Nano, micro, small: The different drone types in India

Context

A drone attack at Jammu Air Force station has put the spotlight back on unmanned aerial vehicles, and how they symbolize a new terror challenge for India.

About the Drones

• Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that can be maneuvered remotely by a pilot.
  • There are three subsets of Unmanned Aircraft, a) Remotely Piloted Aircraft, b) Autonomous Aircraft, and c) Model Aircraft.
• Based on their weight, drones can be divided into five categories
  • nano (weighing up to 250 g), micro (250 g to 2 kg), small (2-25 kg), medium (25-150 kg), large (over 150 kg)

Regulation of Drones

• All drones except nano require a licensed pilot and permit from the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• The Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021, set certain conditions for operating drones.
• Under the rules, individuals and companies are required to obtain the DGCA’s approval to import, manufacture, trade, own or operate drones.
• Further, any individual importing, manufacturing, trading, owning, or operating drones must be a citizen of India and above 18 years of age. 
• Violations can mean a fine ranging between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000.

Restrictions zones:

• Prohibition on the flying of drones in Delhi’s Vijay Chowk, areas surrounding strategic locations notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, central secretariats in state capitals, and eco-sensitive zones.
• Operating drones is also barred within 5 km of international airports at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, and at a distance of 3 km from the perimeter of any civil, private, or defense airport. 
• Drones cannot be flown within a distance of 25 km from international borders, which includes the Line of Control, and in the vicinity of military installations or areas where military activities take place (unless clearance is obtained from the local military facility).

Use of Drones

• urban planning, monitoring wildlife and preventing illegal activities in forests, capturing and analyzing data for Indian Railways, National Highways Authority of India, and state governments for transportation plans, mining, disaster management, agricultural assessments, and security and surveillance are some of how drones are being used in India.

Challenges from drones usage

• Security threats from the rogue drones
• The growing number of people buying and using drones is a major challenge.
• The new regulations by the government have their limitations and they [drones] are extremely difficult to detect.