IIT Bhubaneswar and IG Drones signed MoU to conduct disaster management

IIT Bhubaneswar and IG Drones signed an MoU to conduct disaster management

IIT Bhubaneswar has signed an agreement (MoU) with IG Drones, a drone-tech and AI company, to establish an Advanced Drone Excellence Center at the IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park. The center will conduct disaster management research and development.

According to a media statement, this collaboration is a significant step forward in drone technology research and development in disaster management, particularly given India’s vulnerability to disasters.

The new Centre of Excellence (CoE) will conduct research and development in drone-based disaster management applications. This initiative aims to improve drone capabilities in responding to natural disasters by leveraging IG Drones’ experience in disaster-prone areas.

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Active since 2019

IG Drones has been working in disaster management since 2019, with experience in Uttarakhand’s avalanche-prone regions, Sikkim’s landslides, and Odisha’s cyclone-prone areas. According to the statement, IG Drones’ expertise uniquely positions it to drive innovation in this critical field.

The collaboration with IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park aims to accelerate the development of drone technologies that can be effectively deployed during emergencies, providing critical assistance in disaster response and recovery efforts. The Memorandum of Understanding outlines the collaboration’s key objectives, which include the development of drone technologies and disaster management research methodologies.

The Advanced Drone Excellence Centre will be housed in a dedicated space of around 2000 square feet, complete with facilities to support research and development initiatives.

The statement quoted Soobhankar Pati, CEO of IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park, as saying: “With an existing AR and VR Center of Excellence, numerous AI and AR/VR startups incubated at IIT, and exceptional faculty research in Earth, Ocean, and Climate Sciences, we look forward to jointly advancing disaster management solutions under this MoU.”

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Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, CEO of IG Drones, stated, “Our collaboration with IIT Bhubaneswar represents a significant advancement in disaster management using drone technology. By focusing on research and development, we hope to improve the effectiveness of drone applications in disaster situations, leveraging our extensive field experience and expertise. This initiative will promote innovation while also significantly improving disaster response and recovery capabilities”.