India Drone Rules 2021: Aviation Ministry Eases Rules

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has eased the rules regarding drone operations in the country. The Drone Rules, 2021, were issued on Wednesday. Under the new national drone policy, The requisite fee for permission has been reduced to nominal levels. No security clearance is required before any registration or license issuance for drones.

PM Modi took to Twitter and said the new Drone Rules usher in a landmark moment for this sector in India. The new Drone Rules will tremendously help start-ups and our youth work.

The new Drone Rules will tremendously help start-ups and our youth working in this sector. It will open up new possibilities for innovation & business. It will help leverage India’s strengths in innovation, technology & engineering to make India a drone hub.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2021

The new rules make it easier for people and companies in the country to now own and operate drones.

Here’s all you need to know about the Drone Rules 2021:

• The coverage of drones has been increased from 300kg to 500kg, now including heavy payload-carrying drones and drone taxis.
• No security clearance is required before any registration or license issuance for drones.
• The requisite fees for permissions have also been reduced to nominal levels.
• Several approvals have been abolished, including the unique authorisation number, the unique prototype identification number, the certificate of conformance, the certificate of maintenance, the operator permits, the authorisation of the R&D organisation, and remote pilot instructor authorisation, among others.
• Under the new national drone policy, the maximum penalty for violating rules has been reduced to ₹1 lakh.
• An Unmanned Aircraft Systems Promotion Council is to be set up to facilitate a business-friendly regulatory regime.
• The import of drones will be regulated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
• An interactive airspace map with green, yellow, and red zones will be displayed on the digital sky platform.
• The yellow zone has been reduced from 45km to 12km from the airport perimeter.
• No permission is required for operating a drone in the green zone and up to 200 feet in the area between 8km-12km from the airport perimeter.
• Online registration of all zones shall occur through the Digital Sky platform, with an easy process prescribed for the transfer and deregistration of drones.
• All drone training and examination will be carried out by an authorised drone school. The DGCA shall prescribe training requirements, oversee drone schools, and provide pilot licenses online.
• Safety features like ‘No permission – no take-off (NPNT)’ real-time tracking beacon, geo-fencing, and the like shall be notified in the future, the policy notes.
• A minimum six-month lead time will be provided for compliance.

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