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The UAV sector holds tremendous opportunities and if unleashed, has the potential to transform many of the sectors and could contribute 4-5 % to India’s GDP, due to multiplier effect. UAV, commonly known as a drone, started off from being used for defence purposes and are now increasingly used in the civilian space.


A full-fledged FICCI Committee on Drones (UAV/UAS/RPAS) has been formed.

The UAV sector holds tremendous opportunities and if unleashed, has the potential to transform many of the sectors and could contribute 4-5 % to India’s GDP, due to multiplier effect. UAV, commonly known as a drone, started off from being used for defence purposes and are now increasingly used in the civilian space. Developments in the fields of artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, miniaturisation, materials science, thermal imaging, etc. have enabled diverse civilian and commercial application of drones in sectors like agriculture, power, infrastructure, mining and telecom to undertake various activities with significant improvements in efficiency and cost. Since 2001, approximately 38 companies have applied for industrial license to manufacture UAVs in India. Furthermore, more than 50 start-ups have started providing services in this new industry. The global market is witnessing a boom despite several concerns relating to its potential use as a weapon, proprietary and privacy infringement. The future holds many new avenues for the use of UAVs as they are expected to replace 80% of operations presently carried out by manned aircraft. As per NITI Aayog estimates, the Indian market for UAV will be $50 billion over the next 15 years.


FICCI's Engagement

A full-fledged FICCI Committee on Drones (UAV/UAS/RPAS) has been formed. The Committee will play a proactive role as an advocate, catalyst and facilitator for the growth and capability building of Drone industry in India.

Team Leader

Sumeet Gupta

Assistant Secretary General

Timeline

2023
Jul
Event

Himachal Drone Conclave

Feb
Study

Achieving Excellence in Defence Grade Drones

Event

Drone Seminar 2023

2022
Sep
Press Release

Focus on quality, innovation and indigenization to make India a global drone hub: Gen VK Singh (Retd), MoS for Civil Aviation

Study

Making India the drone hub of the world

Event

Making India a Global Drone Hub

2021
Dec
Event

Gwalior Drone Mela

Nov
Event

Guwahati Drone Utsav

Oct
Event

Kanpur Drone Mela

Press Release

The Government is working as an enabler by creating conducive policy framework, funding incentive and demand structure for Drones: Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Civil Aviation, GoI

Event

Drones For Public Good Mass Awareness Program: Inaugural Session - Drones for Increasing Farmers' Income

Sep
Press Release

FICCI welcomes Cabinet approval for PLI in Auto and Drones sector

Feb
Press Release

Vision is for India to be the Drone Hub of the world; Drones shall play a key role in future armed conflicts: Amber Dubey, JS, MoCA

Event

FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security

2020
Jul
Press Release

Need a robust policy framework in application of agrochemical spray using drones: FICCI-CropLife Paper

Study

Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying

Event

Virtual Conference on Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection

Press Release

Indian UAS Rules 2020 will facilitate Industrial Revolution 4.0: FICCI Recommendations to Government

Policy

FICCI Recommendations on the Draft UAS Rules 2020

Jun
Press Release

SVAMITVA scheme will be a game changer for Drone Industry - Surveyor General of India at FICCI event

2019
Aug
Press Release

Government to soon identify key counter drone technologies for critical installations - Rakesh Asthaana, DG, BCAS

Study

Countering Rogue Drones

Event

Conference on Countering Rogue Drones

Webinar on India-Kyrgyzstan Defence Drone & CUAS Industry Cooperation

Jul 21, 2023

Virtual Platform, 10:30 AM - 01:00 PM, IST

Call for Nomination - FICCI Drone Awards 2023

Jul 31, 2023

Events

Jul, 2023

Himachal Drone Conclave

Jul 04, 2023, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, district Kangra, HImachal Pradesh

Feb, 2023

Drone Seminar 2023

Feb 15, 2023, Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru

Sep, 2022

Making India a Global Drone Hub

Sep 01, 2022, Federation House, New Delhi

Dec, 2021

Gwalior Drone Mela

Dec 11, 2021, Madhav Institute of Technology & Science (MITS), Gwalior, 1400 - 1600 hrs

Nov, 2021

Guwahati Drone Utsav

Nov 09, 2021,

Oct, 2021

Kanpur Drone Mela

Oct 27, 2021,

Drones For Public Good Mass Awareness Program: Inaugural Session - Drones for Increasing Farmers' Income

Oct 06, 2021, Virtual Platform, 1400 - 1600 Hrs

Aug, 2021

Webinar on Drones (postponed)

Aug 31, 2021, Virtual Platform

Apr, 2021

Drones through the Entrepreneurial Prism (postponed)

Apr 24, 2021, Virtual Platform

Feb, 2021

FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security

Feb 03, 2021, Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru

Jul, 2020

Virtual Conference on Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection

Jul 29, 2020, Virtual Platform

Aug, 2019

Conference on Countering Rogue Drones

Aug 01, 2019, FICCI, New Delhi

Chair

Mr Ashish Rajvanshi

President & Head - Chairman's Office
Adani Group, Ahmedabad

Co-Chair

Mr Ankit Mehta

Co-Founder and Chief Excutive Officer
Ideaforge Technology Pvt Ltd., Navi Mumbai

Co-Chair

Mr. Neel Mehta

Director & Co-Founder
Asteria Aerospace

FICCI Recommendations on the Draft UAS Rules 2020

Download PDF
The Pioneer |

Himachal Drone conclave on July 4, 5

In a unique initiative to highlight the advancements and applications of drone technology, Himachal Pradesh's Department of Digital Technologies and Governance is all set to organize the ‘Himachal Drone Conclave’ on July 4 and 5 in Palampur. Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will inaugurate the conclave, which would bring together industry leaders, experts, academia, and stakeholders to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of drones. The Information Technology Adviser (Innovation) to CM Gokul Butail said that the conclave would be aimed at highlighting the advancements and applications of drone technology across various sectors. Butail said that the notable speakers would include the state’s Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary (Industries) RD Nazeem, Secretary (IT) Dr Abhishek Jain, and other distinguished guests. “The first panel discussion will focus on career opportunities for the youth in drone technologies. It will delve into the increasing drone usage and manufacturing capabilities, highlighting the new avenues for employment in drone flying, data processing, and applications. The discussion will provide insights into the exciting career opportunities available in this field,” he added. The second panel discussion will explore drone technology use in law enforcement, disaster management and forest conservation. Topics to be covered will include surveillance in border areas and unrest-prone places, night surveillance, target identification, search and rescue operations during disasters, delivery of essential supplies and information to people in distress, as well as curbing wildlife poaching and theft of forest resources. The third panel discussion will focus on applications of drones in agriculture, horticulture and forest management. It will highlight how drones enable farmers to adopt safe methods of pesticide spraying, facilitate precision farming, monitor crops, promote efficient use of farm inputs, assess crop damage and monitor forest cover and afforestation efforts. On the following day, a session will be organized on the critical role of drones in delivering medical supplies and facilitating logistics and delve into the applications of drones in infrastructure management and development projects. It will showcase how drones enable in-time healthcare services in remote areas, he added. 

V3Cars |

FICCI Electric Mobility Forum - Comments From Joint Secretary MHI

Login to V3CarsSign Up to V3CarsThis is necessary to personalise results for youOTP has been sent to Select CityA few weeks ago, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organised a forum on the topic of electric mobility. The body aimed to bring forward and discuss the challenges and opportunities the electric mobility providers and manufacturers are facing with improving EV adoption. The chief guest for the second round of the conference on June 6, 2023 was Dr. Hanif Qureshi, joint secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries.Here are the 6 points the joint secretary highlighted during his closing remarks at the forum.Dr. Qureshi underscored the importance of communication to the vehicle manufacturers. Vehicle makers need to improve their communication with the buyers and make them aware of the concept of total cost of ownership, or TCO. The joint secretary's clear communication to the consumers about the total cost of ownership rather than just focusing on the upfront costs of buying an EV will naturally help tilt them in favour of the electric vehicles.Reiterating Maruti Suzuki’s view, Qureshi suggested that we should have a holistic approach towards helping with climate change. Instead of focusing on one solution — electric vehicles — Dr. Qureshi suggested that we remain open to all solutions, be it hybrids, plug-in hybrids, bio CNG, hydrogen combustion or hydrogen fuel cell. Meanwhile, we should also remain open to testing the viability of other alternatives that help cut down carbon emissions.Also Read: Shared, Mass Mobility Can Speed Up EV Adoption - CEO, Switch MobilityNote: Instantly Sell Your Old Car With V3Cars Sell Used Car PlatformIn stark contrast to the forum’s core agenda, Qureshi also said that internal combustion engines still have a long way to go. Given the spike in demand for CNG cars in recent years, he hinted towards continuing improvements and exploration in the field of combustion engines. Meanwhile, the work on alternative fuels can continue to help make a smooth transition to cleaner mobility.It’s worth noting that Maruti’s Rahul Bharti also spoke along similar lines. They see a huge market for internal combustion engines well beyond 2030. Click the following link to read more about Maruti Suzuki’s view on the matter of urgency in EV adoption:Maruti Suzuki Remain Committed To ICE Buyers Beyond 2030Note: Now Find Out The Fuel Price In India Using V3CarsOn the topic of charging infrastructure, the joint secretary said that they are working on this matter to bring a formal charging standard. This will open up all charging stations to all electric vehicles, thus making EVs even more viable for everyday use. Europe’s CCS (Combined Charging System) is currently under serious consideration towards becoming the Indian national EV charging standard.In terms of FAME budget allocations, the chief guest said that they have Rs. 10,000 crore to advance electric vehicle adoption. Out of that, Rs. 1,000 crore will only go towards expanding charging infrastructure. Given the wide reach of the 3 major OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies) in the fuel distribution network, the government have set aside Rs. 800 crore out of the Rs. 1,000 crore to establish charging stations at major fuel stations. The goal is to set up 7,432 charging points with a capacity of 15 - 60kW per charging point with a tentative deadline of December 2024.Besides cutting emissions, Dr. Qureshi also talked about the importance of looking at the larger goals and advancing the nation while moving towards clean mobility. He talked about improving exports, localisation and targeting mass mobility while keeping India’s geopolitical goals in mind. He added that advancing India’s agenda on an international platform should also remain at the core of for-profit organisations when exploring and implementing sustainable mobility solutions.Mahesh is a fan of compact, quirky and underrated vehicles that punch above their weight. Multix, Nano and Navi are his favorites. Name * Email * Phone Comment * Post Comment CONNECTV3Cars furnishes details about a car's specifications, prices, features, reviews, the best variant to buy, comparisons and more. ResearchToolsNewsletter Stay up to date with cars, news and review. Enter your email and subscribe to our newsletter.

News Heads |

HP Government in collaboration with FICCI to organize Himachal Drone Conclave 2023

New Delhi : The Himachal Pradesh Government, in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), is pleased to announce the upcoming HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023. This pioneering event will bring together experts, stakeholders, and enthusiasts from the drone industry to explore the transformative potential of drone technology in various sectors. The conclave aims to foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.The HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023 is scheduled to take place on 4th- 5th July, 2023 (Tuesday & Wednesday) at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University (CSKHPKV) in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. The programme will commence at 09.00 AM and continue until 05:30 PM.The conclave will be inaugurated by the esteemed Chief Guest, Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Hon'ble Chief Minister of the Government of Himachal Pradesh. Speaking about the event, Sh. Gokul Butail, Principal Advisor (IT and Innovation), Government of Himachal Pradesh, shared his thoughts, stating, "We are honored to host the HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023 and have FICCI partnering with the State for the event. This event is a significant step towards harnessing the immense potential of drone technology in our State. We envision this conclave to be a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, enabling us to explore innovative drone applications for the benefit of various sectors."The HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023 will witness insightful panel discussions, engaging presentations, exhibition and live demonstrations showcasing the latest advancements in drone technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with industry experts, government officials, researchers, and professionals from diverse backgrounds, fostering a conducive environment for networking and collaboration.With the objective of promoting the utilization of drones in diverse domains such as agriculture, disaster management, healthcare, infrastructure, and more, this conclave aims to generate awareness about the transformative capabilities of drones and their potential to revolutionize industries. Copyright © newsheads.in

SME Times |

Himachal to showcase potential of drones

To explore latest advancements, showcase success stories and shape the future of drones in various sectors, the state Department of Digital Technologies and Governance is organising a two-day event at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (CSKHPKV) in Palampur in Kangra district on July 4-5.The inaugural session of the conclave will be presided over by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu. The event aims to explore the diverse applications of drone technology in various sectors like governance, law enforcement, disaster management, agriculture and forest management, tourism, infrastructure development and management and exploring career opportunities, a government spokesperson told IANS.The conclave brings together industry leaders, experts, academia and stakeholders to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of drones.During the inaugural session, topics like the current scenario of drone technology in Himachal Pradesh, and the role of drone technology in governance will be highlighted.The conclave will also be addressed by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary (Industries) R.D. Nazeem, Secretary (IT) Abhishek Jain, among other guests. The first panel discussion will focus on the career opportunities for the youth in drone technologies. It will delve into the increasing drone usage and manufacturing capabilities, highlighting the new avenues for employment in drone flying, data processing, and applications.The discussion will provide insights into the exciting career opportunities available in this field besides, the second will throw light and focus on the diverse applications of drone technology in law enforcement, disaster management, and forest conservation.Topics to be covered include surveillance in border areas and unrest-prone places, night surveillance, target identification, search and rescue operations during disasters, delivery of essential supplies and information to people in distress, as well as curbing wildlife poaching and theft of forest resources, the spokesperson told IANS.In the third panel discussion, the applications of drones in agriculture, horticulture, and forest management will be explored. It will highlight how drones enable farmers to adopt safe methods of pesticide spraying, facilitate precision farming, monitor crops, promote efficient use of farm inputs, assess crop damage, and monitor forest cover and afforestation efforts.On the final day, a session will be organised on the critical role of drones in delivering medical supplies and facilitating logistics and delve into the applications of drones in infrastructure management and developmental projects.It will showcase how drones enable in-time healthcare services in remote areas, provide a quick response during emergencies, ensure the easy transportation of time-sensitive goods and materials, serve as efficient carriers for logistics in hilly areas, and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Business News This Week |

HP Government in collaboration with FICCI to organize Himachal Drone Conclave 2023

# Exploring the Transformative Potential of Drones: HP Govt and FICCI join hands for Himachal Drone Conclave 2023# Shaping the Future of Drone Technology: Himachal Drone Conclave 2023 to be Inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of HP[Delhi, July 1, 2023] –The Himachal Pradesh Government, in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), is pleased to announce the upcoming HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023. This pioneering event will bring together experts, stakeholders, and enthusiasts from the drone industry to explore the transformative potential of drone technology in various sectors. The conclave aims to foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.The HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023 is scheduled to take place on 4th- 5th July, 2023 (Tuesday & Wednesday) at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University (CSKHPKV) in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. The programme will commence at 09.00 AM and continue until 05:30 PM.The conclave will be inaugurated by the esteemed Chief Guest, Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of the Government of Himachal Pradesh. Speaking about the event, Sh. Gokul Butail, Principal Advisor (IT and Innovation), Government of Himachal Pradesh, shared his thoughts, stating, “We are honored to host the HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023 and have FICCI partnering with the State for the event. This event is a significant step towards harnessing the immense potential of drone technology in our State. We envision this conclave to be a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, enabling us to explore innovative drone applications for the benefit of various sectors.”The HIMACHAL DRONE CONCLAVE 2023 will witness insightful panel discussions, engaging presentations, exhibition and live demonstrations showcasing the latest advancements in drone technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with industry experts, government officials, researchers, and professionals from diverse backgrounds, fostering a conducive environment for networking and collaboration.With the objective of promoting the utilization of drones in diverse domains such as agriculture, disaster management, healthcare, infrastructure, and more, this conclave aims to generate awareness about the transformative capabilities of drones and their potential to revolutionize industries.Biocon Group concluded the month-long sustainability initiatives commemorating World Environment DayEducation Centre of Australia Group (ECA) Announces the Launch of OpenLearning Bharat, Revolutionizing Online Education in IndiaFind out the best online casinos for real money in the USA on NewsBTCMedia Bulletins Content Media SolutionOnline Media CafeBiz News DeskSmart Business NewsBusiness News This WeekEmail: neelakanthap@gmail.com.WhatsApp & Voice:  +91-9938772605 Copyright © 2022 | Business News This Week

Aviation Industry News |

5 drone schools to be set up in MP: Scindia

Asian News Service |

Five Drone Schools to be set-up in MP : Scindia

IndianWeb2 |

Five Drone Schools to be setup in MP

Public News |

Five Drone Schools to be setup in MP

Hindustan Times |

5 drone schools to be set up in MP: Scindia

Times Now News |

Drones and the future of warfare

Deccan Herald |

India emerging as drone hub of the world

The Daily Guardian |

Drone rules to come up by 31 March: MoCA

Ten News |

Vision is for India to be the Drone hub of the World: JS, MoCA

Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India today said that the vision is for us (India) to be the drone hub of the world. “Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations),” he said.
Addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India, Mr Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.

Further, Mr Dubey informed that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the law ministry. “Hopefully by 31 March we should come up with the drone rules,” he said.

On quality, Mr Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at,” he noted.

Mr Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force informed that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in the Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.
“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come,” Mr Asthana said.

The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations, he added.

Mr Asthana further informed that the govt has already authorised a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalising the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned, Mr Asthana noted.
Brig ZIS Yazdani SM, VSM, Brig Army Design Bureau, Indian Army said the Army Design Bureau facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 kms and a coastline of 75,000 kms. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said, “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.

Mr MA Ganapathy, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India said that drones have proliferated multifarious uses and the regulatory regime in almost all countries is struggling to cope with the growth of the drone ecosystem.

Mr Ganapathy added that the deadline for all metro and hypersensitive airports to have counter-drone solutions has been extended from 21 January as decided earlier owing to the pandemic. The BCAS is in the process of issuing new dates for the installation of counter drone solutions, especially for the metro airports.

Mr Rajan Luthra, Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones said that India’s Drone & Counter-Drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around INR 300,000 crore (approx. US$ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for ~50 per cent of it.

He added that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Mr Luthra further said that in line with the Raksha Mantri’s address at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones & counter drones; innovation due to a large number of start-ups; enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world.
FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Mr Luthra further added.

Mr Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-Founder, IdeaForge said that the announcement of SWAMITVA Yojana is supremely in favour of drone industry. “We need to look at local sources of UAV technology and use at our borders as well,” he added.

Technology For You |

Govt to develop 200 airports in the next 4 years: Secretary, Civil Aviation

Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Civil Aviation Minister, Govt of India today said that COVID-19 has provided new opportunities to the Indian civil aviation sector. “Today, India is the third-largest domestic aviation market and poised to become third largest in the overall civil aviation market very soon. The Indian aviation sector has grown exponentially in last few years and is one of the critical enablers as well as an indicator for India’s endeavour towards a US$ 5 trillion economy,” he added.

Addressing the virtual session ‘The Future and Dynamics of Civil Aviation Sector: Making India an Aviation Hub’, organized by FICCI during the ‘Aero India 2021 – 13th Biennial International Exhibition & Conference‘, Mr Puri said, “The PM’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat is not just about manufacturing for the world, it is also about creating jobs and the aviation sector has significant multiplier effect on job creation,” he said.

Talking about the government’s vision of 2040, Mr Puri said that the vision talks about India as an aviation hub. India’s aviation infrastructure has been benefited with recent upgrades in recent years and India has the capacity to develop effective infrastructure. To fully realize its potential, the government is focusing on policies to add remote and regional areas to the map of Indian aviation, added Mr Puri.

Elaborating on the expansion of airports in the country, Mr Puri said that we will be adding 100 new airports by 2024 and the figures indicate a mammoth opportunity in Indian civil aviation sector. Highlighting the importance of air cargo sector, he said that the resilience shown by Indian air cargo sector despite challenges posed by the pandemic drives home the benefit that has been brought through policy changes and recalibration of business models. “We expect that we may close the year 2021 at the same level of 2019-20,” added Mr Puri.

Speaking on the potential of air cargo, Mr Puri said that the resilience shown by Indian air cargo sector despite COVID-19 challenges drives home the benefit that has been brought through policy changes and recalibration of business models. We expect that we may close the year 2021 at the same level of 2019-20.”

He further said that currently the helicopter potential in India is well below the potential of the country as large as India. There is a growing requirement of helicopters for civil use in tourism, mining, corporate travel, air ambulance, homeland security. Similarly, efforts are on to establish India as an MRO hub. To promote MRO services, he said the government has taken many measures like reduction of GST on MRO services reduced. This will not only allow foreign partners to establish in India but benefit our Indian companies as well. “India now stands poised to enter US$ 5 billion aircraft spares market in a significant way,” he added.

Mr Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India while highlighting the potential of Indian aviation sector said that people now want to travel from point to point and is an opportunity for carriers. “We are working on the air services agreement to provide a level playing field to our carriers.”

He further said that currently, we have over 100 operational airports in India and the government is targeting to develop 200 airports in next 4 years including airport, heliports, seaports and advanced landing grounds. “The unique feature in this would be inviting public private partnership. We had very successful PPPs and we are looking for more private investment which will make airports a hub of economic activity,” added Mr Kharola.

Mr Remi Maillard, Chairman, FICCI Civil Aviation Committee and President & MD, Airbus India said COVID-19 has given an opportunity to India to turn into an international hub. Indian carriers have a competitive advantage, and we must leverage to developing long haul flights. “We have discovered that resilience is very important. We have never compromised on safety as aviation means safety,” he added.

Ms Ashmita Sethi, Co-Chair, FICCI Civil Aviation Committee & President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney India said that India will continue to grow as fastest growing market and we need to nurture innovation and start-ups and skill development. “We should incentivize manufacturers and OEMs to scale-up in India,” she added.

