Firms explore investment in aviation and drone sectors in andhra pradesh

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Two private companies have expressed interest in investing nearly Rs 500 crore in Andhra Pradesh’s aviation and drone sectors, citing the state’s investor-friendly ecosystem under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The proposals were discussed during a meeting with Investments and Infrastructure Minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy at the State Secretariat on Thursday.

Representatives of Knots Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., based in New Delhi, proposed setting up a Flight Training Organisation (FTO) at either Nagarjuna Sagar Airport or Kurnool Airport. The company plans to invest around Rs 100 crore over the next five years and create nearly 100 direct jobs. The training academy is proposed to begin operations with six training aircraft, with plans to expand the fleet to 20 aircraft within five years to cater to domestic and international pilot training.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad-based GGF Astraa Analytica Pvt. Ltd. proposed establishing a drone cluster in Kurnool Drone City with an investment of around Rs 400 crore. The company sought approximately 100 acres of land for a facility covering drone research, assembly, manufacturing, testing, training and incubation. It said it has technological collaborations with organisations in London and Singapore.

The company also expressed interest in deploying drone-based solutions during the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu, including CCTV surveillance, crowd management, traffic regulation and public safety operations.