Drone operators take wedding season by storm in rural Uttar Pradesh

Drones have become a must-have at weddings in the region, with pilots charging anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 40,000 per event, depending on the complexity and duration of the service.

Ballia, Uttar Pradesh: In the heart of rural Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, young men are turning heads with their innovative use of drones to capture weddings from new heights.

Among them is Sumit Kumar, a 20-year-old, who has become a sought-after drone pilot during the wedding season.

Sumit, who started as an assistant photographer, quickly adapted to the growing demand for aerial photography, offering services that blend technology with tradition, making every wedding unique.

Flying drones over wedding guests, capturing mesmerizing aerial shots and even delivering garlands to the couple have made his work a favourite among locals.

"No matter how grand the wedding is, I make every guest look up when I fly my drone," he said with a smile.

Earlier this week, he stole the show at a village wedding when he used his drone to deliver garlands to the couple standing on a lotus-shaped stage.

Guests watched in awe as the drone hovered above, its blinking LED's lighting up the scene. With a deft flick of the remote, he lowered the drone, allowing the groom to take the garland and place around the bride's neck, earning cheers and applause from the crowd.

The spectacle did not end there -- he sent the drone soaring again to retrieve another garland before placing it on the couple, creating a moment that left guests reaching for their phones.

Sumit has an assistant who helps transport the drone to various functions on a motorcycle to functions across Ballia and nearby districts.

Drones have become a must-have at weddings in the region, with pilots like him charging anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 40,000 per event, depending on the complexity and duration of the service.

Awdhesh Singh, a mobile phone shop owner, who supplies drones and their parts to photographers said that the trend is rapidly gaining attention in rural areas.

"Drones offer amazing wedding photos and create a buzz among guests. They are also more cost-effective than hiring a troupe of dancers," Singh explained.

During the off-season, Sumit and other drone pilots like Pushkar Kumar take bookings for religious and political events, though wedding season remains the most lucrative, with demands from nearby districts and cities like Varanasi.

Pushkar, who also prefers working in rural areas, said that there are fewer permissions and regulations to deal with in villages, and the locals are thrilled to see technology in action.

He aspires to turn his passion for drones into a full-time career, hoping that government schemes like the 'Namo Drone Didi' initiative, which empowers rural women with agricultural drones, will expand to include support for photographers and drone operators like him.

Experts suggest that the scheme was launched to capitalise on the rising popularity of drones among the youth.

According to market reports, India's drone industry is expected to grow from Rs 22,97,592 crore ($2.71 billion) in 2022 to Rs 1,10,216 crore ($13 billion) by 2030, with drones being used in a variety of sectors.

Drone operators like Pushakar and Sumit want to be a part of this growth.

Sumit said that he paid Rs 15,000 to a Delhi institute to learn drone operations. He believes that there are a lot of possibilities to explore ways in which drones can be used beyond photography.

He said it has huge potential in the future and added that he plans to start a drone training academy in Varanasi.