Sectors That Will Benefit The Most Under The New Drone Rules 2021

Drone Rules 2021 have increased the scope of drone usage across innumerable sectors

- S Shanthi

Drone rules 2021 is being considered a landmark policy that will enable mass adoption of drones across sectors. Drone experts, startups, and investors in the space call it progressive and comprehensive. One of the biggest benefits that it offers is the abolition of many approvals, which drastically reduces the time to start any operations. “As compared to earlier rules, Drone Rules 2021 has greatly simplified the process of ownership and operation of drones. This is reflected by relaxation and removal of a number of clauses,” said Anup Jindal, CEO, and JMD, RMSI, a startup that undertakes drone surveys in agritech and sustainability sectors. Furthermore, the Drone Rules 2021 offers many benefits including covering all types of drone operations such as delivery, removal of any regulatory uncertainty about deliveries, enabling drone corridors for safe carriage of cargo, nominal penalty provisions, liberalizing research and development (R&D) of all types of drones to empower experimentation and innovations, allowing drones up to 500 kgs, safety and security features such as NPNT, among others. “Exemption from obtaining a type certificate, unique identification number, prior permission and remote pilot license by entities for operating drones for R&D and testing purposes provided the operations take place within a green zone in their own premises or an open area under such entities’ control, will accelerate drone-based R&D in the country,” said Abhishek Burman, CEO, and co-founder, General Aeronautics, incubated at Society for Innovation and Development, IISc.

SECTORS THAT WILL BENEFIT