In news:
- The government has issued regulations for drone operations that could be used for anything from e-commerce deliveries to photography.
- The drone industry offers many advantages and can help development in several sectors such as agriculture, oil and gas
- The newly drafted policy allows unfettered use of drones while taking care of the unique security challenges they pose.
Rules:
- Mandatory Registration: Drones, their operators and pilots will have to be mandatorily registered on aviation regulator DGCA’s online portal, effective December 1.
- The use of remotely piloted aircraft, a kind of drone, is allowed for taking photographs, conducting surveys such as for laying of pipelines and agricultural purposes and surveillance.
- The rules bar use of drones for delivery of items.
- They can be deployed for spraying of pesticides and delivery of relief material during a natural disaster only on a case-by-case basis.
- Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) have been divided into five categories:
- nano (less than 250gm),
- micro (between 250 gm and 2kg),
- small (between 2 and 25 kg) and
- large (more than 150 kg).
- Users will have to go online to seek a unique identification number for each drone as well as an operator’s permit licence.
- They will have to provide details of flight path to be undertaken for every flight.
- However, nano drones are exempt from all these pre-requisites.
- Wedding photographers operations are allowed in daylight and within the visual range or a range of 450 m.
- Wedding photographers are allowed to use micro drones during night, if they are taking pictures in an enclosed premises which is also well-lit.
- Drones are barred from being flown near airports, international border, coastline, Parliament, Secretariat complex in State capitals, military installations and eco sensitive zones.
- Small and large drones can fly up to a maximum height of 400 feet. Nano drones must not fly beyond 50 feet and micro drones must be within 200 feet from ground level.
- Drone users are also advised to keep the local police informed of flights planned by them.
Source: