In March this year, the Indian government proposed what were considered comprehensive rules for the use of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) or drones. But only in about 4 months, the Indian government is forced to propose changes to these rules. Why this hasty change? Well, there has been a strong backlash from the industry and stakeholders against the previous rules. In addition, India suffered a disturbing bombing drone attack on one of its airbases in Jammu and Kashmir. Spurred by these events, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently brought prime ministers together to discuss the development of a drone traffic management policy. And the country's new Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, announced the new draft rules for public consultation yesterday. The 2021 Drone Rules will replace the 2021 UAS Rules published last March. The deadline for receiving public comments is August 5, 2021. "The updated rules are based on a principle of trust, self-certification and non-intrusive surveillance," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
So what are the changes to the new rules?
Well, overall, the new policy is aimed at making it easier for individuals and businesses to own and operate drones, while also simplifying the certification process for manufacturers, importers, and users. The number of forms was reduced from 25 to 6. The ministry said the fees had been reduced to nominal levels and there was no connection to the size of the drone. The new rules state that a pilot license will not be required for micro-drones (for non-commercial use), nano-drones and for research and development (R&D) organizations. The ban on the use of drones by foreign companies registered in India is lifted, and security clearance will not be required until a registration or license is issued. Thrown out the window of the above rules: unique authorization number, unique prototype identification number, certificate of conformity, maintenance certificate, import authorization, operator permit, R&D organization authorization, and student pilot license from distance. The draft rules also include security features such as real-time tracking beacon and geolocation, which are expected to be announced in the future.
< p lang="en" dir="ltr">In a huge push for the drone industry, I am pleased to present the 2021 Draft Drone Rules, which marks a radical departure from previous UAS rules. . 10 key points to remember: ✅ Several approvals were eliminated and processes were simplified ✅ The number of forms was reduced from July 25 to 51/415, 2021 See more The new rules provide for the development of a digital sky platform for a system online business-friendly one-stop-shop. Digital Sky will be the platform for obtaining the mandatory registration number and remote pilot license, and will report to India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). An interactive map of the airspace with green, yellow and red areas will be displayed on the digital sky platform. The yellow zone has been reduced from 45 km to 12 km of the nearby airport perimeter, and no flight authorization is required up to 400 feet in green zones and up to 200 feet in the area between 8 and 12 km from the airport perimeter. . In the red zones, drone operations are only allowed in exceptional circumstances. To fly in the yellow zone, authorization from the air traffic control authority is required. These areas are essentially geofence airspace. More importantly, new drone corridors for cargo deliveries will be developed and a drone promotion council will be established to facilitate a business-friendly regulatory regime.