The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, recently announced a ban on the import of foreign drones. This comes in the wake of the Union Budget 2022 proposal of the Drone Shakti scheme, aimed at promoting the application and usage of ‘drones as service’ within the country. However, imports pertaining to drone components have not been banned, nor do they require any approvals. Drones for defense and security purposes are an exception to the rule, pending approval from DGFT.
Background of Recent Developments
In 2021, the Indian federal government notified liberalized drone rules to boost Research & Development (R&D) and to establish India as a hub for drone technology. This new policy did away with many permissions and approvals, reduced the number of required forms from 25 to 5 and the types of fee from 72 to 4. Notably, there is no need for permission to operate drones in green zones and a remote pilot license isn’t necessary for non-commercial use of micro and nano drones.
Furthermore, the government approved a Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and their components, allocating Rs. 120 crores for three fiscal years. This scheme caters to the strategic, tactical, and operational uses of this advanced technology. With an interactive airspace map introduced by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in September 2021, drone operators can now check for no-fly zones and determine if they need to fulfill certain formalities before dispatching a drone.
Overview of the Drone Shakti Scheme
The Union Budget promotes drone use through startups and skilling at Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Under the Drone Shakti scheme, startups are encouraged to facilitate varied applications for Drone-As-A-Service (DrAAS), thereby eliminating enterprises’ need to invest in drone hardware or software, pilots, and training programs. This scheme also aims at commencing skilling courses, offered in selected ITIs across all states.
The sectors where drones can be employed are numerous, ranging from photography to agriculture, mining, telecom, insurance, construction, transport, disaster management, geo-spatial mapping, defence and law enforcement, among others. The anticipated growth of the drone services industry is projected to exceed Rs 30,000 crores in the next three years, creating over five lakh jobs.
Understanding Drones
Famously known as Unmanned Aircraft (UA), drones were initially developed for the military and aerospace industries but have since permeated into the mainstream due to the elevated safety and efficiency they offer. A drone’s autonomy level can vary from being remotely piloted by a human to possessing advanced autonomy, relying on a system of sensors and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) detectors to determine its movement.
Applications of Drones
Drones find a multitude of applications in various sectors:
1. Agriculture: Drones enable automated fertilising of crop fields, traffic monitoring, and surveying inaccessible locations.
2. Healthcare: Delivery of medicines can be made more accessible and faster through drones, particularly in remote areas. Drones also facilitate organ transplants and medical goods delivery.
3. Inventory Management: Equipped with sensors, drones scan inventory at warehouses, transmitting real-time data to enterprises and enhancing warehouse efficiency.
4. Security and Surveillance: Drones contribute significantly to surveillance and intelligence gathering due to their remote monitoring capabilities. Real-time footage can also be provided at construction sites.
5. Disaster Management: In times of natural disasters, like earthquakes or floods, drones are dispatched to monitor the affected areas, potentially saving trapped persons.
The advancements in drone technology herald a new era of efficiency and safety in various sectors, propelling India towards becoming a hub for drone development and utilization.
