The Ministry of Civil Aviation recently revealed Draft Drone Rules, 2021, which are built on trust, self-certification, and non-intrusive monitoring. These new rules are poised to replace the current Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules introduced in March 2021.
The Purpose of New Drone Rules
The primary aim is to establish a “digital sky platform” which will be designed as a business-friendly, single-window online system for acquiring various approvals. Due to its mostly digital nature, minimum human interface is expected, and most permissions will be self-generated.
Key Provisions of the Drafts
The drafts suggest the elimination of several approval requirements including certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing drones, operator permits, authorization of research and development organizations, and more. Instead of linking it with the drone’s size, the fee would be nominal.
Digital Sky Platform
The government is tasked with developing the Digital Sky Platform that will feature an interactive airspace map dividing the country into green, yellow, and red zones. This platform is intended to offer a secure and scalable solution that supports drone technology frameworks like NPNT (no permission, no take-off). This enables flight permission digitally and manages unmanned aircraft operations and traffic efficiently.
Reduced Airport Perimeter
The draft suggests reducing the airport perimeter from 45 km to 12 km. No flight permissions would be required to fly up to 400 feet in green zones and up to 200 feet in the area between 8 km and 12 km from the airport perimeter.
Pilot License Requirements
Under the new proposal, no pilot license would be necessary for micro drones for non-commercial use, nano drones, and research and development organizations. There will also be no restrictions on drone operations by foreign-owned companies registered in India.
Drone Corridor
The Ministry plans to foster the development of drone corridors for cargo deliveries. Simultaneously, a drone promotion council will be created to facilitate a business-friendly regulatory regime.
Safety Features and Compliance
Highlighting safety, the rules also provide for features such as real-time tracking beacon and geo-fencing, which can be implemented in the future. A six-month lead time will be given for compliance.
Increased Coverage
The proposed rule extends coverage from 300 kg to 500 kg, which will include drone taxis. The Issuance of Certificate of Airworthiness has been delegated to the Quality Council of India and certification entities authorized by it.
Analysis of the Decision
The decision to liberalize the drone policy, in spite of recent drone incidents in Jammu, demonstrates the government’s courageous approach to promote drone usage and the development of counter-drone technology to tackle rogue drones. This draft is hailed as a progressive move, expected to encourage investments in drone technology in India.
Rules for Drone Regulations in India
Currently, drone regulations in India are governed by Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020 and National Counter Rogue Drones Guidelines 2019.
Drones: A Layman’s Terminology for Unmanned Aircraft
Drones are more formally known as Unmanned Aircraft (UA), which has three variants: Remotely Piloted Aircraft, Autonomous Aircraft, and Model Aircraft. Based on their weight, remotely piloted aircraft have been divided into five categories: Nano, Micro, Small, Medium, and Large.