Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and CM Naidu Lay Foundation Stone for Seven Drone Manufacturers at Orvakal Drone City

What Happened

CM N. Chandrababu Naidu and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for drone companies at Drone City, Orvakal, Kurnool on May 15, 2026. The companies include Drogo Drones, Dronelab Technologies, HC Robotics, SenseImage Technologies, Aerpace Industries, JDK Fly Drone World, and Latrics Aerospace.

This event was part of a larger ceremony where the two leaders laid foundation stones for multiple defence and aerospace projects across Andhra Pradesh. These include a Core Integration and Flight-Testing Center at Puttaparthi to fast-track the development of Fifth-Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and other future indigenous platforms, as well as the Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility at T Sirasapalli village near Visakhapatnam.

Who Decided and Why

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to seek support for transforming Andhra Pradesh into an aerospace and defence hub. Naidu proposed five industrial clusters: Jaggaiahpet–Donakonda for missiles and ammunition; Lepakshi–Madakasira for civil and military aircraft and electronics; Visakhapatnam–Anakapalli for naval equipment and weapons testing; Kurnool–Orvakal for drones, robotics, and advanced components; and Tirupati for defence R&D and innovation.

Under the state's Aerospace and Defence Policy 2025–30, six specialised industrial clusters have been identified across areas such as missile systems, naval technologies, defence electronics, unmanned aerial systems, aerospace components and defence R&D infrastructure. The state government is simultaneously developing integrated aerospace and deep-technology ecosystems through proposed 'Space City' projects across Sri Sathya Sai and Tirupati districts, alongside specialised aerospace manufacturing clusters at Lepakshi, Donakonda, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam and Orvakal.

Location and Infrastructure

The Orvakal node in Kurnool District, spanning 2,621 acres, is being developed under the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. The site is strategically located with access to NH40, NH44, Kurnool Bypass, ensuring robust road connectivity.

The proposed Mega Industrial Hub at Orvakal village at Kurnool district admeasures an area of approximately 4742 acres spread across 3 distinct land parcels located off NH 40, which connects Hyderabad to Chennai via Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa and Tirupati.

Drone City Ecosystem and Facilities

The 300-acre project will house UAV manufacturing, component R&D, pilot training, and testing facilities under one integrated ecosystem. Drone City is expected to boost self-reliance in high-quality drone manufacturing and support national missions such as Kisan Drones, Swamitva Yojana and supporting national security operations like Operation Sindoor.

Status and Next Steps

Orvakal is steadily emerging as one of India's major drone and aerospace manufacturing hubs. The foundation stone laying marks the formal commencement of manufacturing facility construction for the participating companies.

Officials added that nine additional companies are expected to sign Memoranda of Understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government during the event, further expanding the state's defence and aerospace investment pipeline. The Drone City is expected to create employment and attract high-technology investments aligned with national make-in-India objectives.

Broader Defence Context

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 16,000 crore combat aircraft infrastructure project in Sri Sathya Sai district. According to Singh, Andhra Pradesh is set to emerge as a major hub of aerospace and defence production.

Naidu drew attention to Andhra Pradesh's emerging strategic ecosystem, which includes Sriharikota as a space hub, Nagayalanka for missile capabilities, Puttaparthi for defence strength, and Visakhapatnam as a naval hub.