DRONE RULES

DRONE RULES

TOPIC: Science & Tech

Context- The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has requested several ministries, including the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), to encourage various entities under their administrative control to promote the use of drones.

Concept-

About Drones:

• It is a layman terminology for Unmanned Aircraft (UA).
• Originally developed for the military and aerospace industries, drones have found their way into the mainstream because of the enhanced levels of safety and efficiency they bring.
• Remotely piloted aircraft have been divided into five categories based on their weight (existing rules)-
  • 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.

Draft Drone Rules, 2021

• Abolish the need for various approvals, including certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing drones, operator permit, authorisation of R&D organisation and student remote pilot licence.
• Digital Sky Platform: The government will be developing a digital sky platform that will have an interactive airspace map dividing the country into green, yellow, and red zones.
• It will provide a secure and a scalable platform that supports drone technology frameworks, such as NPNT (no permission, no take-off), designed to enable flight permission digitally and manage unmanned aircraft operations and traffic efficiently.
• Reduced Airport Perimeter: The draft rules reduced the airport perimeter from 45 km to 12 km.
• Drone Corridor: The Ministry will also facilitate development of drone corridors for cargo deliveries and a drone promotion council will be set up to facilitate a business-friendly regulatory regime.
• Safety Features: The draft rule also provides for safety features such as real-time tracking beacon, and geo-fencing, which are expected to be notified in future and a six-month lead time will be provided for compliance.
• Increased Coverage of Drones: The coverage has been increased from 300 kg to 500 kg and will cover drone taxis, while the Issuance of Certificate of Airworthiness has been delegated to Quality Council of India and certification entities authorized by it.