A government upper primary school in Pilibhit has become the first in UP to introduce a drone assembly and automation programme for students. The UP Skill Development Mission (UPSDM) has launched the initiative at the Composite School in Barha village to give children early exposure to emerging technologies. Around 350 students from Classes VI to VIII will take part in the pilot project.
Project Backed by CSR Funding
Officials conceived the programme in December under the guidance of former Pilibhit District Magistrate Pulkit Khare, who now serves as Special Secretary in the Department of Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Japanese industrial automation company Yaskawa India will fund and provide technical support for the project through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. The total project cost stands at about ₹17 lakh.
Drone Lab Work Begins
School principal Santosh Khare said Yaskawa’s technical team has already inspected the campus. Workers have started preparing dedicated rooms for the automation laboratory and drone assembly unit. The school has also received its first drone assembly kit, allowing preparations to move ahead.
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Teachers to Train Before Students
Yaskawa India Chief Operating Officer Rajesh Raghvan said the programme aims to help children move beyond basic digital literacy and understand how technology works. The company will first train teachers as master trainers. They will then teach students how to assemble drones and perform basic automation tasks.
Drones Could Support Farming and Wildlife Monitoring
The drones built by students will carry cameras. After obtaining the required permissions, authorities could use them for crop monitoring and tracking stray tigers in sugarcane fields. UPSDM also plans to expand the programme to three more upper primary schools in Pilibhit during the current financial year if the pilot project succeeds.
