Odisha to Establish a National UAV Test & Innovation Corridor at Rangeilunda Airport
In January 2026, Government of Odisha partnered with BonV Aero at Wings India 2026 (Hyderabad – Telangana) to establish India’s first National UAV Test & Innovation Corridor at Rangeilunda Airport (Ganjam district), repurposing the operational commercial airport for live drone testing in dynamic airspace up to 1,000 metres.
Key Features of the Corridor: 
Drone Testing: Drones will operate in low-altitude airspace up to about 1,000 metre (m), enabling realistic testing conditions. It includes beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, swarm drone trials, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based navigation, and autonomous airspace management scenarios.
Phased Development: The project is being developed in phases under the Building and Management of Aviation Assets and Network (B-MAAN) scheme, Government of India (GoI)’s initiative to grow regional aviation and new tech infrastructure.
Significance: It will be India’s first operational commercial airport repurposed as a live UAV test and development facility, enabling drones to fly and be tested in real and dynamic airspace.