The government has announced the formation of three committees to help a task force set up in April to prepare a roadmap for implementing the drone technology in the country. The committees would separately make their recommendations on manufacturing and licensing of drones, airspace and air traffic management and policy and law-related issues, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
The decision was taken during the first meeting of the drone task force chaired by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha. Members of the task force such as Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey, Director General of Civil Aviation B S Bhullar, Airports Authority of India Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra among others attended the meeting. The 13-member task force is expected to submit its report on the unmanned aerial vehicle technology in six months, focussing on research and development of drones, acquisition and commercialisation, preparing a regulatory framework as well as preference for Make in India.
“We are working towards making UAVs a sustainable, globally-competitive industry based in India. A strategic roadmap for India to emerge as a large drone player is being put in place,” the ministry said in a tweet. At present, aircraft rules do not cover use of drones, their sale and purchase. Aviation regulator DGCA had restricted use of drones and unmanned aircraft system by civilians in October 2014.
