It's not a rich man's sport; anybody can get into aeromodelling: Umesh More

The Centre banned all radio-controlled flying objects across the country last year after the incident of a pizza company using a drone to deliver pizza in a residential building. Please comment.
The ban by the DGCA on radio-operated equipment was sought by the Mumbai police till a proper policy on its operation is enlisted. We made our presentation to the home ministry and, apparently, former central minister P Chidambaram, who himself knew about aeromodelling, gave us a patient hearing and was supportive of it. We expect the government to take a favourable view of the issue. According to us, security is definitely a priority, but we should be sensible enough to respond well and not become cynical about it. We can't ban cars just because they could be used for carrying out an explosion. Those same cars can also be used for ferrying a patient to hospital. So it depends upon the user's intention. We have submitted our recommendations for drafting a policy regarding it.

How big is the aeromodelling sport/hobby in India and where do you see it in the next five years?
The number of people taking it up is increasing with each passing year, especially the children. There are aeromodelling clubs in every major city of the country, approximately 18 of them. Many people are building their own planes and assembling them instead of purchasing ready-made ones. This is giving a push to the case of aeromodelling growth. However, in comparison to other countries, we are lagging far behind. For example, there are over 18,000 clubs in Europe and about 46,000 in the US. I believe that when your mind is exposed to so many opportunities and knowledge, innovation comes out and this is what has happened over the last several decades in the US and Europe. Coming back to the growth of aeromodelling in India, I would say that it will depend on a lot of factors — affordability, improved standard of living, etc.

What permissions are required for flying aeromodel planes and what are the difficulties one faces while importing parts of such planes from abroad?
The club just needs to submit the member's details to the local police station and notify the telecom ministry whether the plane make is compliant with the allowed radio frequency. As far as the problem in importing plane parts goes, that mainly happens at the administrative level, especially with the customs department. Recently at an airport, customs officials seized the plane parts on the ground that importing them is illegal. We systematically took the legal recourse and the problem was sorted out.

Do you think it's a rich man's sport or can it be taken to the masses?
The perception that it's a rich man's sport is wrong. It's like asking who can own a car. The answer is anybody. Now, it depends on you, whether you want a basic affordable one like Nano or you can splurge on a Rolls Royce. Similar is the case with aeromodelling planes. You can start with a few thousand rupees or you can even spend lakhs. It's entirely up to you. According to industry experts, an aeromodelling plane can cost anywhere from a few thousand rupees to Rs10 lakh and above.