In Conversation With Mr. Manpreet S Bhatia, CEO Of FORE Institute Of Drone Technology & Research (FIDTR)

The CEO of FORE Institute of Drone Technology & Research (FIDTR), Mr. Manpreet S Bhatia, a well-known figure in the education industry, recently provided valuable insights on the significant developments and milestones accomplished by the institute. As one of the leading and renowned institutes in the education domain, FIDTR has achieved remarkable progress in various areas under the able leadership of Mr. Bhatia. His informative discourse shed light on the innovative programs and groundbreaking initiatives carried out by FIDTR. Mr. Bhatia's views provided an insightful glimpse into the impressive achievements of FIDTR.

1.    How does the FORE Institute of Drone Technology and Research differentiate itself from other institutions in the field? 

FIDTR follows the philosophy of its parent institute, which is FORE School of Management, one of the leading B-schools in India today. So, we believe in imparting quality education, research, and training.

Our students learn through practical experience with adequate emphasis on flying drones, where students learn to handle and master the controls. We have mandatory flying hours for each student in accordance with the DGCA guidelines. In fact, we are India’s first DGCA-approved drone training organization.

We also use simulators to train our students hands-on while highlighting the maintenance and technical aspects of drones. Our students get the opportunity to work with individual drones to disassemble and piece them together part by part. This helps them understand the importance of each component and the role it plays in flying the drone. 

2.    How does the institution ensure that its students and research projects stay up-to-date with the latest developments in drone technology? 

The drone industry is rapidly developing, especially with India producing its in-house drones. Hence, it is vital that we keep in tandem with the technological developments and new use cases arising in this industry. 

The FIDTR family is continually researching the market to keep updated on what technology is available, what is upcoming in the market, what payloads we have, and so on. For instance, we only had quadcopters, hexacopters, and octa-copters here, but as per the new tech, there are bio-copters which are currently being used in Sri Lanka and have 40ltrs capacity. These drones will be highly beneficial for the Indian markets.

So, we have set up chatrooms and chatbots for this transfer of information to our students. Additionally, we have regular webinars to update our students with innovations in the industry. Moreover, FIDTR is focusing on on-campus research and development, which allows our students to explore and innovate while staying abreast with the industry transformations. 

3.    Can you share some of the unique and innovative research projects that have been undertaken by the institution and its students? 

At FIDTR, we are driving the growth of the drone industry in alignment with the Govt. of India’s plan to transform India into a drone destination hub. We have collaborative partnerships with enterprises in the drone sector. There are some excellent opportunities arising, mainly in the agriculture sector. Drones are being used for surveying, mapping, and other applications in the market today.

We are working across projects to thrust this growth further. Although I am not at liberty to disclose these projects, I want to mention that our students will significantly benefit from these projects.

We are boosting our presence in research and development, being at pace with the market. We are focusing on developing our in-house drones- Made in FIDTR, for consumption within the institute as dummy drones for our students to train. We want to produce the best quality drone pilots with skillsets that not only match the industry requirement but go a step beyond.

4.    How does the institute measure the effectiveness of its trainers and their impact on student outcomes? 

We have DGCA-approved trainers who go past the limitations of the classroom, offering personalized, one-to-one flying lessons. They ensure that our students receive the best training and are industry-ready. 

For example, our faculty train students to fly drones not only during the day but also at night. They implemented IFR- Instrumental Flight Rules, taught students how to recover the drones in IFR, what to do in emergencies, etc. Even though our drones are not made for such conditions, we do this through simulated circumstances. 

Our students undergo the process of unlearning the misconceptions of the drone industry and learning the reality of it from our trainers. We are also collaborating and working with industry requirements to train our students with practical exposure to use cases in the market. Our students have been well-placed with prominent companies today and are doing excellently in their fields.

5.    What are your plans for the future of the institution, and how do you aim to continue to provide the best education and research opportunities in drone technology?

In the coming years, my personal goal for this institute is to see FIDTR among the top-most premium institutes for drone pilot training. We want FIDTR to be a place where students can learn and explore their interests in drones.
 
But we also don’t want to limit ourselves to drone pilot training. We want to expand and explore other areas, such as research and development. We want our students to apply their expertise and use drone technology to innovate and prompt change for the betterment of society.