“This partnership with REIL is a proud moment for every team member at Garuda Aerospace. Having trained over 2,500 certified drone pilots across India — including legendary cricketer MS Dhoni — we know what it takes to build a world-class RPTO centre. Our mission has always been to put India in the sky, and Jaipur is our next frontier.” Dr. Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Whole-time Director & CEO, Garuda Aerospace Ltd.
Garuda Aerospace Ltd., India’s fastest-growing drone technology and training company, has been awarded a formal work contract by Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL) — a “Mini Ratna” Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Government of India — to establish and operate a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-authorized Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO) centre at REIL’s campus in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The Garuda Aerospace’s RPTO centre, now backed by a 10-year DGCA authorization valid through March 2036, will train drone pilots in RotorCraft RPAS small category drone operations, covering both day and night Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) missions. Flying operations will be conducted at Arya College of Engineering and IT in Kukas, Jaipur, with ground training hosted at the REIL House campus in Mansarovar.
The collaboration brings together REIL’s standing as one of India’s most respected public sector institutions and Garuda Aerospace’s deep expertise in DGCA-compliant drone pilot training — a combination that positions the Jaipur centre as a model for government-backed drone skilling in India.
“This partnership with REIL is a proud moment for every team member at Garuda Aerospace. Having trained over 2,500 certified drone pilots across India — including legendary cricketer MS Dhoni — we know what it takes to build a world-class RPTO centre. Our mission has always been to put India in the sky, and Jaipur is our next frontier,” said Dr. Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Whole-time Director & CEO, Garuda Aerospace Ltd.
Garuda Aerospace will be responsible for the end-to-end establishment of the RPTO centre — from building state-of-the-art training infrastructure and deploying DGCA-approved drone equipment manufactured by Garuda, to mobilizing participants and delivering structured training curricula aligned with the latest DGCA norms. The centre will serve industrial, commercial, and institutional organizations across Rajasthan and beyond.
Decade of Authorization: The DGCA certificate, issued on March 19, 2026, grants REIL the authorization to operate as a certified Remote Pilot Training Organization under Rule 39 of the Drone Rules 2021 — for a period of ten years, one of the longest authorized tenures currently active in India.
This announcement follows a formal Memorandum of Agreement signed between REIL and Garuda Aerospace in December 2024, which laid out a comprehensive framework for cooperation in drone education, infrastructure, and pilot certification — with both parties committed to bridging the critical gap in certified drone operators across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare, Smart City management, and disaster response.
The REIL contract adds to an already distinguished portfolio of government RPTO partnerships. Garuda Aerospace has previously secured contracts with the National Rural and Farm Mechanization Training & Technology Institute (NRFMTTI) and the Central Research Farms and Mechanization Training & Technology Institute (CRFMTTI) — both landmark engagements that have enabled DGCA-certified drone pilot training for agricultural and rural development applications at a national scale.
The Jaipur RPTO centre is expected to be fully operational in the coming months, with training batches open to candidates from Rajasthan and across the country. All operations will be conducted strictly in accordance with DGCA’s approved Training and Procedure Manual.
