"Having announced this project only at the beginning of the year, we expect that the production of drones in the Samara Region will start as early as December this year. This is not some kind of pilot production, not a large-scale assembly, this is real industrial production of drones," Azarov said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
He noted that the cost of the project is over 20 billion rubles ($240 million).
"We ... are already actively working with potential consumers of unmanned aircraft services in the region ... We have already talked with the largest agricultural holdings, for example, about using unmanned aircraft services, with our industrial enterprises, transportation companies, we are working with the Russian Post," the governor said, adding that the production will potentially allow to create 1,000 jobs.
The SPIEF is taking place from June 14-17. RIA Novosti, a part of the Rossiya Segodnya media group, is the official media partner and the host photo agency for the event.