Odisha Govt Partners With Deep Tech Startup BonV Aero for UAV Test Corridor

The Odisha government plans to set up India’s National UAV Test and Innovation Corridor at Rangeilunda Airport in partnership with Bhubhaneshwar-based deep tech startup BonV Aero. This will be the first time an operational civilian airport in India will be repurposed as a live drone testing and certification site.

The corridor was announced at Wings India 2026, jointly organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and industry body FICCI. It will enable testing of unmanned aerial vehicles in real airspace conditions rather than restricted laboratory zones. The initiative is aligned with the state government’s B‑MAAN scheme to make Odisha an aviation hub and will be developed in phases to support swarm testing, AI‑driven navigation, autonomous airspace management, and high‑density UAV operations.

Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Commerce & Transport Department, Government of Odisha, said the state aims to build infrastructure that contributes to national policy on low‑altitude airspace.

Satyabrata Satapathy, CEO and co‑founder of BonV Aero, said the corridor will allow validation of autonomy stacks, propulsion systems, and mission reliability in real‑world conditions. He added that the ecosystem will provide Indian startups with a platform to scale globally.

The corridor will also function as a regulatory sandbox for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. Rangeilunda’s coastal and hinterland terrain will support missions in defence logistics, commercial delivery, disaster response, and surveillance.

BonV Aero previously conducted a 60‑km BVLOS mission carrying a 20‑kg payload and set a record for heavy‑lift drone operations at high altitudes. 

The initiative seeks to formally recognise low‑altitude airspace as national infrastructure, comparable to highways, ports, and digital spectrum. The corridor is expected to accelerate UAV technology readiness and support regulated deployment of drone systems across multiple sectors.