Media Brief |

Drones to play key role in future armed conflicts: Amber Dubey, JS, MOCA

Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India, said that the vision is for us (India) to be the drone hub of the world. “Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations).”

Addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India, Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.

Further, Dubey informed that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the law ministry. “Hopefully by 31 March we should come up with the drone rules.”

On quality, Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at.”

Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force informed that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in the Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.

“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come.

“The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations,” Asthana said.

Asthana further informed that the govt has already authorised a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalising the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned, Asthana noted.

Brig ZIS Yazdani SM, VSM, Brig Army Design Bureau, Indian Army said the Army Design Bureau facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 kms and a coastline of 75,000 kms. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said, “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.

MA Ganapathy, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, said that drones have proliferated multifarious uses and the regulatory regime in almost all countries is struggling to cope with the growth of the drone ecosystem.

Ganapathy added that the deadline for all metro and hypersensitive airports to have counter-drone solutions has been extended from 21 January as decided earlier owing to the pandemic. The BCAS is in the process of issuing new dates for the installation of counter drone solutions, especially for the metro airports.

Rajan Luthra, Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones said that India’s Drone & Counter-Drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around INR 300,000 crore (approx. US$ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for ~50 per cent of it.

He added that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Luthra further said that in line with the Raksha Mantri’s address at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones & counter drones; innovation due to a large number of start-ups; enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world.

FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Luthra further added.

Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-Founder, IdeaForge said that the announcement of SWAMITVA Yojana is supremely in favour of drone industry. “We need to look at local sources of UAV technology and use at our borders as well,” he added.

Business World |

Drones to play key role in future armed conflicts: Amber Dubey, JS, MOCA

Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India today said that the vision is for us (India) to be the drone hub of the world. “Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, the bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations),” he said.

Addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India, Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.

Further, Dubey informed that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the law ministry. “Hopefully by 31 March we should come up with the drone rules,” he said.

On quality, Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at,” he noted.

Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force informed that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.

“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter-drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come,” Asthana said.

The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations, he added.

Asthana further informed that the govt has already authorized a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalizing the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned, Asthana noted.

Brig ZIS Yazdani SM, VSM, Brig Army Design Bureau, Indian Army said the Army Design Bureau facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 kms and a coastline of 75,000 kms. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said, “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.

MA Ganapathy, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India said that drones have proliferated multifarious uses and the regulatory regime in almost all countries is struggling to cope with the growth of the drone ecosystem. Ganapathy added that the deadline for all metro and hypersensitive airports to have counter-drone solutions has been extended from 21 January as decided earlier owing to the pandemic. The BCAS is in the process of issuing new dates for the installation of counter-drone solutions, especially for the metro airports.

Rajan Luthra, Chair - FICCI Committee on Drones said that India's Drone & Counter-Drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around INR 300,000 crore (approx. US$ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for ~50 per cent of it. He added that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Luthra further said that in line with the Raksha Mantri’s address at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones & counter drones; innovation due to a large number of start-ups; enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world. Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair - FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-Founder, IdeaForge said that the announcement of SWAMITVA Yojana is supremely in favour of drone industry. “We need to look at local sources of UAV technology and use at our borders as well,” he added.

The Greater India |

Govt could permit non-public air visitors controllers to handle drones in decrease airspace

The authorities is contemplating permitting air visitors controllers, operated by non-public entities, to handle drone operations within the Indian airspace under 1,000 ft, stated a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

“The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” stated Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works below the ministry, manages all manned plane operations within the Indian airspace. A passenger plane usually flies at a top of round 30,000 ft.

“The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,” Dubey stated at a session organised by trade physique FICCI at Aero India 2021.

“It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,” he added.

The AAI can not deal with drones as a result of they’d be flying at 5 ft to care for crops to about 1,000 ft within the airspace, Dubey talked about.

Drone know-how is transferring manner quicker than the laws so we’ve got determined that we have to begin a parallel exercise, he stated.

Republic Jan |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

”The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

”The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,” Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

”It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,” he added. The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

News Rush |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The authorities is contemplating permitting air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace beneath 1,000 ft, stated a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.
“The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” stated Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works underneath the ministry, manages all manned plane operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger plane typically flies at a top of round 30,000 ft.

“The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,” Dubey stated at a session organised by business physique FICCI at Aero India 2021.

“It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,” he added.

The AAI can’t deal with drones as a result of they might be flying at 5 ft to deal with crops to about 1,000 ft in the airspace, Dubey talked about.

Drone know-how is shifting means quicker than the laws so we’ve got determined that we’d like to begin a parallel exercise, he stated.

Smart News |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The authorities is contemplating permitting air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace under 1,000 toes, mentioned a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

“The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” mentioned Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works beneath the ministry, manages all manned plane operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger plane typically flies at a peak of round 30,000 toes.

“The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,” Dubey mentioned at a session organised by business physique FICCI at Aero India 2021.

“It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,” he added.

The AAI can’t deal with drones as a result of they’d be flying at 5 toes to handle crops to about 1,000 toes in the airspace, Dubey talked about.

Drone know-how is shifting means quicker than the laws so we’ve got determined that we want to begin a parallel exercise, he mentioned.

Vartha Bharati |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

"The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)," said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

"The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators," Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

"It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve," he added.

The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

devdiscourse |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

''The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),'' said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

''The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,'' Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

''It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,'' he added. The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

Latest LY |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

"The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)," said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

"The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators," Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

"It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve," he added.

The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

India Strategic |

'India can be world’s drone hub'

India’s vision is to the drone hub of the world, Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said here on February 3.

“Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations),” he said while addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India 2021.

Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.

He said that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the Law Ministry. “Hopefully by 31st March we should come up with the drone rules,” he added.

On quality, Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at,” Dubey noted.

Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force said that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in the Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.

“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come,” Asthana said.

“The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations,” he added.

Asthana further informed that the government has already authorised a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalising the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

“BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned,” Asthana noted.

Brig ZIS Yazdani of the Army Design Bureau said it facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 km and a coastline of 7,500 km. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said: “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.

MA Ganapathy, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), said that drones have proliferated multifarious uses and the regulatory regime in almost all countries is struggling to cope with the growth of the drone ecosystem.

Ganapathy added that the deadline for all metro and hypersensitive airports to have counter-drone solutions has been extended from January 21 as decided earlier owing to the pandemic. The BCAS is in the process of issuing new dates for the installation of counter drone solutions, especially for the metro airports.

Rajan Luthra, Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones – said that India’s Drone & Counter-Drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around Rs 300,000 crore ($ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for 50 per cent of this.

He added that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Luthra further said that in line with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s address at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones & counter drones; innovation due to a large number of start-ups; enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world.

FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Luthra added.

Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-Founder, IdeaForge said that the announcement of SWAMITVA Yojana is supremely in favour of drone industry. “We need to look at local sources of UAV technology and use at our borders as well,” he added.

Babushahi |

India's Drone & Counter-Drone cumulative market potential up to 2030 is estimated at Rs 300,000 crore: FICCI

Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India today said that the vision is for us (India) to be the drone hub of the world. “Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations),” he said.

Addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India, Mr Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.

Further, Mr Dubey informed that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the law ministry. “Hopefully by 31 March we should come up with the drone rules,” he said.

On quality, Mr Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at,” he noted.

Mr Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force informed that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in the Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.

“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come,” Mr Asthana said.

The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations, he added.

Mr Asthana further informed that the govt has already authorised a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalising the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned, Mr Asthana noted.

Brig ZIS Yazdani SM, VSM, Brig Army Design Bureau, Indian Army said the Army Design Bureau facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 kms and a coastline of 75,000 kms. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said, “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.
Mr MA Ganapathy, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India said that drones have proliferated multifarious uses and the regulatory regime in almost all countries is struggling to cope with the growth of the drone ecosystem.

Mr Ganapathy added that the deadline for all metro and hypersensitive airports to have counter-drone solutions has been extended from 21 January as decided earlier owing to the pandemic. The BCAS is in the process of issuing new dates for the installation of counter drone solutions, especially for the metro airports.

Mr Rajan Luthra, Chair - FICCI Committee on Drones said that India's Drone & Counter-Drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around INR 300,000 crore (approx. US$ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for ~50 per cent of it.

He added that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Mr Luthra further said that in line with the Raksha Mantri’s address at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones & counter drones; innovation due to a large number of start-ups; enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world.

FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Mr Luthra further added.

Mr Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair - FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-Founder, IdeaForge said that the announcement of SWAMITVA Yojana is supremely in favour of drone industry. “We need to look at local sources of UAV technology and use at our borders as well,” he added.

Vnap News |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The authorities is contemplating permitting air site visitors controllers, operated by non-public entities, to handle drone operations within the Indian airspace beneath 1,000 toes, mentioned a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

“The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” mentioned Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works beneath the ministry, manages all manned plane operations within the Indian airspace. A passenger plane usually flies at a peak of round 30,000 toes.

“The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,” Dubey mentioned at a session organised by business physique FICCI at Aero India 2021.
“It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,” he added.

The AAI can not deal with drones as a result of they’d be flying at 5 toes to maintain crops to about 1,000 toes within the airspace, Dubey talked about.

Drone know-how is shifting means quicker than the rules so now we have determined that we have to begin a parallel exercise, he mentioned.

The New Indian Express |

Government may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

"The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)," said Joint Secretary (Civil Aviation) Amber Dubey.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet. "The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators," Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

"It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve," he added. The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

He said that drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity.

The Economic Times |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

"The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)," said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

"The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators," Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

"It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve," he added.

The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

Hindustan Times |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

"The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)," said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

"The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators," Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

"It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve," he added.

The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

News Vibes of India |

India's drone market potential estimated at Rs 3,00,000 cr by 2030: Govt

India’s drone and the counter-drone cumulative market potential is estimated at Rs 3,00,000 crore up to 2030, a senior member from FICCI committee on drones said today.

“India’s drone & counter-drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around INR 300,000 crore (approx. US$ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for 50 per cent of it,” said Rajan Luthra, Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones.

Luthra said that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Luthra further said that in line with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s saddress at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones and counter drones, innovation due to a large number of start-ups, enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world.
FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Luthra further added.

FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Luthra added.

Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that the vision is for us (India) to be the drone hub of the world. “Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations),” he said.

Addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India, Mr Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.
Dubey said that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the law ministry. “Hopefully by 31 March we should come up with the drone rules,” he said.

On quality, Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at,” he noted.

Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force said that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in the Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.

“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come,” Asthana said.

The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations, he added.

Asthana further informed that the government has already authorised a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalising the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned, Asthana noted.

Brig ZIS Yazdani SM, VSM, Brig Army Design Bureau, Indian Army said the Army Design Bureau facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 kms and a coastline of 75,000 kms. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said, “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.

News Vibes of India |

India's drone market potential estimated at Rs 3,00,000 cr by 2030: Govt

India’s drone and the counter-drone cumulative market potential is estimated at Rs 3,00,000 crore up to 2030, a senior member from FICCI committee on drones said today.

“India’s drone & counter-drone market potential up to 2030 is cumulatively estimated to be around INR 300,000 crore (approx. US$ 40 billion) with Defence and Homeland Security accounting for 50 per cent of it,” said Rajan Luthra, Chair – FICCI Committee on Drones.

Luthra said that India’s drone sector has a promising future. “The importance of the drone sector is getting realised on a daily basis in terms of how new opportunities are shaping up and many key developments are taking place at an increasingly rapid pace,” he said.

Luthra further said that in line with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s saddress at the inaugural session of Aero India 2021, the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of rising demand for drones and counter drones, innovation due to a large number of start-ups, enabling conducive policies and maturing ecosystems, will make India the drone hub of the world.
FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Luthra further added.

FICCI has been supporting the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in preparing a vision and action plan blueprint for the Drone sector with guidance from the SCALE committee setup by DPIIT and with support of EY as Knowledge Partner, Luthra added.

Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that the vision is for us (India) to be the drone hub of the world. “Atmanirbhar Bharat is no more a slogan. However, bulk of the drone components require scale and right now the market in India is too small to give that scale. Volumes will only come through enabling DSR (Demand, Supply, Regulations),” he said.

Addressing the FICCI Session on Drones & Counter-Drone Opportunities in Defence and Homeland Security at Aero India, Mr Dubey said that drones are the future of armed conflicts and the impact has been witnessed by all in recent times. Lauding the start-up ecosystem in the drones’ sector, he said that the very people who today are delivering agri drones and mining drones will also give us military drones.
Dubey said that the draft Drone Rules are already in the final stages of discussion with the law ministry. “Hopefully by 31 March we should come up with the drone rules,” he said.

On quality, Dubey noted that the DGCA has appointed QCI (Quality Council of India) to look at the quality certification and approvals process. The QCI, in turn, has a run a collaborative process and come up with a guidance manual. “Quality is paramount and that is why we have outsourced it to parties that have more knowledge. This is the kind of PPP that we are looking at,” he noted.

Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Border Security Force said that while there were 167 recorded sighting of drones in the Western Front in 2019, there were 77 sightings in the last year. “There have been instances of dropping off arms & ammunition as well as narcotics through drones, particularly in the Punjab and the Jammu sector,” he said.

“The drone technology is being effectively used for not only smuggling activities but also for surveillance purposes by anti-national elements and non-state actors that are also seeking to augment their counter drone capabilities having interception, direction finding, and jamming capabilities. If these are not addressed appropriately and effectively, it will pose a daunting challenge for us in times to come,” Asthana said.

The use of drones for anti-Naxal operations is also very important. As far as BSF is concerned, we are using the drone technology for surveillance purposes, countering rogue drones sent in by our not so friendly neighbouring nations, he added.

Asthana further informed that the government has already authorised a considerable number of micro and small drones and in the times to come this number is expected to increase manifold. “Many anti-drone systems have also been approved by the MHA and we are in the process of finalising the equipment suited to our requirements,” he said.

BSF is equipping itself with futuristic technology, especially in drones and the system to counter rogue drones at the border. There are specific parameters that we are working on and in the near future we are going to acquire a sizeable number of drones to enhance our capabilities so far as border guarding is concerned, Asthana noted.

Brig ZIS Yazdani SM, VSM, Brig Army Design Bureau, Indian Army said the Army Design Bureau facilitates the industry, academia, DRDO’s, DPSU’s participation towards resolving the problems that the army is facing.

“Our country has a land border of 15,000 kms and a coastline of 75,000 kms. The armed forces need to carry out surveillance and operations; need to target enemy camps and technology is needed to take it forward. Hence, the demand for drone surveillance in the country is huge,” he said. Brig Yazdani pointed out that there is a requirement for surveillance in high altitude area.

Further, on the contribution of start-ups in the Drones sector, Brig Yazdani said, “Start-ups in this field have beaten large industries, not on cost but on technology in meeting user requirements,” he said.

Yahoo Finance |

Govt may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

'The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),' said Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet.

'The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,' Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

'It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,' he added. The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

Drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity, he said.

News Analysis India |

Government may allow private air traffic controllers to manage drones in lower airspace

The government is considering allowing air traffic controllers, operated by private entities, to manage drone operations in the Indian airspace below 1,000 feet, said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official on Wednesday.

“The drone ATC (air traffic controller) will be called UTM (unmanned traffic management) and it will collaborate with the manned traffic management, which is being handled currently as a sovereign function by the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” said Joint Secretary (Civil Aviation) Amber Dubey.

The AAI, which works under the ministry, manages all manned aircraft operations in the Indian airspace. A passenger aircraft generally flies at a height of around 30,000 feet. “The airspace below 1,000 feet is lower airspace and it would be the main playground of drones. For that, we may have a system of private ATCs, which would be managed by private operators,” Dubey said at a session organised by industry body FICCI at Aero India 2021.

“It could be a government agency or a private agency, it is something that would evolve,” he added. The AAI cannot handle drones because they would be flying at 5 feet to take care of crops to about 1,000 feet in the airspace, Dubey mentioned.

He said that drone technology is moving way faster than the regulations so we have decided that we need to start a parallel activity.

AgNews |

Need a robust policy framework in application of agrochemical spray using drones in India: FICCI-CropLife Paper

FICCI-CropLife Technical Paper on ‘Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying’, released today highlights the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it.

The report was released at a FICCI webinar ‘Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection’ by Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Ms Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture; Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee; Dr K Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Engineering), Indian Council of Agriculture Research; Mr Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Drones Committee and Mr Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India. The webinar was jointly organized by FICCI and CropLife India.

The technical paper also outlines the drone regulation in other countries such as the EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, citing the best practices in agrochemical spraying.

Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India said that FICCI along with other industry stakeholders should come forward with indigenous solutions for Indian problems. Highlighting the potential of drones’ usage in the agriculture sector, he said, “There are around 1 lac villages which can be benefited by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them.”

He also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals.

Ms Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that drone enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields. This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels. She urged the startups to create drone planting system which will reduce the planting cost considerably.

Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare opined, “Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment. The Registration Committee is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application.”

Mr Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Drones said, “Start-ups, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.” India has over 150 drone start-ups, comparable with USA or Israel and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact that drones can add. “FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks,” he added.

Mr Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India said, “Hon. Prime Minister of India has been emphasizing need for modernizing agriculture sector and adoption of new technological innovations in achieving the goal of doubling farmers income. One such area is drone technology deployed on a large scale”. He added, “With the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by Civil Aviation Ministry along with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night. There is opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework”.

News18 |

Special purpose, low-cost drones must be developed to help farming community in India: MoCA

The industry must develop special purpose and low-cost drones to meet requirements of the farming community, a senior Civil Aviation official said on Wednesday. "There are around 1 lakh villages which can be benefitted by the drones. We can design special-purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low-cost drones for them," Joint Secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry Amber Dubey said at a webinar organised by industry body FICCI.

Highlighting the potential of drones' usage in the agriculture sector, Dubey also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals, FICCI said in a statement. Speaking on this issue, Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Shomita Biswas said that drone-enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields.

This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels, she said, and urged the startups to create drone planting systems, which will reduce the planting cost considerably. Agriculture Commissioner S K Malhotra said, "Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment".

Malhotra, who is also chairman of the Registration Committee on drones said it is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application. CropLife India CEO Asitava said with the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by the government, India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night.

"There is an opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through a robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework," he suggested. FICCI Committee on Drones Chairman Rajan Luthra said startup firms, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.

Agro Spectrum |

FICCI-CropLife releases technical paper on 'Drone Usage for Agrochemical Spraying'

FICCI-CropLife jointly released technical paper on ‘Drone Usage for Agrochemical Spraying’. It highlights the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it.

The report was released at a FICCI webinar ‘Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection’ by Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture; Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee; Dr K Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Engineering), Indian Council of Agriculture Research; Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Drones Committee and Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India. The webinar was jointly organized by FICCI and CropLife India.

The technical paper also outlines the drone regulation in other countries such as the EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, citing the best practices in agrochemical spraying.

Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India said that FICCI along with other industry stakeholders should come forward with indigenous solutions for Indian problems. Highlighting the potential of drones’ usage in the agriculture sector, he said, “There are around 1 lac villages which can be benefited by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them.”

He also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals.

Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that drone enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields. This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels. She urged the startups to create drone planting system which will reduce the planting cost considerably.

Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare opined, “Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment. The Registration Committee is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drone application.”

Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Drones said, “Start-ups, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.” India has over 150 drone start-ups, comparable with USA or Israel and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact that drones can add. “FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks,” he added.

Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India said, “Hon. Prime Minister of India has been emphasizing need for modernizing agriculture sector and adoption of new technological innovations in achieving the goal of doubling farmers income. One such area is drone technology deployed on a large scale”. He added, “With the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by Civil Aviation Ministry along with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night. There is opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework”.

Key Highlights of FICCI-CropLife Technical Paper:

The necessary regulations should take into consideration (1) civil aviation laws (both local and umbrella) and setting of vehicle specifications, (2) SOPs and piloting requirements for safe use of drones, and (3) product approval and permissions for spray operations.

In addition to these general regulations, we would recommend at least five other criteria to be met for obtaining permission: (1) approval of vehicle needs, (2) licensing or certification of pilots/operators and training for agrochemical application by drones, (3) registration of agrochemical product sought to be sprayed, and (4) Encouragement for fast approval of ULV formulations or allowing mixing of mineral oils to the existing formulations, so as to serve the purpose of ULV formulations, however, by proper testing of flash point (5) Strict adherence to product label instructions.

More specifically, we propose setting up a system for certification or licensing of drone operators to ensure their capability to pilot the UAV machines safely. Such certification/licensing should be subject to regular renewal and conducting of refresher courses. The authorities should also accredit training facilities to put in place a standardized programme for all agricultural drone operations.

The Product Registration Process for inclusion of drone as alternate equipment for application of CPP must be simplified & time-bound and should not be duplicated from scratch as the drone use is just an extension in the case of a formulation already approved for conventional manual spraying. The idea is to reduce registration timelines and make available the same crop protection products to farmers quickly, without compromising on safety and efficacy. A reasonable and predictable timeframe for all the regulatory clearances will create a vibrant and a compliant ecosystem that attracts more investment in the sector.

Business Dunia |

Need a robust policy framework in application of agrochemical spray using drones: FICCI-CropLife Paper

FICCI-CropLife Technical Paper on ‘Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying’, released today highlights the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it.

The report was released at a FICCI webinar ‘Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection’ by Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Ms Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture; Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee; Dr K Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Engineering), Indian Council of Agriculture Research; Mr Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Drones Committee and Mr Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India. The webinar was jointly organized by FICCI and CropLife India.

The technical paper also outlines the drone regulation in other countries such as the EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, citing the best practices in agrochemical spraying.

Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India said that FICCI along with other industry stakeholders should come forward with indigenous solutions for Indian problems. Highlighting the potential of drones’ usage in the agriculture sector, he said, “There are around 1 lac villages which can be benefited by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them.”

