Draft Drone Rules : Civil Aviation Ministry Proposes New Rules To Regulate Drone Related Activities

The Central Government has invited suggestions for Draft Drone Rules to regulate Drone Related Activities.

These Rules, when notified, will repeal the Unmanned Aircraft System Rules 2021 which had come into force earlier this year. Objections and suggestions are invited from the public till 5th August 2021.

In its preamble to the draft Rules, the Centre states that Unmanned Aircraft System (drones) offer immense opportunities for economic growth and employment generation and there is need to regulate the drone related activities in a manner such that they do not pose any risk to safety or security of people and assets.

"Central Government promulgated the Unmanned Aircraft System Rules (UAS Rules), 2021, which came into force on 12th March, 2021; and received valuable feedback from academia, industry and other stakeholders; Now, therefore, the Central Government proposes to make certain rules in supersession of the UAS Rules, 2021, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 5, sub-section (2) of section 10 and sections 10A, 10B and 12A of the Aircraft Act, 1934 (22 of 1934).", it stated.

As per new Rules, the Drone Rules will be applied to (a) all persons owning or possessing or engaged in exporting, importing, manufacturing, trading, leasing, operating, transferring or maintaining a drone in India; and (b) all drones that are being operated for the time being, in or over India. 'Drone' is defined as an aircraft that can operate autonomously or can be operated remotely without a pilot on board.

Drones are classified as :

(a) Nano drone: Less than or equal to 250 gram;

(b) Micro drone: Greater than 250 gram and less than or equal to 2 kilogram;

(c) Small drone: Greater than 2 kilogram and less than or equal to 25 kilogram;

(d) Medium drone: Greater than 25 kilogram and less than or equal to 150 kilogram; and

(e) Large drone: Greater than 150 kilogram.

Rule 4 provides that no person shall operate a drone in India unless it conforms to a certificate of airworthiness or is exempted from the requirement for a certificate of airworthiness. Drones should also have a Unique identification number. A person owning a drone manufactured in India or imported into India on or before 31 December 2021 shall generate its unique identification number, it states.

Operators of drones should possess remote pilot licence. Qualifications are (a) age not less than eighteen years and not more than sixty five years (b) should have passed class tenth or its equivalent examination from a recognised Board; and (c) have completed the training prescribed by the Director General for the applicable class of remote pilot licence from an authorised remote pilot training organisation.

Full Rules can be read here

Update: Drone Rules 2021 notified.