Drone rules aim to help start-ups, SMEs

With an aim to help startups and SMEs the Centre removes requirement of security clearance for registration or issuance of licences. Union ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) notified the liberalized Drone Rules, 2021, on August 26, 2021.

• The coverage of all-up weight of an unmanned aircraft system has been increased from 300 kg to 500 kg to include heavy payload-carrying drones for use in the logistics and transportation sectors.
• It will also cover drone taxis.
• The development of drone corridors for cargo deliveries. 
• An Unmanned Aircraft Systems Promotion Council will be set up to facilitate a business-friendly regulatory regime.
• Under the new rules, no security clearance will be required before any registration or licence issuance for drones.
• The number of forms or permissions has been reduced from 25 to just five. 
• No pilot licence will be required for operating nano drones and micro drones for non-commercial use.
• The import of drones will to be regulated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. There will be no restriction on foreign ownership in Indian drone companies.
• A Digital sky platform will be developed as a user-friendly single-window system. There will be minimal interference by human, because most permissions will be self-generated.

It is an initiative by MoCA, that seeks to provide a secure and a scalable platform in order to support the drone technology frameworks like ‘No permission, no take-off’. It has been designed to enable flight permission digitally and manage unmanned aircraft operations & traffic in an efficient manner.