He also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals.

Ms Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that drone enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields. This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels. She urged the startups to create drone planting system which will reduce the planting cost considerably.

Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare opined, “Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment. The Registration Committee is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application.”

Mr Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Drones said, “Start-ups, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.” India has over 150 drone start-ups, comparable with USA or Israel and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact that drones can add. “FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks,” he added.

Mr Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife Indiasaid, “Hon. Prime Minister of India has been emphasizing need for modernizing agriculture sector and adoption of new technological innovations in achieving the goal of doubling farmers income. One such area is drone technology deployed on a large scale”. He added, “With the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by Civil Aviation Ministry along with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night. There is opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework”.

Devdiscourse |

Industry must develop low cost drones to meet farmers' requirements: Aviation Min official

The industry must develop special purpose and low cost drones to meet requirements of the farming community, a senior Civil Aviation official said on Wednesday. "There are around 1 lakh villages which can be benefitted by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them," Joint Secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry Amber Dubey said at a webinar organised by industry body FICCI.

Highlighting the potential of drones' usage in the agriculture sector, Dubey also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals, FICCI said in a statement. Speaking on this isssue, Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Shomita Biswas said that drone enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields.

This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels, she said, and urged the startups to create drone planting systems, which will reduce the planting cost considerably. Agriculture Commissioner S K Malhotra said, "Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment".

Malhotra, who is also chairman of the Registration Committee on drones said it is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application. CropLife India CEO Asitava said with the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by the government, India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night.

"There is an opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through a robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework," he suggested. FICCI Committee on Drones Chairman Rajan Luthra said startup firms, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.

India has over 150 drone start-ups compared to the US or Israel, and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact of drones, he said. "FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks," he added.

A technical paper on 'Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying' by FICCI and CropLife India was released in the virtual meeting. The paper highlighted the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it..

Outlook |

Industry must develop low cost drones to meet farmers' requirements: Aviation Min official

The industry must develop special purpose and low cost drones to meet requirements of the farming community, a senior Civil Aviation official said on Wednesday.

"There are around 1 lakh villages which can be benefitted by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them," Joint Secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry Amber Dubey said at a webinar organised by industry body FICCI.

Highlighting the potential of drones' usage in the agriculture sector, Dubey also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals, FICCI said in a statement.

Speaking on this isssue, Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Shomita Biswas said that drone enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields.

This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels, she said, and urged the startups to create drone planting systems, which will reduce the planting cost considerably.

Agriculture Commissioner S K Malhotra said, "Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment".

Malhotra, who is also chairman of the Registration Committee on drones said it is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application.

CropLife India CEO Asitava said with the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by the government, India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night.

"There is an opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through a robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework," he suggested.

FICCI Committee on Drones Chairman Rajan Luthra said startup firms, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.

India has over 150 drone start-ups compared to the US or Israel, and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact of drones, he said.

"FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks," he added.

A technical paper on ''Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying'' by FICCI and CropLife India was released in the virtual meeting. The paper highlighted the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it.

Agriculture Post |

Using drones for agrochemical spray, FICCI-CropLife Paper seeks a robust policy framework

FICCI-CropLife Technical Paper on ‘Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying’, released today highlights the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it.

The report was released at a FICCI webinar ‘Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection today.’

The technical paper also outlines the drone regulation in other countries such as the EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, citing the best practices in agrochemical spraying.

Speaking on the occasion, Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India said that FICCI along with other industry stakeholders should come forward with indigenous solutions for Indian problems. Highlighting the potential of drones’ usage in the agriculture sector, he said, “There are around one lakh villages which can be benefited by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them.”

He also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals.

Addressing the webinar, Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that drone enabled technology could be very useful in soil analysis of the fields. This could also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels. She urged the start-ups to create drone planting system which will reduce the planting cost considerably.

Dr SK Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare opined, “Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment. The Registration Committee is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application.”

Shedding light on the industry size, Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Drones said, “Start-ups, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.” India has over 150 drone start-ups, comparable with USA or Israel and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact that drones can add. “FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks,” he added.

Speaking on Krishi Drones, Dr. K. Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Engineering), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said, “Krishi Drones, operated by a team comprising of a trained manpower, handler for agrochemicals and battery charger for drone batteries in a mobile unit, will be a good bet for Indian agriculture for agrochemical spraying”.
Sharing the global experience on usage of drones in agriculture, Dr. Keith Cressman, Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said, “Globally drones have proved highly beneficial for survey and controlling locust in desert locations. The application is more efficient than conventional spraying and can cover 30 hectares of land in an hour’s time. However, there are some limitations and unknown areas which need further evaluation.”

Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India said, “Prime Minister of India has been emphasising need for modernising agriculture sector and adoption of new technological innovations in achieving the goal of doubling farmers income. One such area is drone technology deployed on a large scale”. He added, “With the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by Civil Aviation Ministry along with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night. There is opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework”.

Key highlights of the Technical Paper

The necessary regulations should take into consideration (1) civil aviation laws (both local and umbrella) and setting of vehicle specifications, (2) SOPs and piloting requirements for safe use of drones, and (3) product approval and permissions for spray operations.

In addition to these general regulations, the paper recommends at least five other criteria to be met for obtaining permission: (1) approval of vehicle needs, (2) licensing or certification of pilots/operators and training for agrochemical application by drones, (3) registration of agrochemical product sought to be sprayed, and (4) Encouragement for fast approval of ULV formulations or allowing mixing of mineral oils to the existing formulations, so as to serve the purpose of ULV formulations, however, by proper testing of flash point (5) Strict adherence to product label instructions.

More specifically, the paper proposes setting up a system for certification or licensing of drone operators to ensure their capability to pilot the UAV machines safely. Such certification/licensing should be subject to regular renewal and conducting of refresher courses. The authorities should also accredit training facilities to put in place a standardised programme for all agricultural drone operations.

The Product Registration Process for inclusion of drone as alternate equipment for application of CPP must be simplified and time-bound and should not be duplicated from scratch as the drone use is just an extension in the case of a formulation already approved for conventional manual spraying. The idea is to reduce registration timelines and make available the same crop protection products to farmers quickly, without compromising on safety and efficacy. A reasonable and predictable timeframe for all the regulatory clearances will create a vibrant and a compliant ecosystem that attracts more investment in the sector.

Orissa Diary |

Need a robust policy framework in application of agrochemical spray using drones: FICCI-CropLife Paper

FICCI-CropLife Technical Paper on ‘Drone Usage For Agrochemical Spraying’, released today highlights the application of agrochemical spraying via drones in India, the benefits and potential risk and mitigation strategy around it.

The report was released at a FICCI webinar ‘Drones Application Technology in Spraying for Crop Protection’ by Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Ms Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture; Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee; Dr K Alagusundaram, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Engineering), Indian Council of Agriculture Research; Mr Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Drones Committee and Mr Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India. The webinar was jointly organized by FICCI and CropLife India.

The technical paper also outlines the drone regulation in other countries such as the EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, citing the best practices in agrochemical spraying.

Mr Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India said that FICCI along with other industry stakeholders should come forward with indigenous solutions for Indian problems. Highlighting the potential of drones’ usage in the agriculture sector, he said, “There are around 1 lac villages which can be benefited by the drones. We can design special purpose drones and industry must focus on developing low cost drones for them.”

He also stressed on industry tie-up with central or state level agricultural universities or institutions for getting the necessary approvals.

Ms Shomita Biswas, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that drone enabled technology can be very useful in soil analysis of the fields. This can also help us in better irrigation management and maintaining correct nitrogen levels. She urged the startups to create drone planting system which will reduce the planting cost considerably.

Dr S K Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner and Chairman, Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare opined, “Drone spraying would help the farmers to increase their productivity, lower water consumption, higher efficiency; besides being safe for human and the environment. The Registration Committee is looking into various aspects of product approvals through drones application.”

Mr Rajan Luthra, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Drones said, “Start-ups, industry, government agencies and academia are collaborating actively as a cohesive drone ecosystem.” India has over 150 drone start-ups, comparable with USA or Israel and top management of most large companies are today understanding the potential impact that drones can add. “FICCI is working closely with all stakeholders to act as a catalyst for the collaboration and supporting the enabling regulatory frameworks,” he added.

Mr Asitava Sen, CEO, CropLife India said, “Hon. Prime Minister of India has been emphasizing need for modernizing agriculture sector and adoption of new technological innovations in achieving the goal of doubling farmers income. One such area is drone technology deployed on a large scale”. He added, “With the recent permission of use of drones for control of locusts by Civil Aviation Ministry along with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; India has become the first country in the world with broad specification for drones that can fly at night. There is opportunity to extend this technology to other crops and areas of application through robust and pragmatic science-based policy framework”.

Bhaskar Live |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

“Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals,” FICCI said.

“FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.
Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

“It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country,” FICCI said.

“The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified.”

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: “Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” a reality within a short time.”

“These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020.”

Outlook |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

"Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals," FICCI said.

"FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

"It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country," FICCI said.

"The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified."

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: "Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" a reality within a short time."

"These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020."

Aviation & Defence Universe |

Indian UAS Rules 2020 will facilitate Industrial Revolution 4.0

The world is at the cusp of widespread adoption of the fourth industrial revolution. Drones, as a subset of Cyber-Physical Systems, have the potential to lead the charge of Industry 4.0 platforms, as per ‘FICCI Recommendations on The Draft Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020’.

Recognizing the potential of Drones, the Government of India has recently published draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules 2020. FICCI welcomes the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) initiative to launch the Draft UAS Rules 2020 for public consultation and also thanks the Government for the string of approvals, exemptions and other steps taken on a fast-track basis within the past few months for widespread adoption of Drones despite challenging times.

“Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ a reality within a short time. These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the Draft UAS Rules 2020”, Mr Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said.

The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. “However, the proposed Draft Rules, is a bold regulatory step by MoCA to recognize Drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country”, Mr Luthra said. “These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the Drone Revolution in India” he added.

FICCI was the first industry body in India to recognize the transformational role of Drones and has a dedicated Committee on Drones representing this highly promising sector. The committee has been advocating for the holistic and responsible use of Drones across diverse use-cases in government agencies, agriculture and enterprises.

Towards a comprehensive review, FICCI Committee on Drones had convened a stakeholder consultation meeting to deliberate on the Draft UAS Rules 2020. The event hosted large number of participants from Drone OEMs and industry end-users to provide their insights and recommendations on the draft rules. Based on the inputs received, FICCI submitted a detailed document on policy inputs for the Draft UAS Rules 2020.

Key highlights of the recommendations:

a. The rules are a step in the right direction since they extensively cover many aspects of drone sector. These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the drone revolution as well as Industrial Revolution 4.0 in India.

b. The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. However, the proposed draft rules1, is a bold regulatory step by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to recognize drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country.

c. The recommendations of the draft Drone Policy 2.0 (which was released in January 2019), such as dropping of article and BVLOS operations are not envisaged in the Draft UAS Rules. It is requested that certain applications be treated differently owing to their nonurban or low altitude applications and also considering their extreme social value – Agricultural Spraying and Medical Delivery are two such applications. Furthermore, in utilities and infrastructure sectors such as oil & gas, railways etc., BVLOS operations for inspection & monitoring could prove to be extremely beneficial and prevent from any manmade disasters.

d. Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overrun due to delay in approvals. FICCI recommends setting-up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances / approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process. The MoCA and DGCA may also consider setting up an appeal system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

e. Many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility. Industry is dependent on few labs and testing sites overseas. It would be ideal, if:

i. The MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other Central or State Govt. Departments (which has adequate infrastructure to test drones) in each and every part of the country. The Govt. has already allowed private sector to use ISRO2 facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other govt. agencies could also be notified.

ii. Design Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for use of Government owned testing sites.

iii. Furthermore, new world class drones testing infrastructure could be developed in PPP mode. Since, India has world-class airports, creating similar world-class infrastructure for Drone Ports and Testing Facility is also possible.

f. Insurance regulator IRDA has recently set-up a working group to study and make recommendations on various aspects of insurance cover for drones. FICCI would be happy to work with IRDA and MoCA for the design and development of products that meet the needs of RPAS owners and operators, including Third Party liability. A taskforce comprising Govt. and Industry representatives could be set-up to ensure that suitable products come into market at the time of finalisation of the draft rules.

g. Students and hobbyist mostly use nano category UAS. They may not be able to afford the costly nano drones, as adding more equipment to the nano category drone will increase its cost manifold. It is recommended that Nano Drones for educational, recreational and experimental purposes could be considered as Model RPAS in ‘Designated Areas’.

h. The DGCA may further enhance the Indian drone training eco system by considering the following suggestions:

i. DGCA may consider setting up an expert committee, supported by FICCI, for charting way forward steps to set-up more drone training institutes across India.

ii. MoU with other government bodies such as the training institutes under the Survey of India (SoI), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, could be leveraged.

SME Street |

Indian UAS Rules 2020 will bring Industrial Revolution 4.0: FICCI

The world is at the cusp of widespread adoption of the fourth industrial revolution. Drones, as a subset of Cyber-Physical Systems, have the potential to lead the charge of Industry 4.0 platforms, as per ‘FICCI Recommendations on The Draft Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020’.

Recognizing the potential of Drones, the Government of India has recently published draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules 2020. FICCI welcomes the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) initiative to launch the Draft UAS Rules 2020 for public consultation and also thanks the Government for the string of approvals, exemptions and other steps taken on a fast-track basis within the past few months for widespread adoption of Drones despite challenging times.

“Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ a reality within a short time. These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the Draft UAS Rules 2020”, Mr Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said.

FICCI was the first industry body in India to recognize the transformational role of Drones and has a dedicated Committee on Drones representing this highly promising sector. The committee has been advocating for the holistic and responsible use of Drones across diverse use-cases in government agencies, agriculture and enterprises.

Towards a comprehensive review, FICCI Committee on Drones had convened a stakeholder consultation meeting to deliberate on the Draft UAS Rules 2020. The event hosted large number of participants from Drone OEMs and industry end-users to provide their insights and recommendations on the draft rules. Based on the inputs received, FICCI submitted a detailed document on policy inputs for the Draft UAS Rules 2020.

Key highlights of the recommendations:
a. The rules are a step in the right direction since they extensively cover many aspects of drone sector. These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the drone revolution as well as Industrial Revolution 4.0 in India.
b. The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. However, the proposed draft rules1, is a bold regulatory step by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to recognize drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country.
c. The recommendations of the draft Drone Policy 2.0 (which was released in January 2019), such as dropping of article and BVLOS operations are not envisaged in the Draft UAS Rules. It is requested that certain applications be treated differently owing to their nonurban or low altitude applications and also considering their extreme social value – Agricultural Spraying and Medical Delivery are two such applications. Furthermore, in utilities and infrastructure sectors such as oil & gas, railways etc., BVLOS operations for inspection & monitoring could prove to be extremely beneficial and prevent from any manmade disasters.

d. Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overrun due to delay in approvals. FICCI recommends setting-up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances / approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process. The MoCA and DGCA may also consider setting up an appeal system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

e. Many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility. Industry is dependent on few labs and testing sites overseas. It would be ideal, if:

i. The MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other Central or State Govt. Departments (which has adequate infrastructure to test drones) in each and every part of the country. The Govt. has already allowed private sector to use ISRO2 facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other govt. agencies could also be notified.

ii. Design Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for use of Government owned testing sites.

iii. Furthermore, new world class drones testing infrastructure could be developed in PPP mode. Since, India has world-class airports, creating similar world-class infrastructure for Drone Ports and Testing Facility is also possible.

f. Insurance regulator IRDA has recently set-up a working group to study and make recommendations on various aspects of insurance cover for drones. FICCI would be happy to work with IRDA and MoCA for the design and development of products that meet the needs of RPAS owners and operators, including Third Party liability. A taskforce comprising Govt. and Industry representatives could be set-up to ensure that suitable products come into market at the time of finalisation of the draft rules.

g. Students and hobbyist mostly use nano category UAS. They may not be able to afford the costly nano drones, as adding more equipment to the nano category drone will increase its cost manifold. It is recommended that Nano Drones for educational, recreational and experimental purposes could be considered as Model RPAS in ‘Designated Areas’.

h. The DGCA may further enhance the Indian drone training eco system by considering the following suggestions:

i. DGCA may consider setting up an expert committee, supported by FICCI, for charting way forward steps to set-up more drone training institutes across India.

ii. MoU with other government bodies such as the training institutes under the Survey of India (SoI), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, could be leveraged.

Latest News |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.
Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

"Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals," FICCI said.

"FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

"It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country," FICCI said.

"The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified."

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: "Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" a reality within a short time."

"These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020."

Andhram |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

“Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals,” FICCI said.

“FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

“It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country,” FICCI said.

“The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified.”

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: “Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” a reality within a short time.”

“These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020.”

IND News |

Set up a single window mechanism for drone flight authorizations: FICCI

The Industrial Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended that the Centre establish a one-stop-shop mechanism to obtain approvals and approvals for drone operations in the country.

As a result, FICCI stated that such a mechanism will facilitate the obtaining of flight licences by applicants and will give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the 2020 draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) rules, FICCI asked the Centre to pay particular attention to certain applications because of their non-urban or low-altitude applications.

He urged the Centre to take into account the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

“Because of the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry cannot afford time and cost overruns due to the delay in approvals,” FICCI said.

FICCI recommends the establishment of a one-stop-shop mechanism to allow applicants to obtain authorizations or approvals from departments such as the Ministry of the Interior, the WPC Telecommunications Department, etc. Without such a mechanism, the application process could be cumbersome.

In accordance with the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and the DGCA (General Directorate of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeal system for applicants through the one-stop-shop mechanism.

In addition, the recommendations indicate that many Indian innovators and researchers are unable to develop world-class drones because they do not have access to the infrastructure for testing facilities.

“It would be ideal if moCA and dgCA could notify a wide range of test sites under the jurisdiction of MoCA as well as other central government or state departments in each part of the country,” FICCI said.

“The government has already authorized the private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve its capacity. On similar lines, other government agencies could also be notified.

Currently, the industry depends on a few laboratories and testing sites abroad.

Rajan Luthra, chairman of the FICCI Drone Committee, said in a statement: “Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. Research and innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India will make the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” a reality in a short period of time.

DT Next |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

"Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals," FICCI said.

"FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

"It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country," FICCI said.

"The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified."

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: "Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" a reality within a short time."

"These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020."

Orissa Diary |

Indian UAS Rules 2020 will facilitate Industrial Revolution 4.0: FICCI Recommendations to Government

The world is at the cusp of widespread adoption of the fourth industrial revolution. Drones, as a subset of Cyber-Physical Systems, have the potential to lead the charge of Industry 4.0 platforms, as per ‘FICCI Recommendations on The Draft Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020’.

Recognizing the potential of Drones, the Government of India has recently published draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules 2020. FICCI welcomes the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) initiative to launch the Draft UAS Rules 2020 for public consultation and also thanks the Government for the string of approvals, exemptions and other steps taken on a fast-track basis within the past few months for widespread adoption of Drones despite challenging times.

“Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ a reality within a short time. These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the Draft UAS Rules 2020”, Mr Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said.

The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. “However, the proposed Draft Rules, is a bold regulatory step by MoCA to recognize Drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country”, Mr Luthra said. “These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the Drone Revolution in India” he added.

FICCI was the first industry body in India to recognize the transformational role of Drones and has a dedicated Committee on Drones representing this highly promising sector. The committee has been advocating for the holistic and responsible use of Drones across diverse use-cases in government agencies, agriculture and enterprises.

Towards a comprehensive review, FICCI Committee on Drones had convened a stakeholder consultation meeting to deliberate on the Draft UAS Rules 2020. The event hosted large number of participants from Drone OEMs and industry end-users to provide their insights and recommendations on the draft rules. Based on the inputs received, FICCI submitted a detailed document on policy inputs for the Draft UAS Rules 2020.

Key highlights of the recommendations:

a. The rules are a step in the right direction since they extensively cover many aspects of drone sector. These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the drone revolution as well as Industrial Revolution 4.0 in India.

b. The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. However, the proposed draft rules1, is a bold regulatory step by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to recognize drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country.

c. The recommendations of the draft Drone Policy 2.0 (which was released in January 2019), such as dropping of article and BVLOS operations are not envisaged in the Draft UAS Rules. It is requested that certain applications be treated differently owing to their nonurban or low altitude applications and also considering their extreme social value – Agricultural Spraying and Medical Delivery are two such applications. Furthermore, in utilities and infrastructure sectors such as oil & gas, railways etc., BVLOS operations for inspection & monitoring could prove to be extremely beneficial and prevent from any manmade disasters.

d. Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overrun due to delay in approvals. FICCI recommends setting-up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances / approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process. The MoCA and DGCA may also consider setting up an appeal system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

e. Many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility. Industry is dependent on few labs and testing sites overseas. It would be ideal, if:

i. The MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other Central or State Govt. Departments (which has adequate infrastructure to test drones) in each and every part of the country. The Govt. has already allowed private sector to use ISRO2 facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other govt. agencies could also be notified.

ii. Design Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for use of Government owned testing sites.

iii. Furthermore, new world class drones testing infrastructure could be developed in PPP mode. Since, India has world-class airports, creating similar world-class infrastructure for Drone Ports and Testing Facility is also possible.

f. Insurance regulator IRDA has recently set-up a working group to study and make recommendations on various aspects of insurance cover for drones. FICCI would be happy to work with IRDA and MoCA for the design and development of products that meet the needs of RPAS owners and operators, including Third Party liability. A taskforce comprising Govt. and Industry representatives could be set-up to ensure that suitable products come into market at the time of finalisation of the draft rules.

g. Students and hobbyist mostly use nano category UAS. They may not be able to afford the costly nano drones, as adding more equipment to the nano category drone will increase its cost manifold. It is recommended that Nano Drones for educational, recreational and experimental purposes could be considered as Model RPAS in ‘Designated Areas’.

h. The DGCA may further enhance the Indian drone training eco system by considering the following suggestions:

i. DGCA may consider setting up an expert committee, supported by FICCI, for charting way forward steps to set-up more drone training institutes across India.

ii. MoU with other government bodies such as the training institutes under the Survey of India (SoI), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, could be leveraged.

newsd |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

“Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals,” FICCI said.

“FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

“It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country,” FICCI said.

“The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified.”

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: “Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” a reality within a short time.”

“These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020.”

Nyoooz |

Indian UAS Rules 2020 will facilitate Industrial Revolution 4 0 FICCI Recommendations to Government

These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the Draft UAS Rules 2020”, Mr Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said. Towards a comprehensive review, FICCI Committee on Drones had convened a stakeholder consultation meeting to deliberate on the Draft UAS Rules 2020. Based on the inputs received, FICCI submitted a detailed document on policy inputs for the Draft UAS Rules 2020. c. The recommendations of the draft Drone Policy 2.0 (which was released in January 2019), such as dropping of article and BVLOS operations are not envisaged in the Draft UAS Rules. FICCI Recommendations on the Draft UAS Rules 2020: http://www.ficci.in/Sedocument/20506/FICCI-Recommendations-on-the-Draft-UAS-Rules-2020.pdfRelatedcomments

MENAFN |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

"Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals," FICCI said.

"FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

"It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country," FICCI said.

"The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified."

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: "Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" a reality within a short time."

"These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020."

Forever News |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

“Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals,” FICCI said.

“FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

“It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country,” FICCI said.

“The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified.”

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: “Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” a reality within a short time.”

“These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020.”

eTurbo News |

India Industrial Revolution 4.0: Of Drones and Government

The world is at the cusp of widespread adoption of the fourth industrial revolution. Drones, as a subset of cyber-physical systems, have the potential to lead the charge of India Industrial Revolution 4.0 platforms, as per “FICCI Recommendations on The Draft Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2020.”

Recognizing the potential of drones, the Government of India has recently published a draft of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules 2020. FICCI welcomes the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) initiative to launch the Draft UAS Rules 2020 for public consultation and also thanks the government for the string of approvals, exemptions, and other steps taken on a fast-track basis within the past few months for widespread adoption of drones despite challenging times.

“Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ a reality within a short time. These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the Draft UAS Rules 2020,” Mr. Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee, said.
The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. “However, the proposed Draft Rules is a bold regulatory step by MoCA to recognize drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country,” Mr. Luthra said. “These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the drone revolution in India,” he added.

FICCI was the first industry body in India to recognize the transformational role of drones and has a dedicated Committee on Drones representing this highly-promising sector. The committee has been advocating for the holistic and responsible use of drones across diverse use-cases in government agencies, agriculture, and enterprises.

Towards a comprehensive review, the FICCI Committee on Drones and the India Industrial Revolution 4.0 had convened a stakeholder consultation meeting to deliberate on the Draft UAS Rules 2020. The event hosted a large number of participants from drone OEMs and industry end-users to provide their insights and recommendations on the draft rules. Based on the inputs received, FICCI submitted a detailed document on policy inputs for the Draft UAS Rules 2020.

Key highlights of the recommendations:
  1. The rules are a step in the right direction since they extensively cover many aspects of the drone sector. These rules, once approved, would play a big role in facilitating the drone revolution as well as India Industrial Revolution 4.0 in India.
  2. The CAR 1.0, which was notified in 2018, was simply an extension of current aviation regulation. However, the proposed draft rules1, is a bold regulatory step by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to recognize drones as an industry in itself and not merely an extension of civil aviation in the country.
  3. The recommendations of the draft Drone Policy 2.0 (which was released in January 2019), such as dropping of article and BVLOS operations are not envisaged in the Draft UAS Rules. It is requested that certain applications be treated differently owing to their non-urban or low-altitude applications and also considering their extreme social value – agricultural spraying and medical delivery are two such applications. Furthermore, in utilities and infrastructure sectors such as oil and gas, railways, etc., BVLOS operations for inspection and monitoring could prove to be extremely beneficial and prevent from any manmade disasters.
  4. Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overrun due to delay in approvals. FICCI recommends setting-up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances/approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication, etc. Without such a mechanism, the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process. The MoCA and DGCA may also consider setting up an appeal system for applicants through the single-window mechanism.
  5. Many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for a testing facility. The industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas. It would be ideal, if:
  6. The MoCA and DGCA could notify a wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments (which has adequate infrastructure to test drones) in each and every part of the country. The government has already allowed the private sector to use ISRO2 facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified.
  7. Design Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for use of government-owned testing sites.
iii. Furthermore, new world-class drones testing infrastructure could be developed in PPP mode. Since, India has world-class airports, creating similar world-class infrastructure for drone ports and a testing facility is also possible.
  1. Insurance regulator IRDA has recently set-up a working group to study and make recommendations on various aspects of insurance cover for drones. FICCI would be happy to work with IRDA and MoCA for the design and development of products that meet the needs of RPAS owners and operators, including third-party liability. A taskforce comprising government and industry representatives could be set-up to ensure that suitable products come into the market at the time of finalization of the draft rules.
  2. Students and hobbyists mostly use nano category UAS. They may not be able to afford the costly nano drones, as adding more equipment to the nano category drone will increase its cost manifold. It is recommended that nano drones for educational, recreational, and experimental purposes could be considered as Model RPAS in “Designated Areas.”
  3. The DGCA may further enhance the Indian drone training eco system by considering the following suggestions:
  4. DGCA may consider setting up an expert committee, supported by FICCI, for charting the way forward steps to set-up more drone training institutes across India.
  5. An MoU with other government bodies such as the training institutes under the Survey of India (SoI), under the Ministry of Science & Technology could be leveraged.

Jhalak |

Set up single window mechanism for drone flying clearances: FICCI

Industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended to the Centre to set up a single window mechanism to obtain clearances and approvals for drone operations in the country.

Accordingly, FICCI said that such a mechanism will make it easier for applicants to obtain flying licenses and give a boost to the nascent sector.

In its recommendations on the draft Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2020, FICCI has requested the Centre to give special consideration to certain applications owing to their non-urban or low altitude applications.

It exhorted the Centre to consider the extreme social value of drones in agricultural spraying and medical delivery.

"Due to the unprecedented scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, industry cannot afford the time and cost overruns due to delay in approvals," FICCI said.

"FICCI recommends setting up a single window mechanism to enable applicants to obtain clearances or approvals from ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, WPC Department of Telecommunication etc. Without such a mechanism the application process could prove to be a cumbersome process.

As per the recommendations, the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) may consider setting up an appeals system for applicants through the single window mechanism.

Furthermore, the recommendations said that many Indian innovators and researchers are not able to develop world-class drone products, as they do not have access to infrastructure for testing facility.

"It would be ideal, if MoCA and DGCA could notify wide range of testing sites under the jurisdiction of the MoCA as well as of the other central or state government departments in each and every part of the country," FICCI said.

"The government has already allowed private sector to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capability. On similar lines, the other government agencies could also be notified."

At present, industry is dependent on a few labs and testing sites overseas.

In a statement, Rajan Luthra, Chair, FICCI Drones Committee said: "Our country needs innovators who can solve societal problems by applying technology and creating next-generation platforms. R&D and Innovation undertaken in collaboration with industry, academic institutions, and government agencies by Drone start-ups in India shall make the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" a reality within a short time."

"These innovators have the potential to flourish and succeed with the notification of the draft UAS Rules, 2020."

Forbes |

How Drones are helping India fight the coronavirus pandemic

When India went under a nationwide lockdown in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus, civic authorities in the financial capital of Mumbai, knew they had a daunting challenge on their hands. With a population of 20 million people, the city is densely packed and nowhere more so than in crowded Dharavi, one of the world’s largest slums. With an estimated 1 million people residing there in cramped quarters, Dharavi had all the makings of a potential Covid-19 hotspot.

Mumbai’s police force, which was entrusted with ensuring that the slum’s residents observed lockdown rules, enlisted the help of Sagar Defence Engineering, a Mumbai maker of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles. The company, which counts the state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation as an investor, was commissioned to make two customized drones fitted with megaphones for the Mumbai police force.

Rather than patrolling the narrow streets of Dharavi and risk getting infected, the cops deployed the drones to urge people to stay indoors. The drones were operated by a Sagar Defence employee stationed near a police outpost. The megaphones on the drones were connected to the cell phones of the police officers, who could simply dial in and make their announcements.

Customizing the drone was a challenge, acknowledges Sagar’s cofounder Nikunj Parashar, an engineer and licensed mariner who left the Indian Navy and set up his own venture in 2015. “But we were able to do so by using locally available resources.” His firm has since supplied similar drones to other cities such as Delhi, Goa and Vishakapatnam.

For Parashar and other Indian drone makers, whose business had been slow to take off amid regulatory hurdles, the pandemic has provided a much-needed boost. Demand for drones has soared as civic authorities, state governments and the police sought out these flying machines to help them manage the pandemic in a myriad of ways.

Drones are being used for such tasks as dropping off medical supplies and personal protective gear to healthcare workers to spraying disinfectant over public spaces like airports, railway stations and parks. Drones fitted with thermal scanners can even identify potential virus carriers in a crowd.

“The pandemic has shown what drones are capable of,” says Smit Shah, director of partnerships at the Drone Federation of India, an industry body with more than 1,000 members. “Earlier drones got a bad rap because they were seen as a threat to security and privacy. But now they are here to stay.”

As per Shah’s estimates, India has about 50 drone manufacturers, 200 drone service organizations and nearly 5,000 drone pilots, currently operating in the commercial sector. The Indian drone industry is projected to touch nearly $900 million by 2021, according to a July 2018 report by FICCI-Ernst & Young, while the global market is projected at $25 billion.

There are roughly 200,000 recreational and commercial drones in the country, each costing anywhere from Rs. 200,000 ($2,600) to Rs. 20 million ($26,000) depending on size and functionality. Before the pandemic, drones were deployed for a variety of tasks—from monitoring floods to spraying pesticides over fields, mosquito eradication, inspecting wind turbines and data acquisition for combating climate change.

Apart from being deployed for the pandemic, drones were recently pressed into service when a swarm of locusts entered western and central India in June, endangering crops like wheat, mustard and barley. Agnishwar Jayaprakash, the 29-year old founder of Garuda Aerospace in Chennai, says his firm’s drones are being used to tackle locust attacks in Rajasthan. They spray insecticides with a proprietary chemical, which destroys the locusts and acts as a fertilizer after the locusts are killed. The five-year-old firm also has a contract to spray disinfectants across public spaces in 26 cities for the next 8 to 12 months to address the Covid pandemic.

In Hyderabad city, Marut Drones, whose founders were featured in Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 list in 2020, has deployed its fleet of 52 drones for disinfecting locations, such as hospitals, bus stands, market places and government offices. Marut’s drones are also being used for making public announcements and the surveillance of quarantined zones in the southern Indian state of Telangana. Prem Kumar Vislawath, Marut’s cofounder says, “We firmly believe that technology and ingenuity can help to fight and defeat this viral attack.”

Despite the surge in demand, India’s drone industry continues to operate within a sketchy regulatory framework. In theory, the federal civil aviation ministry can provide single-window clearance for drone registration, licensing and compliance under its digital sky platform, which is an online platform for granting permissions. But that platform is not operational, so permissions are granted on a case by case basis. (Drone pilots are also not certified currently.)

This meant, for example, that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country’s aviation regulator, had to make conditional exemptions to allow drones to be used for combating Covid-19 and managing locust swarms.

But the rising popularity of drones is fast forwarding the regulatory process. In early June, the aviation ministry released a draft of rules covering permits, licensing and maintenance, inviting public comments. The ministry will review the public comments and finalize what will then become UAS Rules under the Aircraft Act of 1934.

India’s drone industry is still in a nascent phase, and manufacturing is heavily dependent on imports of components, such as propellers, motors, flight controllers and batteries. “Our startup is focussed on ‘Make-In-India,’ and our main priority is to source high-quality parts from various manufacturers and assemble them,” says Garuda’s Jayaprakash.

Vislawath of Marut Drones is focussing on improving the training infrastructure for operating drones. He has partnered with the Telangana state government and the Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy, a pilot training academy in Delhi, to train drone pilots. “The drone industry has a lot of potential” says Vislawath. “The journey has started. ”

Defence Aviation Post |

Ease regulations to make India a drone hub

As the sale of cigarettes and alcohol during the Covid-19 lockdown shows, any form of restrictions on usage has always been detrimental to industry, consumers as well as the State exchequer. The only party it benefits is the seller, who resorts to black-marketing, selling it at marked-up prices.

Restrictions also act as a discouragement to industry to invest capital in sectors where either production or consumption is regulated, unless the gains offset the investment significantly.

The market for non-military unmanned aerial systems (UAS) — drones — in India has been marred by restrictive policy, which can stagnate this industry in its infancy. The Indian UAS market is expected to touch $885.7 million, making it about 4% of the nearly $21.47 billion global market.

At the same time, it accounts for 20% of global imports of UAS, making it the fifth-largest importer of drones. This indicates the presence of demand beyond the military. An Ernst & Young (EY)-Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) joint report, ‘Make in India for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Awaiting its ‘Kitty Hawk’ Moment’ (bit.do/fFPgF), explains usage of UAS in the power and utility industries, agriculture, highways, mining and railways.

The Economic Times |

View: Ease regulations to make India a drone hub

As the sale of cigarettes and alcohol during the Covid-19 lockdown shows, any form of restrictions on usage has always been detrimental to industry, consumers as well as the State exchequer. The only party it benefits is the seller, who resorts to black-marketing, selling it at marked-up prices. Restrictions also act as a discouragement to industry to invest capital in sectors where either production or consumption is regulated, unless the gains offset the investment significantly.

The market for non-military unmanned aerial systems (UAS) — drones — in India has been marred by restrictive policy, which can stagnate this industry in its infancy. The Indian UAS market is expected to touch $885.7 million, making it about 4% of the nearly $21.47 billion global market. At the same time, it accounts for 20% of global imports of UAS, making it the fifth-largest importer of drones. This indicates the presence of demand beyond the military. An Ernst & Young (EY)-Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Ficci) joint report, ‘Make in India for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Awaiting its ‘Kitty Hawk’ Moment’ (bit.do/fFPgF), explains usage of UAS in the power and utility industries, agriculture, highways, mining and railways.

However, India is a laggard, compared to non-military UAS manufacturing countries, especially China and the US. This can be attributed to the absence of adequate demand for commercial UAS in domestic markets because of drone regulations that are too obtrusive.

In October 2014, India banned the operation of drones. However, this did not deter individuals from buying recreational drones — primarily manufactured by a Chinese manufacturer, DJI — from the shadow market. According to a study reportedly done by intelligence agencies, there are over six lakh unregulated drones of various capacities and sizes. Most of these drones have been bought from shadow markets, detrimental for both the consumer and government revenue.

The Drone is Familiar

Drone regulations were notified by the civil aviation ministry in early 2019, reversing the earlier ban. What followed is not much of an improvement over the ban — a heavily guarded drone usage policy with a ‘No Permission, No Take-off’ (NPNT) clause, the only one of its kind globally. All drone manufacturers need to have an NPNT software add-on on their drones. Without it, no drone manufacturer can sell its drones in India.

These regulations heavily rely on the functioning of a ‘digital sky’ platform, which is supposed to be the only platform that can grant automated permission to own and operate drones. However, the platform is still non-operational. Thus, there is no other way for drone operators to seek permissions to operate UAS legally.

Apart from permit-oriented restrictions imposed, there are the hardware specifications that have to be met to be regulatory-compliant. Even if a company manages to manufacture software- and hardware-compliant drones, it is a monumental task for the regulator to monitor and audit the hardware and software capabilities of drones. The regulator also lacks facilities to test and certify UAS for airworthiness.

Moreover, since these specifications are not mandated by any other country, international manufacturers are unlikely to make changes to their specifications just for a 4% sub-market. This is India’s loss. Drones can reduce costs of compliance, provide high-quality information (including areas difficult to extract data from, such as hilly terrain) and enable real-time monitoring. Domestic manufacturers can conceivably make concessions to meet the hardware specifications. But this will only drive up the cost of Indian-made drones, which are already 20-30 times costlier than those built by comparable international competitors.

This further perpetuates the vicious cycle, whereby it dries up funds for R&D and stifles the already burdened domestic UAS industry. UAS industries in China and the US have matured to levels where their markets have seen a lot of capital invested in these systems, and are driving innovation. The conservatism of regulation is both predictable and understandable, because, globally, drone laws are still evolving. However, this conservatism may prove to be detrimental if India wants to become a non-military UAS manufacturing hub.

Drone regulations need to be tweaked by addressing concerns of all the stakeholders. Although futuristic, the digital sky platform should be further upgraded. The platform should be fed with back-end data to grant automated permissions. Unless the data bank within the platform is able to process the flying location and flying path, it would be difficult for it to grant automated permissions.

Prepare for the Lift-Off

Merely addressing domestic demand issues will not suffice. Phased manufacturing plans can be a tool to encourage international drone manufacturers to ‘Make in India’. Initially, tariffs can encourage manufacturers to assemble semi-knocked-down drone units in India. Thereafter, assembling of completely knocked-down units should be incentivised. And, finally, regulatory and fiscal incentives should be aligned to ensure that all drone components are manufactured in India.

Hopefully, soon, the policy will be reoriented to equip the Indian UAS ecosystem with the necessary flight. Regulation should not stifle. Otherwise, India-made drones will do little work and Make in India, for this segment, will remain a flight of fancy.

CXO Today |

Drones stepping up fight against COVID-19

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is changing the way people interact and businesses operate. In a world where lockdown measures and social distancing have become the new norm, drones are playing a key role in helping authorities and governments in different ways to contain the spread of the outbreak.

Surveillance and monitoring

To ensure people stay within their homes, especially in containment zones, drones equipped with cameras and speakers are being used to keep an eye not only on lockdown violations but also to broadcast information and messages related to COVID-19.

Surveillance has been a common use of drones globally to keep check on the movement of people. In India, one of the first states to have used the technology to fight the virus was Kerala. The state government used drones and geo-based fencing to track the movement of people and monitor quarantines in order to follow lockdown restrictions.

The Goa police also used drones to keep an eye on densely populated regions. The state is now declared a green zone. This was followed by the Bengaluru police that started using drones and chatbots to prevent the spread of the virus.

Disinfectant spraying

Countries like UAE, Chile, Indonesia, Philippines and China have been loading up agriculture spray drones with disinfectants to spray in affected areas. Experts believe, drones are more powerful than manual spraying since it covers a larger area and efficiently reaches all the spots. In India, Chennai based startup Garuda Aerospace helped the government to completely disinfect the city of Varanasi. This was achieved by the collaboration of Invest India with India’s National Investment Promotion Agency through the AGNI Mission, and Invest India’s Business Immunity Platform (BIP).

Likewise, DJI, a Shenzhen-based producer of drones and quadcopters, is working with Chinese authorities in Shenzhen to disinfect public places along with factories, residential areas, hospitals, and other areas that potentially could have been previously occupied by infected patients. The disinfectant spraying drones could potentially reduce the risk to frontline workers working in the infected areas and also cover a large area in a shorter time making them more effective than traditional methods of disinfectant spraying.

Medical supply and delivery

Delivery of medicines and essential items to hospitals is the need of the hour and to ensure that drones have been carrying the supplies. In parts of the US, China, and Australia, they have also been using it to deliver other commodities via drones. By using a drone, the supplies reach without getting in contact with other people to acquire supplies.

Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has rolled out a drone delivery system to supply essential goods to the residents of Virginia amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a mobile app, customers can order items online, wherein the drone picks up the order from the respective delivery facility and helps consumers to buy essentials without compromising the safety measures.

Survey mapping

Drones are also playing a critical role in surveying mapping areas where hospitals and big buildings are used to assess the impact of the virus. In countries like China, the US and Germany, drones are being used to map the areas required to construct hospitals with minimal human involvement. Furthermore, drones are being used to illuminate areas designated for construction activity in the COVID-19 hotspots.

What about India’s drone policy?

The drone regulations in India have been quite restricted before the outbreak of coronavirus. There are multiple laws around these unmanned aerial vehicles that make the ownership of drones complicated.

The Civil Aviation Requirement drone policy states that an aerial survey can be undertaken by pilots after they get a NOC (No Objection Certificate) from a web portal with the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) giving permission.

All drones should be enrolled on this portal and they will be given a unique digital number plate that will help the authorities keep track of it in case there is an unfortunate activity. Another regulation is around the visual line of sight of the operator that is BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight). The regulation calls for a limit of 400 ft for beyond operations.

However, the emergency situation has led the authorities to operate drones. In such situations, it also becomes difficult to not cover more areas beyond sight. The security and misuse of drones continue to remain a top concern but the potential of drones as a safety tool has also created a place of its own.

Nonetheless, drone startups have been actively helping state and central governments in fighting the virus and maybe, there can be some changes in the drone policy after the virus is defeated and more importantly, these are used by Governments at the moment so there is no security concern.

According to a report by FICCI and EY, the Indian drones market is expected to touch $885.7 million by 2021 with the global market size approaching $21.47 billion. Furthermore, a report by PwC India states that the drones space is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18% during 2017-23.

The Indian laws may be made more inclusive of drone startups and find a strong security measure too that ensures drones are used well even when there isn’t an emergency. However, with better laws, the drone sector can take off and also be grounded by ethics.

