In the new drone policy in India, drone registration and licensing are not subject to security clearances. The requisite fees for permissions were also reduced to nominal levels.
On 26th August, 2021, Thursday, the government officially notified the new drone policy in India, whose draft was seen last month. Now, the Drone Rules 2021 make it significantly easier for individuals and companies in the country to own and operate drones since no security clearance is required before a license can be registered.
As announced by the ministry of civil aviation on Thursday, here’s all you need to know about the Drone Rules 2021:
1. Drone coverage has been increased from 300kg to 500kg, including heavy payload-carrying drones and drone taxis.
2. There is no security clearance required for drone registration or licensing. Permission fees have also been reduced to nominal levels.
3. Several approvals have been eliminated, including the unique authorisation number, the unique prototype identification number, the certificate of conformance, the certificate of maintenance, the operator permits, the R&D organization authorisation, and the remote pilot instructor authorisation, among others.
4. The maximum penalty under the new drone policy is a mere Rs. 1 lakh, and that does not apply to penalties imposed under other laws.
5. According to the new drone policy, a new Unmanned Aircraft Systems Promotion Council is to be established to promote an efficient regulatory regime for private drone operators.
6. Drone imports will be regulated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). As a result of the new regulations, drone corridors will also be used for cargo deliveries.
Also read: Drones Industry gets new regulations: A Look at the Future Flight Path
7. There will be an interactive map of airspace with green, yellow, and red zones on the digital sky platform. Yellow zone has been lowered from 45km to 12km from airport perimeter. The green zone is exempt from permission requirements for drone use, as well as areas between 8 and 12 kilometers away from the airport perimeter where drones can be operated up to 200 feet.
8. All zones shall be registered online through the Digital Sky platform, with an easy process to transfer or deregister drones.
9 . As part of the new drone policy, existing drones in India will be regularized. An authorized drone school will conduct all drone training and examinations. In addition to providing pilot licenses online, the DGCA shall prescribe training requirements, regulate drone schools, and oversee drone training.
10 . The policy notes that safety features like ‘No permission-no takeoff (NPNT)’ real-time tracking beacons and geo-fencing will be notified in the future. There will be a minimum six-month lead time for compliance.
Also read: Meet The Founder Of Omnipresent Drones, Aakash Sinha; The Man Who Aided India To Reach The Moon.
