Drone technology is playing a key role in national security, farming, and smart city projects, said Dr. K. Krishna Naik from IIITDM Kurnool. He spoke at a national-level workshop on drone technology on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Vikrama Simhapuri University (VSU). Dr. Naik explained that drones help with crop health checks, water mapping, traffic monitoring, and border security quickly and cheaply. He urged students to gain skills in drone hardware design, embedded systems, and communication protocols for strong job prospects. “By aligning academic research with industry needs, students can explore not only job opportunities but also venture into start-up,” he added. Dr. Naik also stressed the importance of safety rules, DGCA guidelines, flight permissions, and no-fly zones. The week-long workshop is held at VSU’s Kakatur campus under the Computer Science Department. VSU Vice Chancellor Prof. Allam Srinivasa Rao said drone tech is growing fast and crucial today. He directed the faculty to start M.Sc. programs in ‘Drones and IoT’ to build a skilled workforce for the future, especially with the upcoming Drone City in Kurnool.