Context
Recently, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified the Indian Trade Classification (Harmonised System), 2022 which brought the prohibition of drones for import into effect.
Key-points
- The move aims to promote made-in-India drones.
- The government also approved a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and their components with an allocation of Rs. 120 crore for three financial years.
- Import of drones for R&D, defence and security purposes will require government clearances.
- However, import of drone components will not need any approvals.
- Last year, the Ministry notified liberalised drone rules with the aim to encourage R&D and to make India a drone hub.
- Government also prohibited Import policy for drones in Completely Built Up or Semi Knocked Down or Completely Knocked Down form, with exceptions provided for R&D, defence and security purposes.
- The Civil Aviation Ministry launched an airspace map of India, to demarcate areas where drones can be used without permission as well as areas in which drones cannot be operated without the permission of authorities.
New Drone Rules 2021
- A Digital sky platform will be developed as a business-friendly single-window online system.
- In green zones, no flight permission will be required up to 400 feet, while in an area between 8-12 km from airport perimeter, flight permission will not be required up to 200 feet.
- No pilot licence will be required for micro drones, nano drones and for R&D organisations.
- There will be no restriction on drone operations by foreign-owned companies registered in the country.
- DGFT will regulate the import of drones and drone components.
- Security clearance will not be required before any registration or licence issuance.
- Drone corridors will be developed for cargo deliveries.
About Drones
- Drones are officially known as "Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)".
- Originally developed for the military and aerospace industries, drones have found their way into the mainstream because of the enhanced levels of safety and efficiency they bring.
- A drone’s autonomy level can range from remotely piloted (a human controls its movements) to advanced autonomy, which means that it relies on a system of sensors and LIDAR detectors to calculate its movement.
- Utilisation: They are extremely useful in different sectors including transportation, agriculture, defence, law enforcement, surveillance, and emergency response among many.
Categorization of Drones
As per the size of the drone, the following categories have been listed under the Gazette:
- Nano Drones: Drones weighing less than or equal to 250 grams fall under this category.
- Micro and Small Drones: Micro drones are those weighing more than 250 grams but less than 2 kg. The latter, Small drones, indicates UAS weighing more than 2 kg but under 25 kg.
- Medium and Large Drones: The guidelines specify medium drones as those weighing more than 25 kg but less than 150 kg, while large drones have been classified as those weighing more than 150 kg.
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