Lok Sabha Question No. 834 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-02
Subject: Drone Rules, 2021
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar, Bhola Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

834.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 834 (To be answered on the December 2021) 2nd

DRONE RULES; 2021

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR

DR SUKANTA MAJUMDAR

SHRI BHOLA SINGH

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state: -

- (a) whether the Government has recently notified Drone Rules, 2021;
- (c) whether the Government has increased the coverage of an unmanned aircraft system from 300 kg to 500 kg to include heavy payload-carrying drones for use in the logistics and transportation sectors;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(GEN. (DR) V. K SINGH (RETD))

(a) & (b) Yes, Sir; The Drones Rules, 2021 were notified on 25 August 2021. The salient details of the Drone Rules, 2021 are as follows:

(i) Every drone, except for those meant for research, development and testing purposes, is required to be registered and should have a Unique Identification Number (UIN):

- (iii) The State Government; the Union Territory Administration and Law enforcement agencies have been empowered under the Rules to declare a temporary red zone for a specified period.

(ii) An airspace map of the country segregating the entire airspace into green, yellow and red zones is to be displayed on the digital sky platform: Operation of drones in yellow and red zones is subject to the approval of Airports Authority of India (AAD) and Central Government respectively: No approval is however required for operation of drones in green zones which means the airspace upto a vertical distance of 400 feet:

- (iv) Drones are required to have the necessary type certification issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): No type certification is however required in case of nano drones (up to 250 grams all-up weight) and model drones made for research and recreation purpose.
- (vi) A remote pilot licence issued by DGCA is mandatory for operating any drone, except for drones upto 2 kg weight (used for non-commercial purposes) and drones weighing less than 250 grams
- (v) Drone operators are required to furnish the necessary personal details including their Indian passport number etc: for issuance of any registration or licence.
- (vii) Authorisation of Remote Piiot Training Organisations (RPTO) and issuance of remote licences will be done by DGCA within specified time limits. pilot

(ix) A DigitalSky Platform is to be developed as a user-friendly online singlewindow system for all drone related approvals and authorisations

(viii) Number of forms have been reduced from 25 to 5 and types of fees have been reduced from 72 to 4.

- (c) to (e) Yes, Sir. The Drone Rules, 2021 are applicable to unmanned aircraft system all-up-weight of 500 kg: upto

National Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) Policy Framework has been issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 24 October 2021 for; inter-alia, facilitating safe and seamless transfer of\_goods by unmanned aircraft systems within and across zones. The UTM policy framework is a dynamic document subject to changes based on technological advancements, actual experiences and other developments in airspace management systems