- The Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021 came into force on March 12, 2021.
- It lays the terms of drone usage by individual sand businesses as well as terms of research, testing, production and import of these vehicles.
- A permit will be needed to use a drone other than those in the nano category, weighing 250 gm or less.
- However, nano drones with a maximum speed of more than 15 metres per second in level flight or capable of flying more than 15 metres high and have a range exceeding 100 metres from the remote pilot will fall in the next category—micro drones for which permit and take-off permission are needed.
- Micro drones are, in general, classified as those weighing more than 250 gm but equal to or less than two kilograms.
- Any individual importing, manufacturing, trading, owning or operating drones must be a citizen of India and above 18 years of age. In case of a company, it must be registered and have its principal place of business in India, and the chairperson and at least two-thirds of its directors must be citizens of India.
- The rules also prescribe penalties for any unauthorized import, buying, selling and leasing of drones.
- Such penalties will be more for heavier drones.
- These rules also apply to drones that are currently used in the country. Flying a drone by a person who is not a licensed remote pilot will also be a compoundable offence.
- Drones will not be allowed to operate beyond visual line of sight or for delivery of goods. It would limit the use of these gadgets to surveys, photography, security and various information gathering purposes. Use of drones in commercial, safety, law and order, disaster management and surveillance operations reduce man- power requirement and costs.
- A drone cannot be operated within five kilometre of international airports at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and at a distance of three kilometre from the perimeter of any civil, private or defence airport.
- The drones cannot be flown within a distance of 25 km from international borders which includes Line of Control, Line of Actual Control and Actual Ground Position Line.
- Areas around military installations or where military activities take place are also prohibited, unless clearance is obtained from the local military facility.
(Source: Live Mint)