Therefore, it is interesting to see how drones are increasingly becoming crucial to contain the COVID-19 spread in these unprecedented times, as Dixit concludes, “In a world ruled by social distancing, drones are stepping up the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. They are minimizing human interactions and limiting cross-infection among frontline workers. The use of drones also lowers the cost of combating the disease as well as increases the effectiveness by being quicker, safer and a cost-effective solution in the ever-evolving complex environments.”

ET Government |

Drone technologies should be included in covid-19 fight as essential service: FICCI

In a recommendation to the government to revisit its drone using policy, FICCI, the apex body for industry and commerce, has asked the government to give blanket exemptions from restrictions of using drones by the public and private organizations during the covid-19 crisis.

“Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from digital sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this covid-19 crisis,” said FICCI in its recommendation to the government.

The apex body recommended that government agencies like law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to augment available manpower and prevent the risk of human life amid the pandemic.

Similarly, a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not yet been permitted drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the covid-19 lockdown is minuscule as there are very few civil manned aircraft in operation now. Also, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around two lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended.

When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13,2020 to January 31,2020 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered.

"Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31, 2020)," the FICCI noted.

The industry body also recommended that drone services to the public and private organizations, which are involved in fighting the covid-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as essential goods and services.

Money Control |

Coronavirus impact: Aviation Ministry notifies conditional exemptions for use of drones meant for aid

The Civil Aviation Ministry has notified conditional exemptions allowing Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) or drones to aid in coronavirus related programmes.

The Centre has now laid down simplified procedures for permission for drones sought by “authorised entities” such as the central government, states, district administrations or government institutions, “for aerial surveillance, aerial photography and public announcements related to COVID-19”, it said.

The permission would only be for battery-operated rotary wing RPA, while fixed-wing and autonomous drones are prohibited. Responsibility for the device will lay with the entity seeking permission. It further notes: “The RPA shall, at no time, pose a risk to life, property or any other manned or unmanned aircraft.”

Third-party providers engaged for RPA would have to undergo security verification and capability assessment before operations commence. This too shall be the responsibility of the authorised entity.

It further mandates, “details of every RPA flight shall be uploaded on Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) Digital Sky Platform within seven days of undertaking the flight.” Adding that any incident or accident “shall be immediately reported to MOCA and DGCA through the Digital Sky Platform.”

Drones allowed exemptions must comply with the following:
  • A unique identification number (UIN) and/or a DGCA issued drone acknowledgment number (DAN).
  • Must not weigh over 25 kg.
  • Must be equipped with automated return-to-home feature in case of loss of link.
  • Is restricted to 200 feet above ground limit and must operate within visual line of sight (LOS) at all times.
  • Must be at safe distance from buildings, property, vehicles and people at all times.
  • Shall not pick, drop, spray or discharge any substance
  • Shall be restricted to a period between local sunrise and local sunset and during adverse weather conditions such as heavy winds, rain and low visibility.
  • Operator should be adept, especially in emergency situations.
  • Flights shall be terminated once battery reserve is reduced to 15 minutes.
  • Only one operator per drone.
The following are the limitations imposed, even on drones given conditional exemtions:
  • No operations within 5 km of airports at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad
  • No operation in areas with permanent or temporary restrictions, dangerous or temporary areas such as Reserved Airspace (TRA), and Temporarily Segregated (TSA), as notified in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP);
  • No operations within 25 km from international border which includes Line of Control (LOC), Actual Control (LAC) and Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL).
  • No operations within Line of Beyond 500 m (horizontal) into sea from coast line provided the location of ground station is on fixed platform over land;
  • No operations within 3 km from perimeter of military installations/ facilities/ where military are being carried out unless clearance is obtained from the activities/ exercises local military installation/facility;
  • No operations within 5 km radius from Vijay Chowk in Delhi. This is subject to additional conditions/ restrictions imposed by local law enforcement agencies/ authorities;
  • No operations within 3 km radius from State Secretariat Complex in State Capitals; within 2 km from perimeter of strategic locations/vital installations notified by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
  • Exceptions unless clearance is obtained from MHA include: from a mobile platform such as a moving vehicle, ship or aircraft, and over eco-sensitive zones around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries notified by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change without prior permission.
As per the notice, the conditional exemption may be sought by submitting an application at the DGCA Digital Sky Platform. However, drones used by other entities “even for COVID-19 related operations” will have to seek permission from the Ministry and DGCA as per existing procedures.

“The provision shall remain in force until further orders and any violation shall make the conditional exemption null and void, and shall lead to penal action as per applicable law,” the notice added.

The move will be welcome by industries bodies as FICCI in its recommendations on May 2 had said that government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kashmir Images |

Take away restrictions on drone use for critical industries, govt agencies: FICCI to govt

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.

“Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis,” stated the FICCI’s committee on drones.

The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

What Others Are Reading

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to “augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life” amid the pandemic.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few “civil manned aircraft” in operation, it said.

Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now.

All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended.

When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered.

“Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31),” the FICCI noted.

The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as “essential goods and services”.

There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI.

“Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements,” it noted.

Business Today |

Coronavirus lockdown: Remove restrictions on drone use for essential industries, govt agencies, says FICCI

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.

"Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis," stated the FICCI's committee on drones.

The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to "augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life" amid the pandemic.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few "civil manned aircraft" in operation, it said. Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now. All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended. When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered. "Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31)," the FICCI noted.

The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as "essential goods and services". There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI. "Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements," it noted.

Business Today |

Coronavirus lockdown: Remove restrictions on drone use for essential industries, govt agencies, says FICCI

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.

"Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis," stated the FICCI's committee on drones.

The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to "augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life" amid the pandemic.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few "civil manned aircraft" in operation, it said. Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now. All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended. When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered. "Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31)," the FICCI noted.

The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as "essential goods and services". There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI. "Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements," it noted.

Money Control |

Take away restrictions on drone use for critical industries, govt agencies: FICCI to govt

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.

"Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using the permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis," stated the FICCI's committee on drones.

The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek a waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to "augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life" amid the pandemic.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few "civil manned aircraft" in operation, it said.

Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now.

All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended.

When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered.

"Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31)," the FICCI noted.

The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as "essential goods and services".

There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI.

"Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements," it noted.

The Week |

Take away restrictions on drone use for critical industries govt agencies FICCI to govt

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.
"Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis," stated the FICCI's committee on drones.
The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to "augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life" amid the pandemic.
The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few "civil manned aircraft" in operation, it said.
Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.
India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now.
All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.
It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended.
When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered.
"Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31)," the FICCI noted.
The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as "essential goods and services".
There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI.

"Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements," it noted.

Outlook |

Take away restrictions on drone use for critical industries, govt agencies: FICCI to govt

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.

"Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis," stated the FICCI's committee on drones.

The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to "augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life" amid the pandemic.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few "civil manned aircraft" in operation, it said.

Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now.

All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended.

When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered.

"Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31)," the FICCI noted.

The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as "essential goods and services".

There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI.

"Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements," it noted.

Latest LY |

Take away restrictions on drone use for critical industries, Govt agencies: FICCI to Govt

Government agencies and critical industries should be given blanket exemptions from restrictions regarding drones till December 31 so that these devices can be used freely during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry body FICCI stated in its recommendations to the central government on Saturday.

"Currently, drones are only allowed to legally fly using permission from Digital Sky (online platform) in six small green zones in remote rural areas of the country. This is insufficient to address the numerous challenges faced by our country in the time of this crisis," stated the FICCI's committee on drones.

The committee stated that a critical industry like the oil and gas sector has not been permitted till date for drone-based surveillance of cross-country pipeline networks, and its previous attempts to seek waiver from government regulations have proven to be unsuccessful.

Therefore, the FICCI said the law enforcement agencies, municipal corporations, fire departments, forest departments, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), critical industries, etc, should be given blanket exemptions from government restrictions till December 31, 2020, to "augment available manpower and prevent risk of human life" amid the pandemic.

The safety risk associated with the usage of drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for the aforementioned purposes during the COVID-19 lockdown is miniscule as there are very few "civil manned aircraft" in operation, it said.

Moreover, there are very few people in public areas whose safety could be affected by drone flights, it noted.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected around 40,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people in the country till now.

All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate.

It is estimated that the number of commercial and recreational drones in India is around 2 lakh and therefore, the government should restart the voluntary registration of non-compliant drones, the FICCI committee recommended.

When the Civil Aviation Ministry opened a window from January 13 to January 31 to register non-compliant drones, only 19,553 of them were registered.

"Many companies and individuals were not able to register their drones on Digital Sky portal due to some technical issues on the website (between January 13 and January 31)," the FICCI noted.

The committee also recommended that drone services to government agencies and enterprises, which are involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, should be included by the Ministry of Home Affairs as "essential goods and services".

There has been a general reduction in available manpower for maintaining law and order situation during COVID-19 crisis, which has led to an increase in illegal activities, stated the FICCI.

"Drones have proven effective as a force multiplier in augmenting the reduced manpower to maintain security requirements," it noted.

Yahoo News |

Drones are playing a critical role in enforcing lockdown as India fights Covid-19

With India under lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus, drones are proving to be a crucial tool in the functioning of law enforcement authorities and other government agencies which are deploying these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for carrying out surveillance, sanitisation and to reach out to people, minimising the risk of infection for their personnel. While Gujarat Police is using 200 drones across the state to monitor people's movements, Delhi Police has deployed them to ensure people follow social distancing in Asia's largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market Azadpur Mandi. Municipal authorities in Madurai are utilising them to disinfect areas near the coronavirus wing of a city hospital.

These are only a few examples of UAVs being used in the fight against coronavirus. However, government agencies aren't the only ones to tap into technology in these tough times, media organisations are also using drones to show people confined indoors the impact of the world's biggest lockdown. "It is fair to assume that out of 20,000 drones registered with the government, about 450-500 drones are already being used all across India to assist different states and law enforcement agencies," Smit Shah, Director - Partnerships, Drone Federation of India (DFI) told PTI. The DFI is an industry body that has companies like Asteria Aerospace, Quidich Innovation Labs, AutoMicroUAS, Aarav Unmanned Systems and Indrones as its members.

"Drone startups have come out and extended their support to the government on a no-cost basis. Most of the drone service providers are not charging for the services they are providing," Shah noted. India has remained under lockdown since March 25 to contain the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, which has so far infected 10,815 people and claimed 353 lives in the country. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the lockdown, which was originally for 21 days, will be extended by 19 days to May 3 as the measure has produced a significant outcome in containing the infection.

Shah said drones are being used for carrying out a host of tasks like surveillance to ensure that people are maintaining social distancing, spreading awareness about COVID-19 in densely populated areas, spraying disinfectants and checking people's temperature. During the initial days of the lockdown, drones were used by the Jammu and Kashmir administration to announce restrictions on movement of people in Srinagar's busy Lal Chowk. Delhi Police is also using drones to monitor people's movements in Ghazipur Mandi, which witnesses a steady stream of buyers throughout the day. The municipal corporation of Warangal in Telangana has collaborated with a private company, Binford Robotics, to deploy its UAVs for surveillance and spraying disinfectants in the city.

According to experts, as the number of coronavirus cases in the country mounts, the use of the UAVs is also expected to rise. Ankit Mehta, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones, told PTI, "Right now, the need of the hour is that the Ministry of Home or state police departments should take a call on whether they need drones with megaphones as a reinforcement tool, otherwise their containment strategies won't work. This is the time to go for mass procurement and leverage the entire drone production capability of the country. It will take us two-three weeks to start delivering," said Mehta, who is also the CEO of ideaForge, a drone manufacturing company.

He called for stepping-up the use of drones. "Containment zones are going to be around for a while, and they are going to extend because it is a contagious virus. What is required is 24x7 deployment of drones for surveillance to enforce containment and not sporadic usage. "My estimate is that we have 640 districts. If about 2,000 drones are inducted, assuming that each district needs around 3 drones, we can enable a broad level of persistent surveillance in the major containment zones," he said. Mehta said several state police departments are already customers of ideaForge and they had procured surveillance drones well before the lockdown.

"Some of these departments, which were planning to place orders with us, have asked us to deliver drones quickly since the beginning of lockdown," he said. DFI's Shah, however, recommended incentivising the approximately 20,000 drone operators who are registered with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. "This would be much more cost-effective for the governments as against procuring new drones at this time as that would involve management of equipment, training programmes and capacity building, which might not be feasible as of now," he said. For media organisations too drones are proving to be a boon at a time when many parts of the country have been sealed and are out of bounds for outsiders.

Jagran English |

How 'Corona-Killer 100' drones are helping authorities to enforce lockdown across India

The nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic has kept the police departments, law enforcement agencies and first-line responders on their toes across India, with the height of their success in implementing the stringent lockdown being determined as much by the technologies they’re utilising as much by the coordination of security manpower that is in place.

A vast line-up of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Drones – from Delhi to Telangana, and from Chennai to Varanasi is being utilised by the police and local administration bodies to disinfect the suspected areas with least human intervention possible alongside the surveillance of the enforcement of lockdown measures.

According to a Times of India report, a range of drones named as ‘Corona-Killer 100’ have been operationalised by Chennai-based UAV startup ‘Garuda Aerospace’ to spray disinfectants in 26 cities across India, at the insistence of respective state governments and local municipal bodies.

The startup has 300 Corona-killer-100 drones operational at present.

"Drone startups have come out and extended their support to the government on a no-cost basis. Most of the drone service providers are not charging for the services they are providing," Smit Shah, Director - Partnerships, Drone Federation of India (DFI) told the news agency PTI.

The drones are in use for a vast range of tasks such as spraying disinfectants, sanitization, surveillance to ensure the social distancing measures in-place, and subsequently the announcements of awareness messages through them in country’s densely populated areas.

According to a News18 report, at the beginning of the lockdown period, the drones were used by Srinagar’s local administration to announce restrictions on movement of people in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk. Delhi Police is also using drones to monitor people's movements in Ghazipur Mandi, which witnesses a steady stream of traders throughout the day.

"Right now, the need of the hour is that the Ministry of Home or state police departments should take a call on whether they need drones with megaphones as a reinforcement tool, otherwise their containment strategies won't work. This is the time to go for mass procurement and leverage the entire drone production capability of the country. It will take us two-three weeks to start delivering," Ankit Mehta, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones, was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

The UAV technology, wherever is in use, is enabling the local administrations to make lockdown-related announcements and galvanize the ground forces in real-time wherever lockdown measures are reported to be violated through the drone-surveillance.

The better monitoring of evolving situations continues to ensure an even-better utilization of such tech-surveillance during the lock down.

India has remained under lockdown since March 25 to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has infected 10,815 people till now and has resulted in 353 deaths. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the lockdown, which was originally for 21 days, will be extended by 19 days to May 3.

Money Control |

Coronavirus lockdown: Drones act as invincible frontline workers in India's fight against COVID-19

With India under lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus, drones are proving to be a crucial tool in the functioning of law enforcement authorities and other government agencies which are deploying these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for carrying out surveillance, sanitisation and to reach out to people, minimising the risk of infection for their personnel.

While Gujarat Police is using 200 drones across the state to monitor people's movements, Delhi Police has deployed them to ensure people follow social distancing in Asia's largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market Azadpur Mandi.

Municipal authorities in Madurai are utilising them to disinfect areas near the coronavirus wing of a city hospital.

These are only a few examples of UAVs being used in the fight against coronavirus.

However, government agencies aren't the only ones to tap into technology in these tough times, media organisations are also using drones to show people confined indoors the impact of the world's biggest lockdown.

"It is fair to assume that out of 20,000 drones registered with the government, about 450-500 drones are already being used all across India to assist different states and law enforcement agencies," Smit Shah, Director - Partnerships, Drone Federation of India (DFI) told PTI.

The DFI is an industry body that has companies like Asteria Aerospace, Quidich Innovation Labs, AutoMicroUAS, Aarav Unmanned Systems and Indrones as its members.

"Drone startups have come out and extended their support to the government on a no-cost basis. Most of the drone service providers are not charging for the services they are providing," Shah noted.

India has remained under lockdown since March 25 to contain the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, which has so far infected 10,815 people and claimed 353 lives in the country.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the lockdown, which was originally for 21 days, will be extended by 19 days to May 3 as the measure has produced a significant outcome in containing the infection.

Shah said drones are being used for carrying out a host of tasks like surveillance to ensure that people are maintaining social distancing, spreading awareness about COVID-19 in densely populated areas, spraying disinfectants and checking people's temperature.

During the initial days of the lockdown, drones were used by the Jammu and Kashmir administration to announce restrictions on movement of people in Srinagar's busy Lal Chowk.

Delhi Police is also using drones to monitor people's movements in Ghazipur Mandi, which witnesses a steady stream of buyers throughout the day.

The municipal corporation of Warangal in Telangana has collaborated with a private company, Binford Robotics, to deploy its UAVs for surveillance and spraying disinfectants in the city.

According to experts, as the number of coronavirus cases in the country mounts, the use of the UAVs is also expected to rise.

Ankit Mehta, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones, told PTI, "Right now, the need of the hour is that the Ministry of Home or state police departments should take a call on whether they need drones with megaphones as a reinforcement tool, otherwise their containment strategies won't work."

"This is the time to go for mass procurement and leverage the entire drone production capability of the country. It will take us two-three weeks to start delivering," said Mehta, who is also the CEO of ideaForge, a drone manufacturing company.

He called for stepping-up the use of drones.

"Containment zones are going to be around for a while, and they are going to extend because it is a contagious virus. What is required is 24x7 deployment of drones for surveillance to enforce containment and not sporadic usage.

"My estimate is that we have 640 districts. If about 2,000 drones are inducted, assuming that each district needs around 3 drones, we can enable a broad level of persistent surveillance in the major containment zones," he said.

Mehta said several state police departments are already customers of idea Forge and they had procured surveillance drones well before the lockdown.

"Some of these departments, which were planning to place orders with us, have asked us to deliver drones quickly since the beginning of lockdown," he said.

DFI's Shah, however, recommended incentivising the approximately 20,000 drone operators who are registered with the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

"This would be much more cost-effective for the governments as against procuring new drones at this time as that would involve management of equipment, training programmes and capacity building, which might not be feasible as of now," he said.

For media organisations too drones are proving to be a boon at a time when many parts of the country have been sealed and are out of bounds for outsiders.

Remote-controlled UAVs allow media organisations to shoot videos or click photographs and cover various aspects of the lockdown.

For instance, The Times of India's Chennai supplement on Sunday posted online a 5-minute video, which was shot using drones, showing how the once-bustling city has come to a standstill during the lockdown.

A senior executive of a news organisation said the media companies in India generally use "micro drones", which weigh between one to two kgs.

"The drones are registered with the central government. Before deploying them, a news organisation generally takes permission from the local police department," the executive said.

News organisations also make sure that while recording a video, the drone does not enter any restricted areas like an airport's airspace, etc, the executive noted.

The Times of India |

'India not prepared for 'swarm of drones’ attacks'

In the small hours of September 14 last year, 10 drones sneaked into the Saudi Arabian air space and targeted two crude oil fields, triggering massive fires and a global oil crisis. While Saudis managed to douse the inferno soon, it took countries across the continents several days to rein in the soaring crude oil prices.

Saudis had installed systems in the oil fields to detect drones but the ‘flying enemies’ gave them a slip.

That were 10 drones. Now imagine the sight if a ‘swarm of drones’ are used to carry out such coordinated attacks. Simply put, it would be catastrophic, for which a country like India is not prepared yet, warn defence and cyber experts. “Rogue drones or unmanned aerial vehicles pose the biggest challenge for the future, as they can easily target a nation’s critical infrastructure like gas fields and airports,” said Pankaj Kuchhal, general manager, technical, Indian Oil Corporation.

These deliberations were part of a session titled “Countering Rogue Drones”, organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at the ongoing Defence Expo in Lucknow on Friday.

While emphasising that drones will remain part of the future security and development projects, panellists said it was time to put in place an advance mechanism that can neutralize threats from the aerial miscreants.

However, the main challenge lies in detecting drones as they fly very low and often go undetected by radars.

Sunny Sharma, CEO of Bangalore-based IIO Technologies Private Limited, suggested the use of radio frequency or RF, which, he said, was way more effective than radars in detecting drones. Once detected, rogue drones can be jammed. Most of the other experts also said jamming was an effective technique.

Sharma stressed that besides technology, drone users must also be educated as many users of the flying object can trigger a catastrophe unintentionally. “Counter-rogue drone strategies are meant for criminals, whereas clueless or careless users need to be educated,” he added.

The experts were of the view that one counter-strategy may not work, and therefore, a combination of measures should be devised to ground the aerial enemy.

In an engaging interaction with the audience, Amber Dubey, joint secretary in the civil aviation ministry, said the central government would lay out the guidelines on use of drones in the coming months so that their misuse is checked. “A firecracker dropped from a rogue drone on a large crowd will not kill anyone, but it would be enough to cause a stampede. And that’s a big scare. Hence steps to counter such objects are required,” he added.

Lt Gen (retd) Sanjeev Madhok said at present it’s “a cat-mouse chase” between experts and attackers.

“The key is to stay ahead of criminal minds so that they are not able to disrupt our daily lives by aerial means,” the former Army officer added.

The Hindu |

Civilian operations from Bidar airport soon, says Pradeep Singh Kharola

Bidar airport will start civilian operations in a month, under the ambitious Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik scheme of the Civil Aviation ministry.

The announcement was made by Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, at an industry meet held on Saturday ahead of ‘Wings India-2020’, which is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad from March 12 to 15.

“We have operationalised nearly 40 airports in the last five years and the target in the next five years is to double the number of operational airports and helipads in the country,” he said. He added that catering to growth in future was a challenge as airport infrastructure was getting constrained.

He also said that Bengaluru had the potential of becoming the aviation capital of the country. “We have airports in all directions of the State now. A couple of months ago, the Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) airport was made operational. Aviation has become an engine of economic growth,” he said.

