Aviation ministry eases rules to operate drones in India
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has eased the rules regarding drone operations in India by reducing the number of forms that need to be filled to operate them from 25 to five and decreasing the types of fees charged from the operator from 72 to four. The Drone Rules, 2021, were issued on Wednesday.
Fee has been delinked from the size of the drone
They supersede the Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021, which had come into force on March 12 this year. The fee has been reduced to nominal levels and de-linked from the size of the drone. For example, the fee for a remote pilot license has been reduced from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 100 for all categories of drones and it is valid for 10 years.
New rules have also abolished requirement of various approvals
The new rules have also abolished the requirement of various approvals, including certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing drones, operator permits, authorization of R&D organization, and student remote pilot license.
No flight permission will be required for following areas
Other approvals such as unique authorization number, unique prototype identification number, and certificate of manufacturing and airworthiness have also been abolished, according to Drone Rules, 2021. "No flight permission will be required up to 400 feet in green zones and up to 200 feet in the area between 8km and 12km from the airport perimeter," the new rules stated.
New rules also prescribed easier processes for transfer of drones
An interactive airspace map with green, yellow, and red zones shall be displayed on the digital sky platform within 30 days of the publication of these new rules. The Drone Rules, 2021, have also prescribed easier processes for the transfer and deregistration of drones.
Maximum penalty of violations has been reduced to Rs. 1L
"No pilot license will be required for micro drones (for non-commercial use) and nano drones," the rules mentioned, adding that the maximum penalty for violations has been reduced to Rs. one lakh. According to the new rules, the type certificate and unique identification number will be required only when a drone is to be operated in India.
Drone corridors will be developed for cargo deliveries
Notably, if a drone is being imported or manufactured only for export purposes, it will be exempted from type certification and the requirement of a unique identification number. "Drone corridors will be developed for cargo deliveries and a drone promotion council will be set up to facilitate a drone-friendly regulatory regime in the country," according to the draft rules.
No restriction on drone operations by foreign-owned companies
The rules also stated that there would be no restriction on drone operations by foreign-owned companies registered in India. "Digital sky platform will be developed as a business-friendly single-window online system," the new rules mentioned.
