Trimble partners with IIT Kanpur to enhance UAV technology in India

Image: Polina Shuvaeva/ iStock / Getty Images Plus/ Getty Images

Trimble has begun collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) to support a new UAV program offered by the Department of Aerospace Engineering.

Under the partnership, Trimble will provide the institution with direct georeferencing (DG) products for UAV survey and mapping, including a suite of Applanix board sets and supporting processing software. Trimble will also provide training and support to educate the UAV engineering team on how best to integrate and use the products within their teaching curriculum.

India is projected to be the fastest-growing UAV market by 2025, according to a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The collaboration is designed to help the country develop local expertise in using UAV georeferencing best practices while providing future generations with the knowledge and capabilities to work with the latest UAV technology.

IIT Kanpur was declared an Institute of National Importance (INI) by the Government of India under the Institutes of Technology Act. With a dedicated program for UAV education, it receives government funding to develop UAV technology and build out labs to support student training and research. IIT Kanpur’s researchers are credited with creating the first solar-powered UAVs developed in India, named MARAAL-1 and MARAAL-2.