Registration of drones

Speaking about the recent move of the Centre to get drones registered to facilitate their identification, he said it was a step towards framing a regulatory framework for drones. “This enlistment of drones will be converted into licences, and we assure everyone that as far as drones are concerned, our regulatory framework will be congenial to everyone,” he said.

Kapil Mohan, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development, said the government was considering setting up a Gulbarga Airport Development Authority. “We launched the Kalaburagi airport with the Airports Authority of India, and the response has been very good. To improve regional connectivity, there will be developments regarding Vijayapura, Shivamogga, Karwar, Hassan or Chikkamagluru airports in the next two years,” he said.

https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/drone-registration-compulsory-by-january-31-to-avoid-legal-action-dgca-1578987001-1 |

Drone registration compulsory by January 31 to avoid legal action: DGCA

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked all the people possessing and flying drones to register their gadgets by January 31, 2020. Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said in a public notice that if they violate the rules then appropriate action will be taken against them under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Aircraft Act.

The ministry said in a notice that it has come to the notice of the government that there are some drones and drone operators who do not comply with the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) standards. Drone registration started on January 14, 2020.

Drone Registration in India

Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued this notice soon after a missile attack place through a drone on Iran. DGCA has said that a one-time drone registration opportunity is being given to the drone owners and operators. DGCA has said that all persons in possession of drones have to complete the online registration process by January 31, 2020.

DGCA has informed that a Drone Acknowledgement Number (DAN) will be issued when registration will be completed. DCA clarified that DAN doesn’t confer any right to fly drones in India if provisions are given in Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) does not fulfill.

What is CAR?

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) implemented the CAR in August 2018 for drones. Drone owners have to get a unique identification number (UIN) for the drone under this rule. As per these rules, it is illegal to fly a drone without its registration.

All those drone owners who make voluntary announcement will get two unique numbers. These numbers will give the right to own a drone. One has to login at https://digitalsky.dgca.gov.in/ to register a drone.

Risk of Drone Attack

According to the FICCI committee, there are about 50 to 60 thousand illegal drones in the country. The government has issued an alert about illegal drones in the country after Iran's top Commander Qasem Soleimani's death in the US drone attack.

Outlook |

Security concerns to vital installations prompted govt to order drone census: Officials

Concerns over incidents of Pakistan-origin drones dropping weapons into Punjab, disruption in services at Gatwick airport after UAVs were sighted and the killing of a top Iranian commander in a drone-launched attack prompted the government to order the registration of all civilian drones, officials said on Tuesday.

The Civil Aviation ministry on Monday announced that all drone operators in the country will have to mandatorily register their UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) by January 31, with officials saying a large number of drones are operating without complying with prescribed guidelines.

The January 3 killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone-launched missile attack gave the task of putting in a framework to regulate civilian drones a sense of urgency even though there was not much to compare in terms of the UAVs used, they said.

The mandatory registration of drones was initiated considering the possible threats to security of airports and other vital installations from unregulated drones, the officials said.

At the same time, they said there was no comparison between use of the military-grade large unmanned aerial vehicle to kill Soleimani and drones being used in India.

"But the incident brought some kind of urgency in having a framework for carrying out a census of the drones," an official told PTI.

An MQ-9 long endurance drone armed with laser-guided Hellfire air-to-surface missiles was used to hit Soleimani''s convoy when it was leaving the Baghdad airport.

The drone used was a high-grade machine, which has a 66-ft wingspan and can fly higher than a passenger aircraft.

"Though India does not have similar drones, the incident made us think about possible security concerns from unregulated civilian drones to flight operations," said an official.

He said the reports of Pakistan-origin drones dropping weapons into Punjab last year and flight services being disrupted for close to 70 hours in UK's Gatwick airport in 2018 after sighting of UAVs made the ministry think about ways to regulate the operation of drones in India.

An industry expert said drones in operation in India range from 250 grams to around 50 kg and are mostly used for commercial purposes.

In October last year, the Civil Aviation ministry came out with a policy document primarily to deal with possible security challenges from rogue drones to key installations like nuclear power plants and military bases.

It said it was a matter of concern that small drones were proliferating at a rate that has alarmed battlefield commanders and planners alike.

"The utilisation of armed drones by extremist groups to carry out reconnaissance and targeting strategic Israeli installations during Israel-Lebanon war is an example of escalation of terrorist and insurgent drone capabilities," according to the document.

The policy document said multiple incidents of sightings of drones in the vicinity of commercial airliners and major airports like New Delhi and Mumbai have raised flight safety concerns.

"Further, the upsurge in drone use has also increased the threat quotient for VVIPs who can be targeted through the rogue drones," it said.

There is no official data about the number of civilian drones operating in India.

Vipul Singh, co-founder and CEO of Bengaluru-based drone company Aarav Unmanned Systems Pvt Ltd, told PTI that over four lakh drones are operating without necessary regulatory permissions in his estimate.

However, Ankit Mehta, co-chair of industry chamber FICCI's committee on drones, said in October last year that the number is between 50,000 and 60,000.

Asked whether the government's move on mandatory registration of drones was influenced by Soleimani's killing and the dropping of weapons by Pakistani-origin drone in Punjab, Mehta said every incident is adding to the "noise".

"But the point is very simple... that ultimately the point and scale of the problem can only be understood after people share how many systems they have with them," he said.

Singh said people flying drones near airports can pose a threat to flight operations.

"There are cases where people, may be out of pure ignorance, are flying drones near airports...So those things are a little tricky. It is important to tackle them. That is why they (government) want that the ownership of drones should be clear," Singh added.

AIR News Services Division |

Register drones by Jan 31 or face action: Civil Aviation Ministry

Civil Aviation Ministry today announced a scheme providing a window up to 31st of January for voluntary registration of all drones and their operators. In a notice, the Ministry said, those who fail to register will face action under the Indian Penal Code and the Aircraft Act.

A Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Co-Chair Committee on Drones last year had estimated that the number of illegal drones in India was likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000.

millennium Post |

Safety net

With drones increasingly becoming a common sight, the Indian government has demanded mandatory registration of all drones and their operators by January 31. The aviation ministry in a notice yesterday revealed that the presence of drones not complying with civil aviation requirements has been identified and in view of the same it ordered that "to facilitate the identification of civil drones and drone operators, a one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure of such drones and drone operators is being provided... All persons in possession of drones are required to complete the process (of online registration) by January 31, 2020". It is interesting to note that the government's directive comes in the wake of the US drone strike that killed Iranian commander Soleimani. As technology continues bleeding cutting-edge products, drones have assumed the role of modern-day infiltrators and attackers. Remotely operated small aircraft as it may physically be described, drones have garnered much attention in recent times. With applications across different fields such as agriculture, surveillance, mapping, etc., drones can be both constructive as well as destructive.

Independent of its role, it is natural for a government to take cognisance of what occupies its airspace. Security measures include complete identification of all flying objects as they may pose a threat in any sphere. Aviation Ministry's attempt to initiate voluntary registration of drone and drone-operators is a move that will ensure national security in simplistic terms. While civilian-operated drones are not a threat, an identified list of drones will help in singling out unknown drones that may belong to terror groups or other nations trespassing Indian airspace. Proper registration of drones will also help in the classification of drones as per their purpose. Reconnaissance drones - military tech so to say - cannot be in civilian hands and with the possibility of finding almost anything on the internet these days, it is better to be sure than to be sorry. Indian administration's attempt to register all drones is a prudent step in securing Indian airspace. Co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones, Ankit Mehta had pointed out last October that illegal drones in India may range anywhere between 50,000 to 60,000. The US drone attack can be said to be a wake-up call for India to ensure drone regulation and identification. A drone operator is required to use the DGCA's software programme, DigiSky to obtain valid permissions before operating drones in India. Under DGCA's directive, the Civil Aviation Requirements for drones would include a Unique Identification Number amidst other necessary permits to fly drones. Drone registration is a necessary safety net thrown by the government to maintain security amidst growing tangents of technology.

livemint |

Register drones by January 31 or face action: Aviation ministry

The Aviation Ministry on Monday announced a scheme providing a window up to January 31 for voluntary registration of all drones and their operators, days after top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone attack.

Those who fail to register will face action under the Indian Penal Code and the Aircraft Act.

In a notice, the ministry said, "The presence of such drones as well as drone operators has come to the notice of the government which do not comply with the CAR (civil aviation requirements)."

"In order to facilitate the identification of civil drones and drone operators, a one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure of such drones and drone operators is being provided... All persons in possession of drones are required to complete the process (of online registration) by January 31, 2020," it added.

The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones, Ankit Mehta, had said on October 22 last year.

Major General Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a US military drone fired missiles at his convoy while it was leaving the Baghdad International Airport on January 3.

A senior Indian government official said the attack "precipitated the government to take action to regulate hundreds of non-compliant drones" that are operating in the country.

"What happened at Gatwick airport in December 2018 was already there on our mind," the official added.

Gatwick airport, Britain's second-busiest after Heathrow airport, remained closed from December 19-21, 2018, when multiple rogue drones were seen flying over the perimeter fence. During the three-day period, around 1,000 flights had to be cancelled or diverted to prevent any untoward incident.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on August 27, 2018, had issued the CAR to regulate the use of civilian drones in the Indian airspace.

Under these regulations, a process has been prescribed for drone operators to obtain Unique Identification Number (UIN), Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) and other permissions.

Called the "No Permission-No Take Off" regulation, a drone operator has to use the DGCA's software programme DigiSky to obtain valid permissions before operating drones in India.

In the notice issued on Monday, the ministry said, "On successful submission of voluntary disclosure of possessing drone, a Drone Acknowledgement Number (DAN) and an Ownership Acknowledgement Number (OAN) will be issued online which will help in validation of operation of drones in India."

However, the DAN and the OAN do not confer any right to operate drones in India if it does not fulfil the DGCA's drone regulations, the ministry clarified.

"Further, ownership of drones in India without a valid DAN or OAN shall invite penal action as per applicable laws. This database will be issued to process each case as per the regulations by seeking further information, if required," the ministry stated.

Business Standard |

Govt starts disclosure scheme for people flying non-compliant drones

The Aviation Ministry on Monday announced a scheme providing a window up to January 31 for voluntary registration of all drones and their operators, days after top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone attack.

Those who fail to register will face action under the Indian Penal Code and the Aircraft Act.

In a notice, the ministry said, "The presence of such drones as well as drone operators has come to the notice of the government which do not comply with the CAR (civil aviation requirements)." "In order to facilitate the identification of civil drones and drone operators, a one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure of such drones and drone operators is being provided... All persons in possession of drones are required to complete the process (of online registration) by January 31, 2020," it added.

The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones, Ankit Mehta, had said on October 22 last year.

Major General Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a US military drone fired missiles at his convoy while it was leaving the Baghdad International Airport on January 3.

A senior Indian government official said the attack "precipitated the government to take action to regulate hundreds of non-compliant drones" that are operating in the country.

"What happened at Gatwick airport in December 2018 was already there on our mind," the official added.

Gatwick airport, Britain's second-busiest after Heathrow airport, remained closed from December 19-21, 2018, when multiple rogue drones were seen flying over the perimeter fence. During the three-day period, around 1,000 flights had to be cancelled or diverted to prevent any untoward incident.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on August 27, 2018, had issued the CAR to regulate the use of civilian drones in the Indian airspace.

Under these regulations, a process has been prescribed for drone operators to obtain Unique Identification Number (UIN), Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) and other permissions.

Called the "No Permission-No Take Off" regulation, a drone operator has to use the DGCA's software programme DigiSky to obtain valid permissions before operating drones in India.

In the notice issued on Monday, the ministry said, "On successful submission of voluntary disclosure of possessing drone, a Drone Acknowledgement Number (DAN) and an Ownership Acknowledgement Number (OAN) will be issued online which will help in validation of operation of drones in India." However, the DAN and the OAN do not confer any right to operate drones in India if it does not fulfil the DGCA's drone regulations, the ministry clarified.

"Further, ownership of drones in India without a valid DAN or OAN shall invite penal action as per applicable laws. This database will be issued to process each case as per the regulations by seeking further information, if required," the ministry stated.

DFS Caller |

Aviation security regulator to soon issue norms on countering rogue drones

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

Spring Hill Insider |

Aviation security regulator to soon issue norms on countering rogue drones

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

The Economic Times |

Using drones to counter rogue drones long-term solution: Thales official

Using military solutions against "rogue drones" in a civilian environment is not going to happen and, in the end, only drones will be deployed to counter such aircraft, a senior official of French defence conglomerate Thales said.

Alex Cresswell, executive vice president, land and air systems, Thales, said laser-directed energy weapons, missile solutions and radio-frequency (RF) jamming devices were being asked for in India as counter-drone measures.

"A lot of people (in India) are asking for drone countermeasures without really understanding how difficult it would be to actually use the things that they are asking for," Cresswell told PTI.

Asked what kind of demand is there for electro-optical devices and laser energy devices from India, the official said: "There are lots of requests for them and I am not sure that all the (people with) requests have thought through the limitations on their use."

To use an electromagnetic pulse or a very strong RF to deal with rogue drone, one would have to fly a legal drone out and then use it to deploy radiation in a limited area, he said.

"You can do it very very locally," Cresswell said. "Otherwise, you just bring a whole area to a standstill and that doesn't work. And Gatwick illustrated that doesn't work."

Gatwick airport, Britain's second-busiest after Heathrow airport, remained closed from December 19-21 last year when multiple rogue drones were seen flying over the perimeter fence.

"Gatwick (airport) bought an Israeli counter-drone solution the next day (of the incident) and they never switched it on. Because they can't transmit laser radiation in a built-up area and they can't transmit RF on the mobile phone (which is operating the drone). So, they can't jam it (rogue drone)," Creswell told PTI.

Transmitting the RF to jam the mobile -- which is operating the rogue drone -- will cripple the mobile phone operations of the entire area.

"So, they (Gatwick airport) have bought a system without thinking about whether they could use it. And this is the same being repeated all over the place," he said.

The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a national counter rogue drones guidelines on Tuesday, stating that a counter rogue drone system "must be able to tell the difference between those (legal) drones and a single rogue drone that is operating with malicious intent to avoid fratricide".

The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones Ankit Mehta had said on Tuesday.

According to the Thales official, one can fire a missile or use jammers to deal with a rogue drone in a military environment, but the technology to counter such drones in a civilian environment is yet to mature fully.

"There are lots of people talking about military solution in a non-military context, and to me, it is just not going to happen," Creswell said.

"In the end, the measures against (rogue) drones... will most certainly be using (legal) drones to counter (rogue) drones. I believe that it will be a long-term solution in a civilian environment," he said.

When asked if Thales is working to develop such technology, Creswell replied: "Drones to counter drones, yes, we are absolutely working on that."

But, he added, that these technologies were not yet in the state of maturity where they can be deployed.

Creswell said the company was currently deploying the second version of its holographic radar -- which can detect drones up to 7 km -- at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris.

Asked about the demand from India regarding these holographic radars, Cresswell said: "We have got proposals for this radar in at least two places (airports) in India... I am pretty sure that we will see many more in the forthcoming months."

These holographic radars will help in detecting the drones in 7 km of area and the authorities will then have to decide on which counter-drone measure to deploy to neutralise the rogue drone.

Business Standard |

Inform if any aircraft acquisition plans change, AAI tells airlines

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) requested airlines on Tuesday to inform it if there was any change in their aircraft acquisition plans so that it can correspondingly alter its airport infrastructure development projects, according to a senior official.

According to an industry estimate, airlines in India have speeded up their aircraft acquisition plans. They will add at least 30 planes till December, of which 20 will be added by the first week of November itself.

"I would like to address IndiGo and other airlines that as and when you change these acquisition plans, please let us know, so that we can also have a course correction where it matters," said Vineet Gulati, Member (Air Navigation Services), AAI, in New Delhi.

He was responding to a question on whether adequate airport infrastructure is being developed to absorb the aircraft capacity being added by the airlines.

"As far as airport infrastructure is concerned, for the last three years, we have been in active consultation with all the airlines on their acquisition plans," Gulati said at an event, "Smart Safe Secure Skies", organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate Thales.

He added that AAI is aware of long-term acquisition plans of airlines but if there is any immediate change in those plans, the authority should be informed.

AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country.

"If you are going to import an aircraft, where are you going to park it? That is what we are focusing on. In last three years, we have constructed 400 parking stands. We are on track as far as airport infrastructure is concerned," he added.

Gulati said that even in air navigation services, AAI is well in line, and it would be able to meet all the capacity requirements.

Business Standard |

Inform if any aircraft acquisition plans change, AAI tells airlines

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) requested airlines on Tuesday to inform it if there was any change in their aircraft acquisition plans so that it can correspondingly alter its airport infrastructure development projects, according to a senior official.

According to an industry estimate, airlines in India have speeded up their aircraft acquisition plans. They will add at least 30 planes till December, of which 20 will be added by the first week of November itself.

"I would like to address IndiGo and other airlines that as and when you change these acquisition plans, please let us know, so that we can also have a course correction where it matters," said Vineet Gulati, Member (Air Navigation Services), AAI, in New Delhi.

He was responding to a question on whether adequate airport infrastructure is being developed to absorb the aircraft capacity being added by the airlines.

"As far as airport infrastructure is concerned, for the last three years, we have been in active consultation with all the airlines on their acquisition plans," Gulati said at an event, "Smart Safe Secure Skies", organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate Thales.

He added that AAI is aware of long-term acquisition plans of airlines but if there is any immediate change in those plans, the authority should be informed.

AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country.

"If you are going to import an aircraft, where are you going to park it? That is what we are focusing on. In last three years, we have constructed 400 parking stands. We are on track as far as airport infrastructure is concerned," he added.

Gulati said that even in air navigation services, AAI is well in line, and it would be able to meet all the capacity requirements.

Gadgets360.ndtv |

Anti-Drone rules to be issued within a week: BCAS Official

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday. Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Deputy Director General Maheshwar Dayal said the "anti-drone" specifications will be released in "less than a week's time".

"It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap towards secure skies in a very literal sense," he said at an event "Smart Safe Secure Skies". The event was organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate Thales.

On August 1, BCAS Director General Rakesh Asthana had said the Civil Aviation Ministry constituted a committee to find out the best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India. The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones Ankit Mehta said. He is also the co-founder and CEO of IdeaForge Technology Private Limited.

"The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) which manufactures those drones right now has no interest in complying with a country-specific law. So, that is not going to change," he said in an apparent reference to Chinese drone company DJI. The Indian government has approached them to make themselves compliant with Indian standards but the company isn't willing to do so, Mehta said.

As per the rules in India, companies have to obtain a Unique Identification Number (UIN) from aviation regulator DGCA to operate drones. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also mandated that the companies to make sure that their drones are "NPNT (No Permission No Takeoff)" compliant, which makes it mandatory that before each drone operation, an online permission is taken from the regulator by the company.

Mehta said anti-drone technology is still an emerging field and there is no full solution. "One has to be very conscious of what is the nature of the threat and the intensity of the threat that you want to solve, because the costs of deploying this (anti-drone systems) could also be extremely prohibitive," he said.

Anti-drone technology currently consists of RF (radio frequency) monitoring, as almost 99 per cent of drones emit some type of RF. If the drone is autonomous, which means it is pre-programmed to target a location and has absolutely no RF emissions, then certain radars are used in anti-drone systems to give a visual confirmation if it is actually a bird or drone or anything else.

Such radars allow long-range detection that is extremely important in anti-drone technology. Once detected in a civilian area, such a drone can be neutralised using jamming systems or bazookas that can throw net over the drone. However, Mehta said both methods of their own drawbacks which companies are trying to resolve.

Tech 2 |

Anti-drone rules to counter rogue drones in India to be issued next week: BCAS

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday. Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Deputy Director General Maheshwar Dayal said the "anti-drone" specifications will be released in "less than a week's time".

"It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap towards secure skies in a very literal sense," he said at an event "Smart Safe Secure Skies". The event was organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate Thales.

On August 1, BCAS Director General Rakesh Asthana had said the Civil Aviation Ministry constituted a committee to find out the best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India. The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones Ankit Mehta said. He is also the co-founder and CEO of IdeaForge Technology Private Limited.

"The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) which manufactures those drones right now has no interest in complying with a country-specific law. So, that is not going to change," he said in an apparent reference to Chinese drone company DJI. The Indian government has approached them to make themselves compliant with Indian standards but the company isn't willing to do so, Mehta said.

As per the rules in India, companies have to obtain a Unique Identification Number (UIN) from aviation regulator DGCA to operate drones. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also mandated that the companies to make sure that their drones are "NPNT (No Permission No Takeoff)" compliant, which makes it mandatory that before each drone operation, an online permission is taken from the regulator by the company.

Mehta said anti-drone technology is still an emerging field and there is no full solution. "One has to be very conscious of what is the nature of the threat and the intensity of the threat that you want to solve, because the costs of deploying this (anti-drone systems) could also be extremely prohibitive," he said.

Anti-drone technology currently consists of RF (radio frequency) monitoring, as almost 99 percent of drones emit some type of RF. If the drone is autonomous, which means it is pre-programmed to target a location and has absolutely no RF emissions, then certain radars are used in anti-drone systems to give a visual confirmation if it is actually a bird or drone or anything else.

Such radars allow long-range detection that is extremely important in anti-drone technology. Once detected in a civilian area, such a drone can be neutralised using jamming systems or bazookas that can throw net over the drone. However, Mehta said both methods of their own drawbacks which companies are trying to resolve.

newsdig |

More airports to be privatised soon

The government is going ahead with privatisation and more airports will be privatised soon, a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 'Smart Safe Secure Skies,' event organised by FICCI jointly with Thales, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Usha Padhee said the Indian civil aviation sector is growing at a rapid pace and is attracting a lot of investment, particularly from the private sector.

