The new rules have done away with several approvals that were required earlier to fly drones.
The government is preparing to change the rules for flying drones. With this, it will become very easy for companies who want to use drones for the delivery of goods. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued draft rules to ensure ease of use of drones in India on the basis of 'trust, self-certification and non-interference monitoring'.
As per a statement issued by the ministry, earlier, 25 forms had to be filled for permission to fly drones in the country, which has been reduced to six in the draft 'Drone Rules, 2021' specified in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021, the statement said.
The UAS Rules, 2021 came into force on March 12 this year. The Drone Rules, 2021, once notified, will replace the UAS Rules, 2021. The fee has been reduced to nominal in the draft rules and will no longer be related to the size of the drone, the statement said.
The new rules have done away with several approvals that were required earlier to fly drones. Notably, till now, certificate of conformity, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, approval of existing drones, operator permit, authorization from R&D organization and student remote pilot license etc. were required to fly a drone anywhere in the country.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the draft rules reflect a 'complete change' from the UAS Rules, 2021. "Drones are bringing the next big tech revolution around the globe with reduced costs, resources and time taken for operations. It is upon us to ride on the new wave and facilitate its uptake, especially among our startups. Way to go!" Scindia tweeted.
The draft rules also state that no flight permission will be required upto 400 feet in green zones and upto 200 feet in the area between 8 and 12 km from the airport perimeter.
The draft rules have been made on the basis of trust, self-certification and non-intrusive monitoring, the ministry said, adding that no pilot licence will be required for micro drones (for non-commercial use), nano drone and for R&D organisations.
Drone corridors will be also be developed for cargo delivery and a council will be set up to facilitate a drone-friendly regulatory regime in the country. People can give their opinion on these rules till August 5. The draft rules also state that there will be no restrictions on drone operations by foreign-owned companies registered in India.
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