Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has released the updated – The Drone Rules, 2021 for public consultation. Built on a premise of trust, self-certification, and non-intrusive monitoring, The Drone Rules, 2021 will replace the UAS Rules 2021 (released on 12 March 2021). The last date for receipt of public comments is 5 August 2021.
Key takeaways from the Draft Drone Rules, 2021 include:
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Approvals abolished: unique authorisation number, unique prototype identification number, certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing drones, operator permit, authorisation of R&D organisation, student remote pilot licence, remote pilot instructor authorisation, drone port authorisation etc.
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Number of forms reduced from 25 to 6.
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Fee reduced to nominal levels. No linkage with the size of the drone.
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Safety features like ‘No permission – no take-off’ (NPNT), real-time tracking beacon, geo-fencing etc. to be notified in future. A six-month lead time will be provided for compliance.
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Digital sky platform shall be developed as a business-friendly single-window online system.
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There will be minimal human interface on the digital sky platform and most permissions will be self-generated.
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Interactive airspace map with green, yellow, and red zones will be displayed on the digital sky platform.
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Yellow zone reduced from 45 km to 12 km from the airport perimeter.
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No flight permission required upto 400 feet in green zones and upto 200 feet in the area between 8 and 12 km from the airport perimeter.
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No pilot licence required for micro drones (for non-commercial use), nano drone and for R&D organisations.
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No restriction on drone operations by foreign-owned companies registered in India.
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Import of drones and drone components to be regulated by DGFT.
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No security clearance required before any registration or licence issuance.
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No requirement of certificate of airworthiness, unique identification number, prior permission and remote pilot licence for R&D entities.
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Coverage of drones under Drone Rules, 2021 increased from 300 kg to 500 kg. This will cover drone taxis also.
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All drone training and testing to be carried out by an authorised drone school. DGCA shall prescribe training requirements, oversee drone schools and provide pilot licences online.
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Issuance of Certificate of Airworthiness delegated to Quality Council of India and certification entities authorised by it.
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Manufacturer may generate their drone’s unique identification number on the digital sky platform through the self-certification route.
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Easier process prescribed for transfer and deregistration of drones.
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Standard operating procedures (SOP) and training procedure manuals (TPM) will be prescribed by DGCA on the digital sky platform for self-monitoring by users. No approvals required unless there is a significant departure from the prescribed procedures.
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Maximum penalty under Drone Rules, 2021 reduced to INR 1 lakh. This shall, however, not apply to penalties in respect of violation of other laws.
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Drone corridors will be developed for cargo deliveries.
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Drone promotion council to be set up to facilitate a business-friendly regulatory regime.