"Government is, for the first time, talking about disinvestment of Air India and Pawan Hans Ltd. We have already privatised some airports and more airports are in line.

Three have been awarded, few more are in line. It is a continuous trend," she said.

With just seven per cent penetration in a country of 1.2 billion, Padhee added that about 300 million to 400 million middle class in India are still waiting to fly. "Just one ticket per passenger in a year will take India ahead of the UK, the world's third-largest civil aviation market," she added.

"Be confident that the next two decades are going to be a growth story," Padhee said, adding that the sector, which faces competing demands from its different stakeholders, needs the ecosystem to work as one integrated model.

Maheshwar Dayal, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), said the pressures of growth, commercial interests of the industry and pressures of security are always at loggerheads and striking a balance has been a difficult task for BCAS.

The Statesman |

More airports to be privatised soon

The government is going ahead with privatisation and more airports will be privatised soon, a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the ‘Smart Safe Secure Skies,’ event organised by FICCI jointly with Thales, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Usha Padhee said the Indian civil aviation sector is growing at a rapid pace and is attracting a lot of investment, particularly from the private sector.

“Government is, for the first time, talking about disinvestment of Air India and Pawan Hans Ltd. We have already privatised some airports and more airports are in line. Three have been awarded, few more are in line. It is a continuous trend,” she said.

With just seven per cent penetration in a country of 1.2 billion, Padhee added that about 300 million to 400 million middle class in India are still waiting to fly. “Just one ticket per passenger in a year will take India ahead of the UK, the world’s third-largest civil aviation market,” she added.

“Be confident that the next two decades are going to be a growth story,” Padhee said, adding that the sector, which faces competing demands from its different stakeholders, needs the ecosystem to work as one integrated model.

Maheshwar Dayal, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), said the pressures of growth, commercial interests of the industry and pressures of security are always at loggerheads and striking a balance has been a difficult task for BCAS.

“BCAS is about to release anti-drone specifications. The technical specifications of all the gadgets and systems at Indian airports are issued by BCAS. So, for anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week’s time,” he said.

Speaking about India’s large and growing economy, chairman, FICCI Civil Aviation Committee and president and MD, India and South Asia, Airbus, Anand Stanley said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has surpassed the American and European regulators in certain concepts related to safety and other areas that are followed and adopted by other countries.

Alex Cresswell, Executive Vice President, Land & Air Systems, Thales, said the aviation industry has been at the forefront of technological advancements and the sector’s reputation (in terms of safety) is critical for its continued success.

“Since the start of commercial aviation, the sector is at another major juncture where it is entering the drone age. The existing infrastructure will not be adequate as the skies will be getting busier. Also, the regulatory framework of international standards will be needed to police these,” added Cresswell.

Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, VP and Country Director, Thales in India, said, “We know the Modi government has an ambition of making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024. A company like Thales is here to help meet those ambitions.”

Deccan Herald |

BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

Outlook |

AAI requests airlines to inform it if aircraft acquisition plans are being changed

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) requested airlines on Tuesday to inform it if there was any change in their aircraft acquisition plans so that it can correspondingly alter its airport infrastructure development projects, according to a senior official.

According to an industry estimate, airlines in India have speeded up their aircraft acquisition plans. They will add at least 30 planes till December, of which 20 will be added by the first week of November itself.

"I would like to address IndiGo and other airlines that as and when you change these acquisition plans, please let us know, so that we can also have a course correction where it matters," said Vineet Gulati, Member (Air Navigation Services), AAI, in New Delhi.

He was responding to a question on whether adequate airport infrastructure is being developed to absorb the aircraft capacity being added by the airlines.

"As far as airport infrastructure is concerned, for the last three years, we have been in active consultation with all the airlines on their acquisition plans," Gulati said at an event, "Smart Safe Secure Skies", organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate Thales.

He added that AAI is aware of long-term acquisition plans of airlines but if there is any immediate change in those plans, the authority should be informed.

AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country.

"If you are going to import an aircraft, where are you going to park it? That is what we are focusing on. In last three years, we have constructed 400 parking stands. We are on track as far as airport infrastructure is concerned," he added.

Gulati said that even in air navigation services, AAI is well in line, and it would be able to meet all the capacity requirements.

Outlook |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week''s time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

India Today |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

On August 1, Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana had said the Ministry of Civil Aviation constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

India Today |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

On August 1, Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana had said the Ministry of Civil Aviation constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India

moneycontrol |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on October 22.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

Orissa Post |

Anti-drone regulations in place within a week: BCAS official

Aviation regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will issue regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said Tuesday.

BCAS Deputy Director General Maheshwar Dayal said the ‘anti-drone’ specifications will be released in ‘less than a week’s time’.

“It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap towards secure skies in a very literal sense,” Dayal said at an event ‘Smart Safe Secure Skies’ organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate ‘Thales’.

BCAS Director General Rakesh Asthana had said August 1 that the Civil Aviation Ministry had constituted a committee to find out the best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones Ankit Mehta said. He is also the co-founder and CEO of IdeaForge Technology Private Limited.

“The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) which manufactures those drones right now has no interest in complying with a country-specific law. So, that is not going to change,” Mehta said in an apparent reference to Chinese drone company DJI.

As per the rules in India, companies have to obtain a Unique Identification Number (UIN) from aviation regulator DGCA to operate drones.

Mehta said anti-drone technology is still an emerging field and there is no full solution. “One has to be very conscious of what is the nature of the threat and the intensity of the threat that you want to solve, because the costs of deploying this (anti-drone systems) could also be extremely prohibitive,” he pointed out.

Anti-drone technology currently consists of RF (radio frequency) monitoring, as almost 99 per cent of drones emit some type of RF.

Devdiscourse |

India to issue Anti-Drone specifications within a week

Mr Maheshwar Dayal, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Indian agency responsible for security of civialian airports in India, has said that the agency will soon issue anti-dronoe specifications. He was speaking at the 'Smart Safe Secure Skies', organised by FICCI jointly with Thales.

"BCAS is about to release anti-drone specifications. The technical specifications of all the gadgets and systems at Indian airports are issued by BCAS. So, for anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time," said Dayal. He further added, "the pressures of growth, commercial interests of the industry and pressures of security are always at loggerheads and striking a balance has always been a difficult task for BCAS,".

Earlier, Ms Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, said that the government will continue with privatisation in the aviation sector and more airports will be privatised soon. "The Indian civil aviation sector is growing at a rapid pace and is attracting a lot of investment, particularly from the private sector. Government is, for the first time, talking about disinvestment of Air India and Pawan Hans Ltd. We have already privatised some airports and more airports are in line. Three have been awarded, few more are in line. It is a continuous trend," she said.

With just 7% penetration in a country of 1.2 billion, Ms Padhee added that about 300 million to 400 million middle class in India are still waiting to fly. "Just one ticket per passenger in a year will take India ahead of the UK, the world's third-largest civil aviation market," said Ms Padhee. "Be confident that the next two decades are going to be a growth story," Ms Padhee said, adding that the sector, which faces competing demands from its different stakeholders, needs the ecosystem to work as one integrated model.

Mr Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI Civil Aviation Committee and President & MD, India and South Asia, Airbus, said that 'Smart Safe Secure Skies' is a global event and the decision to select India as its venue this year reflects India's importance on the global landscape. Speaking about the India's large and growing economy, Mr Stanley said that Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has surpassed the American and European regulators in certain concepts related to safety and other areas that were followed and adopted by other countries.

Mr Alex Cresswell, Executive Vice President, Land & Air Systems, Thales, said that the aviation industry has been at the forefront of technology advancements and the sector's reputation (in terms of safety) is critical for its continued success. "Since the start of commercial aviation, the sector is at another major juncture where it is entering the drone age. The existing infrastructure will not be adequate as the skies will be getting busier. Also, the regulatory framework of international standards will be needed to police these," added Mr Alex. Mr Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, VP and Country Director, Thales in India, said, "We know the Modi government has an ambition of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024. A company like Thales is here to help meet those ambitions."

Daily Hunt |

Anti-drone regulations in place within a week: BCAS official

Aviation regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will issue regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said Tuesday.

BCAS Deputy Director General Maheshwar Dayal said the 'anti-drone' specifications will be released in 'less than a week's time'.

'It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap towards secure skies in a very literal sense,' Dayal said at an event 'Smart Safe Secure Skies' organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate 'Thales'.

BCAS Director General Rakesh Asthana had said August 1 that the Civil Aviation Ministry had constituted a committee to find out the best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones Ankit Mehta said. He is also the co-founder and CEO of IdeaForge Technology Private Limited.

'The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) which manufactures those drones right now has no interest in complying with a country-specific law. So, that is not going to change,' Mehta said in an apparent reference to Chinese drone company DJI.

As per the rules in India, companies have to obtain a Unique Identification Number (UIN) from aviation regulator DGCA to operate drones.

Mehta said anti-drone technology is still an emerging field and there is no full solution. 'One has to be very conscious of what is the nature of the threat and the intensity of the threat that you want to solve, because the costs of deploying this (anti-drone systems) could also be extremely prohibitive,' he pointed out.

Anti-drone technology currently consists of RF (radio frequency) monitoring, as almost 99 per cent of drones emit some type of RF.

The Indian Awaaz |

Anti-drone regulations by October end: BCAS

India’s Civil Aviation security regulator, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will issue regulations on anti-drone regulations by this month end to counter any suspicious drones in the country, Deputy Director General, BCAS Maheshwar Dayal said today.

Addressing a conference titled “Smart Safe Secure Skies”, Dayal explained that the BCAS is almost ready with the new regulations for anti-drone and is being given a final shape.

“We are about to release the specifications in less than a week’s time. It is in the final stages. The new regulations to deal with movements of suspecting drones will be a quantum leap toward to secure our skies in a very literal sense.” he observed. The conference was organised by global technology company Thales and industry body, FICCI.

It may be mentioned here that Director General of BCAS, Rakesh Asthaana had on August 1 this year had stated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has constituted a committee to come up with the available methods to develop counter-drone solutions to safeguard Indian sky against possible drone attacks in India.

Other measures would include neutralising rogue drones by entrapping or blocking their communication system. The task force, examining various technologies, has members from agencies such as the AAI, CISF and DRDO.

Devdiscourse |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday. Deputy Director-General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organized by industry organization FICCI and global technology company Thales. Director-General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

Newsjizz |

AAI asks airlines to inform you if aircraft acquisition plans are being changed

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) asked the airlines on Tuesday to inform them if there was any change in their aircraft acquisition plans so that it can alter their airport infrastructure development projects, according to A high official.

According to an industry estimate, airlines in India have accelerated their aircraft acquisition plans. They will add at least 30 aircraft until December, of which 20 will be added in the first week of November.

I would like to go to IndiGo and other airlines that, when these acquisition plans change, let us know, so that we can also correct the course where it is important, said Vineet Gulati, member (Air Navigation Services), AAI, in New Delhi.

I was answering a question about whether an adequate airport infrastructure is being developed to absorb the capacity of the aircraft that the airlines are adding.

Regarding the infrastructure of the airport, for the past three years, we have been in active consultation with all airlines about their acquisition plans, Gulati said at an event, Smart Safe Secure Skies, organized by FICCI and French electronics. Thales conglomerate.

He added that AAI knows the airlines' long-term acquisition plans, but if there is any immediate change in those plans, the authority should be informed.

AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports throughout the country.

If you are going to import a plane, where are you going to park it? That is what we are focusing on. In the last three years, we have built 400 parking spaces. We are on our way to the airport infrastructure, he added. Gulati said that even in air navigation services, AAI is well aligned and could meet all capacity requirements.

The Federal |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within 1 week

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which is the aviation security regulator, will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday (October 22).

Maheshwar Dayal, Deputy Director-General of the BCAS said, “For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week’s time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense.”

He was addressing an event called ‘Smart, Safe, Secure Skies’, which was organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and global technology company Thales.

Director-General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthana said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee to find out the best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

The Economic Times |

Anti-drone regulations to be issued within week's time: BCAS official

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Deputy Director General Maheshwar Dayal said the "anti-drone" specifications will be released in "less than a week's time".

"It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap towards secure skies in a very literal sense," he said at an event "Smart Safe Secure Skies".

The event was organised by FICCI and French electronics conglomerate Thales.

On August 1, BCAS Director GeneralNSE 4.98 % Rakesh Asthana had said the Civil Aviation Ministry constituted a committee to find out the best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

The number of illegal drones in India is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, co-chair of a FICCI committee on drones Ankit Mehta said. He is also the co-founder and CEO of IdeaForge Technology Private Limited.

"The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) which manufactures those drones right now has no interest in complying with a country-specific law. So, that is not going to change," he said in an apparent reference to Chinese drone company DJI.

The Indian government has approached them to make themselves compliant with Indian standards but the company isn't willing to do so, Mehta said.

As per the rules in India, companies have to obtain a Unique Identification Number (UIN) from aviation regulator DGCA to operate drones.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also mandated that the companies to make sure that their drones are "NPNT (No Permission No Takeoff)" compliant, which makes it mandatory that before each drone operation, an online permission is taken from the regulator by the company.

Mehta said anti-drone technology is still an emerging field and there is no full solution.

"One has to be very conscious of what is the nature of the threat and the intensity of the threat that you want to solve, because the costs of deploying this (anti-drone systems) could also be extremely prohibitive," he said.

Anti-drone technology currently consists of RF (radio frequency) monitoring, as almost 99 per cent of drones emit some type of RF.

If the drone is autonomous, which means it is pre-programmed to target a location and has absolutely no RF emissions, then certain radars are used in anti-drone systems to give a visual confirmation if it is actually a bird or drone or anything else.

Such radars allow long-range detection that is extremely important in anti-drone technology.

Once detected in a civilian area, such a drone can be neutralised using jamming systems or bazookas that can throw net over the drone.
However, Mehta said both methods of their own drawbacks which companies are trying to resolve.

Business Standard |

Aviation security regulator to soon issue norms on countering rogue drones

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, "For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week's time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be quantum leap toward the secure skies in a very literal sense."

He was addressing an event called "Smart Safe Secure Skies" organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

Business Standard |

Government to continue with privatization in Aviation Sector

Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, today said that the government will continue with privatisation in the aviation sector and more airports will be privatised soon. Speaking at the 'Smart Safe Secure Skies', organised by FICCI jointly with Thales, Padhee said the Indian civil aviation sector is growing at a rapid pace and is attracting a lot of investment, particularly from the private sector.

With just 7% penetration in a country of 1.2 billion, Padhee added that about 300 million to 400 million middle class in India are still waiting to fly. Just one ticket per passenger in a year will take India ahead of the UK, the world's third-largest civil aviation market. She noted further that the sector, which faces competing demands from its different stakeholders, needs the ecosystem to work as one integrated model.

The Hindu |

Aviation security regulator BCAS to issue anti-drone regulations within one week

Aviation security regulator BCAS will issue anti-drone regulations within a week to counter any rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Director General in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Maheshwar Dayal said, “For anti-drone, we are about to release the specifications in less than a week’s time. It is in the final stages. I think it will be a quantum leap toward secure skies in a very literal sense.”

He was addressing an event called “Smart Safe Secure Skies” organised by industry organisation FICCI and global technology company Thales.

Director General of the BCAS Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee for finding out best available counter-drone solutions to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

Maharashtra Times |

6,000 unregistered 'drones' in the country

It has been reported that 3,000 operational drone aircraft have not been registered in the country. All these drones are before the central government's policy. Therefore, it will be challenging to monitor such drones, FICCI said in their report.

Security around the world has come under fire after drone strikes on Saudi Arabia's oil refinery project. Army forces are also studying the matter seriously. A number of FICCI entrepreneurs have collaborated with EY India to prepare a report on 'drone aircraft and their encounters'. In this study, the overall study of Indian airspace is presented. There are currently 6 airports operating in India. This number is going to go up to 5 by 3. By 6, the number of passenger planes in the country will go up to 1,5. But at the same time, the number of drone planes will be much higher than the current 3,000, the report states.

According to the report, the market for drone planes in India will be up to $ 2 million house. The central government has formulated a special policy to control this. There are also guidelines under the policy. But overall, the region is rapidly expanding and events like Saudi Arabia need to be seriously considered from now on.

It would not be easy for military forces to block drone strikes from the ground. It is also difficult to cope with this attack by drone or retaliation on the drone. Any drone or airplane is flying over the soundtrack. Therefore, it is somewhat easier to stop drone hordes like Saudi Arabia if these waves can be 'jammed' or hacked. In cities like Mumbai, there are big electricity generation, chemicals and oil refining projects. All of them need to be studied now whether such waves can be given jam or hacking equipment. Many companies have begun random efforts to secure their land, FICCI said.

India Today |

Day of the drone: Saudi oil attacks signal the future of warfare

One of 21st century's most significant military events unfolded in eastern Saudi Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf, in the early hours of September 14. Over a dozen drones launched by the Houthis, an Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group, slammed into the giant onion-shaped spheroids used to process crude oil in Abqaiq, the world's largest crude oil processing facility, and Khurais, the kingdom's second-largest oil field. The attacks on Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil producer Saudi Aramco, triggered blazing fires, leading to the refinery shutting down. The blows aimed at striking at the heart of the world's biggest oil producer triggered an oil shock. Saudi Arabia halved oil production, leading to a 10 per cent surge in global oil prices-the fastest in over a decade. It sent ripples in the capitals of all major oil-consuming economies, from Washington DC to Beijing and New Delhi, and left investors worried about the impact on the world's largest initial public offering-for Saudi Aramco.

Military analysts have long warned about the future of warfare with swarms of weaponised drones, targeting not just aircraft, tanks and soldiers, but also hitting vital installations such as airbases, logistics hubs and ammunition dumps. That future is now upon us. An attack costing not more than $150,000 (assuming each drone cost $10,000), put together by the Houthis, wreaked damage worth billions.

It was not the first attack of its kind, though. On January 6, 2018, a swarm of 13 armed, fixed-wing drones of unknown origin attacked the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus naval base used by Russian forces in Syria. The strikes, believed to be the world's first UAV swarm attacks, were repulsed by Russian forces, who reported similar attacks in April, June and August last year, in which a total of 47 drones were shot down. The combat drone made its debut over Afghanistan in October 2001 when a CIA 'Predator' UAV fired a Hellfire missile at a Taliban target. This marked the start of a 15-year campaign in which drones carried out over 400 strikes against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets in the Af-Pak region.

Military experts will study the Saudi Arabian attack more closely because of the potential for other non-state actors to replicate it. Just how the Houthis managed to fly drones from their bases in the southern end of the Arabian peninsula to the north-eastern corner, over 1,500 km away, completely undetected by the Saudi air defences, is a mystery.

The Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi Arabia-UAE military coalition for five years in one of the world's bloodiest civil wars, has turned into an unlikely theatre for drone warfare with both sides fielding UAVs. In recent months, the Houthis have fielded a bewildering array of cruise and ballistic missiles many of them believed to be copies of Iranian weapons and explosive-fitted 'kamikaze' drones designed to explode on impact. In 2018, the Houthis are believed to have carried out at least three attacks on Abu Dhabi airport using drones. In recent months, they have showered Saudi Arabian cities with missiles and drones. Both Saudi Arabia and UAE have used Chinese supplied drones against the Houthis in Yemen.

US analysts identified at least 17 points of impact on the Abqaiq refinery. Saudi Arabian officials said on September 19 that the attacks involved 18 drones and seven cruise missiles including Iranian-origin Delta UAVs.

Over 150 years ago, the Confederate submarine, H.L. Hunley, unleashed a terrifying new engine of war-the torpedo-armed submarine-when it attacked and sank a Union warship, the USS Housatonic, during the American Civil War.

The September 14 attack on Saudi Arabia, by far the most effective in the history of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) combat, is another such watershed. It marks a new dawn in the age of warfare using inexpensively mass-produced UASs to inflict greater damage and will, correspondingly, see investment in counter-UAS systems. In April 2019, Transparency Market Research, a global market research agency, estimated that the global counter-UAS market would touch $1.2 billion by 2025. This may possibly be because legacy air defence systems are incapable of tackling drones.

Saudi Arabia's US-supplied Patriot-3 air defence missile shield, for instance, failed to detect or intercept these drones. A point Russian president Vladimir Putin made when he offered to supply Riyadh Moscow's formidable S-400 air defence systems.

Back home, the Reliance Industries-owned Jamnagar refinery, the world's largest, is less than 400 km from the Indo-Pakistan border. The facility processes 1.24 million barrels of oil each day and is ring-fenced by air force bases in Bhuj, Nalia and Jamnagar. How effective would these be against a drone swarm? These are questions Indian defence planners would, no doubt, be mulling over.

An August 1 report released by EY, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), highlighted the need to deploy counter-UAS systems in India. 'As the market for drone applications is expected to touch $100 million by 2020, instances of misuse of this technology by nefarious entities also heighten the security risk posed by them,' warns the report. The report identified risks to privacy, security and penetration as being typically posed by UAS technology and applications.

Last August, explosives-armed drones were used to attack Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. While he survived the attempt, it highlighted the security risks posed by weaponised drones. The security details of several world leaders are now routinely equipped with drone guns, bazooka-sized weapons that can disrupt and destroy rogue UAVs before they can cause damage. Companies are now working on counter-UAS systems capable of detecting, tracking and intercepting UAVs. Some of the technologies for interdicting rogue drones include hacking into the drone's communication network, jamming it and physically neutralising it. In any case, the day of the drone has finally arrived and warfare will never be the same again.

The Economic Times |

Report on measures to counter rogue drone attacks will be submitted to government soon: BCAS chief

A report recommending measures to counter rogue drone attacks on airports is being finalised and it will be submitted to the civil aviation ministry soon, aviation security chief Rakesh Asthana said on Thursday.

