According to new drone regulations that came into effect on Friday, 12th March, 2021 in India, drones weighing more than 250 grammes (gm) can only be flown by a remote pilot with permission from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for each flight. However, the regulations, which were finalized after ten months of consultations, prohibit the use of drones to transport products.
The Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021, set the rules for drone used by individuals and companies, as well as the rules for drone analysis, testing, manufacturing, and import. The new regulations create a regulatory structure aimed at promoting the use of drones for a variety of commercial and security purposes, as well as specifying the “dos and don’ts” for users.
A permit would be needed if one wants to use a drone that isn’t in the nano category and weighs less than 250 gm. Nano drones that can fly at a maximum speed of more than 15 metres per second in level flight or that can fly more than 15 metres high and have a range of more than 100 metres from the remote pilot would be known as micro drones, which require a permit and take-off permission. Micro drones are described as those that weigh more than 250 gm but less than or equal to two kilogrammes.
Any unauthorized drone import, purchase, sale, or lease is also punishable under the law. The fines for heavier drones would be higher. These regulations also apply to drones currently in use throughout the country. Flying a drone by someone who is not a trained remote pilot is a compoundable offence.
Drones would not be permitted to operate outside visual line of sight or for the distribution of products under the new regulations, limiting their use to surveys, photography, surveillance, and various data gathering purposes. Drones are being used in industrial, defence, law enforcement, disaster management, and surveillance operations to cut down on manpower and costs.
The final rules come at a time when the pandemic has drawn attention to the importance of technology in reducing human activity and costs. Drones are useful in industries such as electricity, mining, real estate, and oil and gas exploration because they provide low-cost, secure, and fast aerial surveys for data collection.
