'Drones can play significant role in checking illegal mining'

Chennai: Drone technology can play a significant role to check illegal mining in the country and also be used to save natural resources, Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said on Tuesday.

The Minister for Information and Broadcasting at an event here said the Centre continues to invest in training the youth in drone technology as India is on track to become a global 'drone hub'.

"Mining and illegal mining are two different things. To keep a check on illegal mining, drone technology could be used. Drone technology could be a big thing to save our resources," he said.

He was making these comments at the inauguration of the first drone skilling and training conference organised by Garuda Aerospace at Agni College of Technology, Thalambur near here.

Thakur recalled that drones were used during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver medicines and vaccines.

Recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation allowed BCCI for deployment of drones for live aerial cinematography of the cricket season, he remarked.