Context: Recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has notified the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020 under which it prohibiting “carriage of payload” as well as “dropping of articles” by unmanned aerial vehicles.
Key Points

• The draft rules have been issued at a time when the use of drones has increased due to a coronavirus lockdown, for purposes like surveillance, disinfection and videography.
• The draft rules by the Centre come 18 months after it mandated that drone owners will have to get their equipment registered with the DGCA and allowed their use within the visual range like, the government had issued drone regulations 1.0 and the drone regulations 2.0. 
• The government has also finalized National Counter Rogue Drone Guidelines for handling the threats from Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
• Recently, the DGCA permitted food startups enterprises to conduct trials for drones beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS). 
• A DGCA official explained that trials for these 13 companies could take up to six months to conclude. Each of these companies will then submit a report to the DGCA, which will then examine the feasibility of remote operations of drones.

About the Draft of unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020

• The Ministry of Civil Aviation notified the draft rules, for importing, manufacturing and owning drones as well as for drone ports, or airports for drones. It has invited comments from stakeholders within 30 days, following which the rules will be finalised.

Registration

• No payload: It states that no unmanned aircraft shall carry any payload, unless specified by the Director General of DGCA. 
• No droppings: Neither shall a person “drop or project or cause or permit to be dropped or projected from a UAS (unmanned aircraft system) in motion anything,” except when specified.
• Permission for trials: A separate set of rules which will enable use of drones for e-commerce or delivering medical supplies may take at least a year as regulatory clearances are slow and tardy.

Its purpose

• A set of rules notified by the government aims to regulate the production, import, trade, ownership, establishment of the drone ports (airports for drones) and operation of unmanned aircraft systems.
• It also seeks to create a framework for drones use by businesses.

Approval by DGCA

• An authorised manufacturer or importer of drones can sell its devices only to an individual or entity approved by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• Only Nano class drones will be allowed to operate in India in general and only a qualified remote pilot will be permitted to operate heavier drones.
• The DGCA will have the powers to inspect a UAS manufacturing or maintenance facility before granting any authorisation under these rules.
• No UAS shall operate in India unless there is in existence a valid third party insurance policy to cover the liability that may arise on account of a mishap involving such UAS.

Ownership

• For owning and using a drone, one has to be at least 18 years old.
• In the case of companies, the requirement is that their main place of business has to be in India and the chairman and at least two thirds of directors have to be Indian citizens.
• Also, businesses operating drones have to be substantially owned and effectively controlled by Indian nationals.

Future Prospects

• Currently, the DGCA has permitted food startups to conduct trials for drones Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS).
• Unlike Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) flights, which are operated within the pilot’s line of sight, BVLOS flights are flown beyond the visual range. These are mainly performed for monitoring large areas.
• It enables service providers to conduct complex drone operations and facilitate drones to fly without any human interference.
• DGCA is also expected to issue a separate set of rules to enable use of drones for e-commerce or delivering medical supplies.

Why there is Need to align drone policy?

• The Drone Ecosystem Policy Roadmap highlights a proactive stand by our policy makers towards adopting latest uses and in attempting to address frontier issues that are likely to emerge. 
• Seven key highlights from the policy roadmap include: beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations (BVLOS); autonomous operations; no permission no takeoff (NPNT); drone corridors; insurance; drone ports, digital sky service providers and UAS traffic management.
• The learnings from emergency responses across the world to Covid-19 will enable us to revisit the policy roadmap and introduce a few changes for faster adoption of drone technology by government agencies providing emergency services.