In recent news, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has released an innovative airspace map of India for drone operations. This strategic move will enable civilian drone operators to identify specifically demarcated no-fly zones or locations where they need to comply with certain procedures before operating a drone. Earlier, the ‘Liberalised Drone Rules, 2021’ had been introduced which emphasized trust, self-certification, and non-intrusive monitoring. Additionally, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the drone industry was announced.
Understanding the Color-Coded Zones
The newly launched airspace map categorizes areas into three distinct zones: Green, Yellow, and Red.
The Green Zone
The Green Zone refers to the airspace up to 400 feet that is not labeled as a red or yellow zone. The operational height limit extends up to 200 feet above the area situated between 8-12 km from the perimeter of an operational airport. Drone operators do not have to seek permission for operating drones weighing up to 500 kg in this zone.
The Yellow Zone
The Yellow Zone includes the airspace above 400 feet in a designated green zone. This also includes areas above 200 feet located between 8-12 km from the airport perimeter and ground areas situated between 5-8 km from the airport vicinity. To operate in this zone, drone operators must obtain permission from relevant air traffic control authorities such as the Airports Authority of India, the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
The Red Zone
Deemed as a no-drone zone, the Red Zone is an area within which drone operation is strictly allowed only after obtaining permission from the Central government.
The Drone Rules, 2021
The Drone Rules, 2021 aims to create a ‘digital sky platform’ – a business-friendly single-window online system emphasizing minimum human involvement. With this, permissions will largely be self-generated. The newly established rules significantly cut down the red-tape process for ensuring compliance and includes clauses such as:
– Significant reduction in quantum of fee, delinked with the drone size.
– Simplified process specified for transfer and deregistration of drones.
– Nano and model drones (for research or recreation) exempt from type certification.
– Extended drone coverage from 300 kg to 500 kg, encompassing drone taxis.
– Importing and manufacturing of drones purely for exports are exempt from type certification and unique identification number requirements.
Drones: Meaning and Types
Commonly known as drones, Unmanned Aircraft (UA) are aircraft without a human pilot on board. There are three subsets of UA – Remotely Piloted Aircraft, Autonomous Aircraft, and Model Aircraft.
Based on their weight, Remotely Piloted Aircraft are categorized into five groups:
– Nano: Less than or equal to 250 grams.
– Micro: From 250 grams to 2kg.
– Small: From 2 kg to 25kg.
– Medium: From 25kg to 150kg.
– Large: Greater than 150kg.
Significance of Drones
Drones have significant benefits across various sectors including agriculture, mining, infrastructure, surveillance, emergency response, transportation, geo-spatial mapping, defense, and law enforcement. Their reach, versatility, and ease of use make them potential tools for employment and economic growth, particularly in India’s remote and inaccessible areas.
A notable development is the Telangana government selecting 16 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) for the pilot testing of the ambitious ‘Medicine from the sky’ project. This innovative project involves the delivery of medicines using multiple drones.