Drones Incubators and Accelerators
7 incubators, accelerators and programmes that name Drones among the sectors they support. Open a profile to see the programme's stage, location and how to apply.
7 organisations, page 1 of 1
Defence Innovation Organisation
Section 8 company under the Ministry of Defence that runs iDEX: grant-in-aid challenges (DISC, ADITI, Open Challenge) for startups, MSMEs and individual innovators building defence technology.
KIT's Innovation and Research Foundation (KIT's IRF)
DST NIDHI i-TBI incubator in Kolhapur, hosted by KIT's College of Engineering, open to outside founders in agritech, manufacturing and healthtech.
Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science
Section 8 incubator at MITS Deemed to be University, Madanapalle — open in policy to any founder, but almost every recorded incubatee is an MITS student or faculty member.
IHFC, IIT Delhi
IIT Delhi's DST-funded Technology Innovation Hub for cobotics — pre-seed, incubation and deep-tech funding calls for robotics, AI and drone founders.
Andhra University
A not-for-profit startup incubator in Visakhapatnam, run by the Andhra University Incubation Council, with a stated aim of backing students and the local community.
AVN INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
Campus incubation unit at AVNIET, Ibrahimpatnam, recognised by the Ministry of MSME as a Host Institution and Business Incubator.
AIC RRU Incubation Foundation
Rashtriya Raksha University's Atal Innovation Mission supported incubator in Gandhinagar for defence and national security startups.
A sector label on a directory is a starting point, not a promise. An incubator that names Drones may run a dedicated track with mentors and customers from the industry, or it may simply accept Drones companies alongside every other kind. The first is worth far more to you than the second, so look for evidence of the former on the programme's own page: named mentors, partner companies, lab or pilot access, and past cohorts in your area.
Stage and funding route matter as much as sector. A programme for Drones that takes companies at the idea stage is a different thing from one that expects revenue, and some are funded by a government scheme with its own eligibility rules, while others are run by a college or a company for its own reasons. Use the stage, type and location on each profile to cut the list down before you apply.
Two applications to well-matched programmes beat ten to ill-matched ones. Pick the few that name your sector and your stage, read what they offer beyond office space, and ask a founder from a recent cohort what changed for them.
The numbers on this page
- 7 of the 2429 incubators, accelerators and programmes we list in India (0%) are on this page.
- By organisation type, the most common are Incubator (6), Academic (5) and Government (3). One organisation can carry more than one type.
- By stage focus, the most listed are Early Revenue (6), Ideation (6) and Validation (6).
- These organisations also name AI/ML (6), AgriTech (3) and HealthTech (3) most often, so a Drones founder will find programmes that cross sectors.
- By state, most are in Andhra Pradesh (2), Delhi (2) and Gujarat (1).
- By city, most are in Delhi (2), Gandhinagar (1) and Kolhapur (1).
- 3 of 7 offer coworking space on site.
What to check before applying
- Does the programme run a track for your sector, or only accept it?
- Which stage does it take, and does that match where your company is?
- What does it give besides space: mentors, customers, labs, pilots, introductions to investors?
- Does it take equity or charge a fee, and what is the term?
- Is it tied to a scheme with eligibility rules, such as the type of company or the founder?
- Can you speak to a founder from a recent cohort?
Frequently asked questions
How many incubators and accelerators support Drones?
We list 7 organisations in India that name Drones among their sectors. The count changes as profiles are added and checked.
Does an incubator that lists Drones only take Drones companies?
Not usually. Many list several sectors and accept any that fit their stage and location. A programme with a dedicated track has mentors and partners from the industry, which the profile or the programme's own site should show.
Which stage should a Drones founder look for?
Match your own stage. The stage mix on this page is counted from the profiles; open a profile to see whether the programme takes ideas, prototypes or companies with revenue.
Is an incubator better than an accelerator for my sector?
An incubator usually works with a company for a longer period and often provides space and facilities, which matters when you need labs or equipment. An accelerator is shorter and more intense and suits a company that already has a product and wants to grow faster. The type of each organisation is on its profile.