: invest in scalable, certification-aligned training that targets underserved communities and ties directly to agricultural value chains.

For defense planners, policymakers, and aspiring pilots alike, the core takeaway is clear: tech education can be a practical portal to opportunity. The Drone Didi Haryana program anchors this idea in real-world outcomes—36 women stepping through a doorway into drone-enabled livelihoods—and points the way for similar programs in other states.

Scale and Scope

Drone Didi Haryana is designed to train thousands of women from SHGs, expanding into multiple districts and crops. The emphasis on both operation and maintenance ensures graduates can run a full service, from calibrating sensors to scheduling fieldwork with farmers. The involvement of DRlISHYA ties the training to a formal ecosystem, including certification, job-ready skills, and ongoing mentorship.

Certification and Field Work

Participants will complete DGCA-certified drone pilot training, ensuring their credentials are recognized nationwide. The curriculum also highlights practical field work in agriculture, enabling pilots to apply drone technology directly to farming needs—from targeted spraying to precision agriculture—expanding the practical value of the skill set.

Implications for Farmers and Policy

For farmers, the program promises more timely, precise crop management and potential cost savings through drone-enabled services. For policy, it signals a model: a government-supported training hub that aligns vocational education with market demand, gender inclusion, and rural economic development. The approach could influence how other states structure drone education, certification, and service delivery to rural communities.

Conclusion

The Drone Didi Haryana program embodies a modern policy bet: teach high-value tech skills to rural women and connect those skills to real jobs. With 36 pilots already in training and a broader plan to reach thousands more, the initiative highlights how drone technology can drive both economic growth and gender empowerment. If scaled effectively, this model could reshape rural employment, set new standards for agricultural innovation, and serve as a blueprint for similar programs elsewhere in India and beyond.