UDAAN Drone Acceleration Program – SIIC IIT Kanpur (Cohort 3)

UDAAN — UAV/UAS/Drone Acceleration and Networking — is a joint acceleration program run by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur, the Centre of Excellence for UAVs (an initiative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh and IIT Kanpur), and the Drone Federation of India. It targets high-potential drone startups ready to move from prototype to market.

The program selects 20 startups per year across two cohorts. Each cohort is incubated at SIIC on the IIT Kanpur campus, with direct access to the Drone CoE's testing infrastructure — including the Helicopter and VTOL Laboratory, Flight Laboratory, and National Wind Tunnel Facility. The top six startups in each cohort receive a fellowship of ₹3 lakh per annum to support continued R&D.

Beyond infrastructure, UDAAN provides technical mentorship from IIT Kanpur faculty and UAV domain experts, structured guidance on product development, regulatory approvals, and certification. Startups also get help navigating government funding schemes like iDEX, TDF, TIDE, Genesis, TDB, and Make-1 & 2 programs.

The program wraps up with a demo day featuring pitch sessions and networking with angel investors, VCs, and defence and industry leaders. Post-program, startups can access physical incubation space at SIIC for continued development and scaling. For drone founders who need serious testing facilities and institutional backing, UDAAN is one of the strongest accelerator options in India.