There is a need for technology which is such that it can prevent rogue usage of drones in the country, the director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said at a FICCI programme on 'Countering Rogue Drones'.

"Drones can be used for the betterment of society or for killing people and destroying assets. Both the government and civilians are using drones for commercial purposes, but this is an area we don't know which drone is good and which is rogue," Asthana said.

The measures to counter rogue drones, he said would include neutralising drones through a "soft kill" approach which will include entrapping or jamming drones instead of destroying them.

"The civil aviation ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the DG BCAS with members from DG CAM, IB, DRDO, the Airports Authority of India, CISF, NSG to find the best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India," he said.

"We have taken the line trials, second pilot has just been over. We are in the process of finalising our recommendations and it will be submitted to the government of India soon," Asthana said.

Business Standard |

Measures to counter rogue drones will be submitted to govt soon: BCAS chief

A report recommending measures to counter rogue drone attacks on airports is being finalised and it will be submitted to the civil aviation ministry soon, aviation security chief Rakesh Asthana said on Thursday.

There is a need for a technology that can prevent rogue usage of drones in the country, the director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said at a FICCI programme on 'Countering Rogue Drones'.

"Drones can be used for the betterment of society or for killing people and destroying assets. Both the government and civilians are using drones for commercial purposes. However, we need a technology that can identify which drone is good and which is rogue," Asthana said.

The measures to counter rogue drones, he said would include neutralising drones through a "soft kill" approach which will include entrapping or jamming drones instead of destroying them.

"The civil aviation ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the DG BCAS with members from DG CAM, IB, DRDO, the Airports Authority of India, CISF, NSG to find the best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India," he said.

"We have taken the line trials, second pilot has just been over. We are in the process of finalising our recommendations and it will be submitted to the government of India soon," the BCAS director general said.

India should develop a technology to determine which drone is rogue and which is good, he said.

"Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such which can prevent rogue drones in our country," Asthana said.

Joint Secretary at the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Sanjay Jaju said drone technology has immense potential and, as per the NITI Aayog, the sector is likely to reach USD 50 billion in the next 15 years.

Calling for indigenisation of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions, he said,"If we can manufacture world class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world class counter drone measures."

"Otherwise what will happen is dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently," Jaju noted.

On the occasion, a report on countering rogue drones was released and it recommended five key areas that India needs to focus on - empowering the homeland security forces, risk and asset profiling, boost allocation for indigenous research and development, liquidating the threat of legacy UAVs and citizen participation.

live mint |

Strategy to counter rogue drones in the offing, says govt official

The government is set to formulate a strategy to deal with possible security threats emanating from the use of un-manned aerial vehicles, or drones, which have emerged as useful tools for several industries but have potential to harm when in wrong hands.

A civil aviation ministry task force is working on finding out the best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard aviation assets against possible drone attacks in India, Rakesh Asthaana, Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said at a conference on ‘Rogue Drones’ organized by industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

"Drones can be used for the betterment of society or for killing people and destroying assets. Both the government and civilians are using drones for commercial purposes, but this is an area we don't know which drone is good and which is rogue," Asthana said.

The measures to counter rogue drones would include neutralising them by entrapping or blocking their communication system. This has to be done without impairing the communication systems of other assets such as airports in the vicinity. The task force which is examining various technologies has members from agencies like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Airports Authority of India and the Central Industrial Security Force.

A statement from FICCI, quoting Sanjay Jaju, joint secretary in the defence production department, said local manufacturing of drones as well as indigenous counter-drone technologies should be encouraged.

Drones have caught the imagination of businesses as well as policing and security agencies as they offer low-cost, safe and quick aerial surveys for surveillance and data collection. This has application in rescue operations as well as in several industries such as power, mining, real estate, oil and gas exploration, railways and highways. With huge data, businesses can simulate and analyse varied situations.

Drones can also inspect tall structures and offshore rigs.

At present, commercial use of drones is allowed only against a licence which is not applicable for drones below specified weight and size for flying in low altitudes. The use of drones is not permitted near strategic locations like secretariats and airports.

The New Indian Express |

Report on measures to counter rogue drone attacks will be submitted to government soon: BCAS chief

A report recommending measures to counter rogue drone attacks on airports is being finalised and it will be submitted to the civil aviation ministry soon, aviation security chief Rakesh Asthana said on Thursday.

There is a need for technology which is such that it can prevent rogue usage of drones in the country, the director-general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said at a FICCI programme on 'Countering Rogue Drones'.

"Drones can be used for the betterment of society or for killing people and destroying assets. Both the government and civilians are using drones for commercial purposes, but this is an area we don't know which drone is good and which is rogue," Asthana said.

The measures to counter rogue drones, he said would include neutralising drones through a "soft kill" approach which will include entrapping or jamming drones instead of destroying them.

"The civil aviation ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the DG BCAS with members from DG CAM, IB, DRDO, the Airports Authority of India, CISF, NSG to find the best available counter-drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India," he said.

"We have taken the line trials, the second pilot has just been over. We are in the process of finalising our recommendations and it will be submitted to the government of India soon," Asthana said.

Outlook |

Govt working to find solutions to counter rogue drones

The Central government is working on finding solutions to counter rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Thursday.

Speaking at a conference, organised by industry body FICCI, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security''s Director General Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DG-BCAS for finding out best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in the country.

"We have taken up live trials; second pilot has just been over, and we are in the process of finalising our reports which we will be submitting to the ministry soon," he said.

"We don''t know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such that can prevent the rogue drones in our country."

Sanjay Jaju, Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, said local manufacturing should be done not only to harness economic potential but also to check the internal and external threats faced by the country.

"If we can manufacture world-class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world-class counter-drone measures," he said.

Outlook |

Measures to counter rogue drones will be submitted to govt soon: BCAS chief

A report recommending measures to counter rogue drone attacks on airports is being finalised and it will be submitted to the civil aviation ministry soon, aviation security chief Rakesh Asthana said on Thursday.

There is a need for a technology that can prevent rogue usage of drones in the country, the director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said at a FICCI programme on ''Countering Rogue Drones''.

"Drones can be used for the betterment of society or for killing people and destroying assets. Both the government and civilians are using drones for commercial purposes. However, we need a technology that can identify which drone is good and which is rogue," Asthana said.

The measures to counter rogue drones, he said would include neutralising drones through a "soft kill" approach which will include entrapping or jamming drones instead of destroying them.

"The civil aviation ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the DG BCAS with members from DG CAM, IB, DRDO, the Airports Authority of India, CISF, NSG to find the best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India," he said.

"We have taken the line trials, second pilot has just been over. We are in the process of finalising our recommendations and it will be submitted to the government of India soon," the BCAS director general said.

India should develop a technology to determine which drone is rogue and which is good, he said.

"Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such which can prevent rogue drones in our country," Asthana said.

Joint Secretary at the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Sanjay Jaju said drone technology has immense potential and, as per the NITI Aayog, the sector is likely to reach USD 50 billion in the next 15 years.

Calling for indigenisation of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions, he said,"If we can manufacture world class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world class counter drone measures."

"Otherwise what will happen is dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently," Jaju noted.

On the occasion, a report on countering rogue drones was released and it recommended five key areas that India needs to focus on - empowering the homeland security forces, risk and asset profiling, boost allocation for indigenous research and development, liquidating the threat of legacy UAVs and citizen participation.

Force |

Key Counter Drone Technologies in the Offing

Rakesh Asthaana, director general, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on August 1 said that the ministry of civil aviation is working on finding solutions to counter rogue drones in the country.

Speaking at the conference on countering rogue drones, organised by FICCI in New Delhi, Asthaana said that the ministry of civil aviation had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DG-BCAS for finding out best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

“We have taken the live trials; second pilot has just been over, and we are in the process of finalising our reports which we will be submitting to the ministry soon,” he said, adding that the drones can be used both for the betterment of the society and for harming people as well and destroying assets.

“We don’t know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have the technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such which can prevent the rogue drones in our country,” Asthaana added.

Sanjay Jaju, joint secretary, department of defence production, ministry of defence, government of India, said that the drone technology has immense potential and, as per NITI Aayog, the sector is likely to reach USD 50 billion in the next 15 years.

Calling for indigenisation of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions, Jaju said that local manufacturing should be done not only to derive economic potential but also to check the internal and external threats faced by the country.

“If we can manufacture world-class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world-class counter drone measures. Otherwise, what will happen is dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently,” he noted.

Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Drones and head, Defence Business, Dynamatic Technologies, Lt Gen. Sanjeev Madhok, said, “Drones have effectively disrupted business and operating models. They have empowered organisations and enabled them to capture real time, highly accurate data in a most cost-effective manner.”

“Some thought also has to be given to counter drone systems that not just target the drones but actually target or find ways and means of locating the person who is actually operating them,” co-chair, FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-founder and CEO, IdeaForge, Ankit Mehta, said.

The FICCI-EY report on ‘Countering Rogue Drones’ was also released during the conference which emphasises the need for counter-UAV systems to be deployed. The FICCI-EY report highlights 5 key areas to counter rogue drones in India which includes empowering the homeland security forces, risk and asset profiling, boost to allocation for indigenous R&D and Make in India, liquidating the threat of legacy UAVs and citizen participation.

Moneycontrol |

Govt drawing up policy to counter rogue drones, says DG Rakesh Asthana

A committee was working on measures to counter rogue drone attacks and was expected to submit its report to the civil aviation ministry soon, aviation security chief Rakesh Asthana has said.

There was a need to bring in technology to counter rogue drones, the director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security said at a FICCI event on Countering Rogue Drones on August 1. “We have no answer as to how to distinguish the good drones from the rogue ones," he said.

Asthana cited the December 18 Gatwick airport incident in the UK after a suspected drone disrupted operations for 33 hours , leading to cancellation of close to 1,000 flights.

Four years after it imposed a blanket ban on drones, India came out with a regulatory policy on December 1, 2018.

Barring Nano drones, which weigh less than 250 gms, the rest have to be registered and issued a unique identification number. The owner is also required to obtain a permit to fly these unmanned aerial vehicles.

Manufacturing of drones in the country had led to chaos, Department of Defence Production Joint Secretary Sanjay Jaju said. All kinds of drone were being imported and it was reckless, he said.

Around 40,000-50,000 drones are imported due to softer border regulations, an industry expert said.

Drone sightings, said Jaju, were akin to kite flying. It was difficult to determine whether a drone would be used for civil or military purposes, which made it difficult to formulate regulations.

Jaju did acknowledge the need to build capabilities for domestic manufacturing of drones, which have found used in sectors as versatile as farming and food delivery. The emphasis would be on liberalising manufacturing, while maintaining control over operation of drones, he said.

The ministry is expected to release drone regulations 2.0 late in 2019.It has roped in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, National Security Guard, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Airport Authorities of India,Central Industrial Security Force and others to come up with measures to counter rogue drones.

Aviation & Defence |

Indian Government to soon identify key counter drone technologies for critical Installations

Rakesh Asthaana, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Government of India today said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is working on finding solutions to counter rogue drones in the country.

Speaking at ‘Conference on Countering Rogue Drones’, organised by FICCI, Asthana said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DG-BCAS for finding out best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India.

“We have taken the live trials; second pilot has just been over, and we are in the process of finalising our reports which we will be submitting to the ministry soon,” he said, adding that drones can be used both for the betterment of the society and for killing people as well and destroying assets.

“We don’t know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such which can prevent the rogue drones in our country,” Asthana added.

Sanjay Jaju, Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Government of India said that the drone technology has immense potential and, as per NITI Aayog, the sector is likely to reach $50 billion in the next 15 years.

Calling for indigenisation of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions, Jaju said that local manufacturing should be done not only to derive economic potential but also to check the internal and external threats faced by the country.

“If we can manufacture world class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world class counter drone measures. Otherwise what will happen is dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently,” he noted.

Lt Gen Sanjeev Madhok, Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Drones and Head, Defence Business, Dynamatic Technologies said, “Drones have effectively disrupted business and operating models. They have empowered organisations and enabled them to capture real time, highly accurate data in a most cost-effective manner.”

Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Drones and Co-founder and CEO, IdeaForge said, “Some thought also has to be given to counter drone systems that not just target the drones but actually target or find ways and means of locating the person who is actually operating them.”

FICCI-EY report on ‘Countering Rogue Drones’ was also released during the conference which emphasizes the need for counter-UAV systems to be deployed.

Devdiscourse |

Measures to counter rogue drones will be submitted to govt soon: BCAS chief

A report recommending measures to counter rogue drone attacks on airports is being finalised and it will be submitted to the civil aviation ministry soon, aviation security chief Rakesh Asthana said on Thursday. There is a need for a technology that can prevent rogue usage of drones in the country, the director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said at a FICCI programme on 'Countering Rogue Drones'. "Drones can be used for the betterment of society or for killing people and destroying assets. Both the government and civilians are using drones for commercial purposes. However, we need a technology that can identify which drone is good and which is rogue," Asthana said.

The measures to counter rogue drones, he said would include neutralising drones through a "soft kill" approach which will include entrapping or jamming drones instead of destroying them. "The civil aviation ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the DG BCAS with members from DG CAM, IB, DRDO, the Airports Authority of India, CISF, NSG to find the best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in India," he said.

"We have taken the line trials, second pilot has just been over. We are in the process of finalising our recommendations and it will be submitted to the government of India soon," the BCAS director general said. India should develop a technology to determine which drone is rogue and which is good, he said.

"Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such which can prevent rogue drones in our country," Asthana said. Joint Secretary at the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Sanjay Jaju said drone technology has immense potential and, as per the NITI Aayog, the sector is likely to reach USD 50 billion in the next 15 years.

Calling for indigenisation of drone manufacturing and counter drone solutions, he said,"If we can manufacture world class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world class counter drone measures." "Otherwise what will happen is dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently," Jaju noted.

On the occasion, a report on countering rogue drones was released and it recommended five key areas that India needs to focus on - empowering the homeland security forces, risk and asset profiling, boost allocation for indigenous research and development, liquidating the threat of legacy UAVs and citizen participation.

webindia123 |

Govt working to find solutions to counter rogue drones

The Central government is working on finding solutions to counter rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Thursday.

Speaking at a conference, organised by industry body FICCI, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security's Director General Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DG-BCAS for finding out best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in the country.

"We have taken up live trials; second pilot has just been over, and we are in the process of finalising our reports which we will be submitting to the ministry soon," he said.

"We don't know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such that can prevent the rogue drones in our country."

Sanjay Jaju, Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, said local manufacturing should be done not only to harness economic potential but also to check the internal and external threats faced by the country.

"If we can manufacture world-class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world-class counter-drone measures," he said.

Business Insider |

Drones at big, fat, Indian weddings might not be able to fly under the radar anymore

It's not rare to find illegal drones filming Indian weddings or social events across the country. But the big, fat, Indian wedding may have to wait with the government mulling over options to counter unlicensed drones in India's airspace.

"We don't know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such which can prevent the rogue drones in our country," Rakesh Asthaana, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said.

"We have taken the live trials; second pilot has just been completed and we are in the process of finalising our reports which we will be submitting to the ministry soon," Asthaana shared.

Before the drone guidelines were implemented in India, there were around 50,000 drones operating in its air space, according to a report by FICCI and E&Y.

Even though these drones were flying around, almost none of them meet the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) and aren't compliant with the no-permission no-take off (NPNT) mandate.

So there's no way to stop them even if they're spotted flying against the law.

Social 'rogue' drones

It's not just weddings that are in question. The risk is greater when the event in question is on a bigger scale — like the Kumbh Mela were 140 million people were taking a dip in the Ganga this year.

At the same time, there was a terrorist threat at large. A disruption from a 'rogue' drone at this time can potentially result in severe damage, according to the report.

It also highlights that India more vulnerable to collateral damage because of its high population density of 411 persons per square kilometer.

Drones, which can be controlled wirelessly, can be controlled from anywhere within a 13 square kilometer area — larger than an Indian city suburb. So, that makes tracking the person controlling the drone difficult to track down.

Irresponsible 'rogue' drones

The threat of drones isn't only to people on the ground but also to other vehicles that share the same air space.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that India's aviation industry will continue to grow at a rapid pace. As of March 2019, India had 103 operation airports with India planning to hit 190 to 200 airports by 2040.

The increasing amount of aircraft means there more air traffic for drones to be wary of. Irresponsible or mistaken 'rogue' drones can increase the risk faced by flights.

CAR can't stop 'rogue' drones

The first official notice to ban the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Indian air force was issued back in 2014 by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). But, despite the notice it was difficult to actually enforce the ban.

India's geographical vastness limits the ability of the government to monitor flights of these 50,000 'rogue' drones that aren't registered with the authorities.

And, that's where counter unmanned aerial system (cUAS) technology comes in. Traditional methods like anti-aircraft radars don't generally pick up on drones because they have been designed to detect large metallic object that move fast. Drones, on the other hand, move slower and fly lower.

The first step is normally to mandate no-fly zones, which is something the Indian government has already implemented with the green, amber and red zones. The NPNT process ensures that drones are automatically directed back to their home location before they actually enter a fly zone.

But, a complete cUAS system has to be capable of detecting, tracking as well as intercepting drones.

"If we can manufacture world class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world class counter drone measures. Otherwise what will happen is dependence on global market will continue for the anti-drone measures as it is for drones currently," shared Sanjay Jaju, Joint Secretary in the Department of Defence Production at the Ministry of Defence.

Newsd |

Govt working to find solutions to counter rogue drones

The Central government is working on finding solutions to counter rogue drones in the country, a senior official said on Thursday.

Speaking at a conference, organised by industry body FICCI, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s Director General Rakesh Asthaana said the Ministry had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DG-BCAS for finding out best available counter drone solutions and standards to safeguard civil aviation against possible drone attacks in the country.

“We have taken up live trials; second pilot has just been over, and we are in the process of finalising our reports which we will be submitting to the ministry soon,” he said.

“We don’t know which drone is rogue and which is good. We should have technology to counter it. Whether you go in for commercial or security purposes, the technology has to be such that can prevent the rogue drones in our country.”

Sanjay Jaju, Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, said local manufacturing should be done not only to harness economic potential but also to check the internal and external threats faced by the country.

“If we can manufacture world-class drones within the country, we can obviously manufacture world-class counter-drone measures,” he said.

CIOL |

Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Technologies – Need of the Hour: FICCI and EY report

EY India, in collaboration with FICCI today released a report that highlights the need to deploy Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) in India. Considering the status of UAS policy and operations in India, the report emphasizes the need for counter-UAS systems, considering the challenges with respect to market scenario and operations.

Risks posed by UAS technology

The market for drone applications is expected to touch $100mn by 2020. As the market accelerates, the instances of misuse of this technology by nefarious entities also heightens the security risk posed by them. The report identifies three types of risks – privacy, security and penetration – as typically posed by UAS technology and applications.

For example, as of March 2019, India has 103 operational airports and has envisaged increasing the number of operational airports to 190-200 by FY40. The number of airplanes is expected to grow to 1,100 planes by 2027. Rising number of aircrafts and airports, both point towards increased risk of irresponsible, mistaken or ill intended UAS operations.

According to estimates, close to 50,000 drones was operating in India prior to the policy notification in August 2018, and all these drones are non-compliant to the No Permission No Take-off (NPNT) requirements mandated in Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR).

Need for counter UAS technologies

The need to mitigate the risks calls for adoption of counter UAS technologies by ensuring enforcement of the regulations. In view of this, multiple governments have started taking cognizance of the risk and have started investing in counter drone technologies. The requirement for counter UAS in the Indian context is further enhanced given the demographic intensity, increasing air traffic and the evolution of CAR in India. The government’s ‘Digital sky’, when effectively implemented will address some of the problems at its roots.

Techniques and tools to counter UAS

A complete counter-UAS system must be capable of detecting, tracking as well as intercepting UAVs. Some of the techniques to detect and track UAS are radar, radio-frequency, electro-optical and acoustic systems. While detection and tracking of rogue UAVs is a crucial element in Counter UAS space, it is only half of the complete solution.

Interdiction of an unauthorized UAVs and neutralizing their threat will make the skies safer. Some of the methods available for interdicting are – protocol based interdiction, sensor based interdiction, interdiction using jammers and finally, physical interdiction. Some of the challenges while adopting these technologies include economic feasibility, effective contingency plans, legalities, among others. Given the applications of C-UAS technologies, it is forecasted that this market is expected to initially spurt and then grow in line with the drone market.

Case studies

The foremost adopters of counter-UAS technologies have been militaries and defense organizations around the world. The growing use of military drones around the world has sparked off a race to develop and procure the most cutting edge anti-drone systems in the world. Some of the tools and techniques used by militaries, defense organizations and police include GPS spoofing, drone nets, RF jammer guns, among others.

The path ahead in India

The anti-drone technologies are still very nascent, and the companies are trying to build the best systems involving multiple technologies to deal with all possible contingencies. However, India has already taken the first step towards bringing accountability in drone ownership and operations.

Focus on quality, innovation and indigenization to make India a global drone hub: Gen VK Singh (Retd), MoS for Civil Aviation

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The Government is working as an enabler by creating conducive policy framework, funding incentive and demand structure for Drones: Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Civil Aviation, GoI

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FICCI welcomes Cabinet approval for PLI in Auto and Drones sector

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Vision is for India to be the Drone Hub of the world; Drones shall play a key role in future armed conflicts: Amber Dubey, JS, MoCA

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Need a robust policy framework in application of agrochemical spray using drones: FICCI-CropLife Paper

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Indian UAS Rules 2020 will facilitate Industrial Revolution 4.0: FICCI Recommendations to Government

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SVAMITVA scheme will be a game changer for Drone Industry - Surveyor General of India at FICCI event

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Government to soon identify key counter drone technologies for critical installations - Rakesh Asthaana, DG, BCAS

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