MoCA Suggestions on Use of Drones

January 8, 2022

The Ministry of Civil Aviation recently made certain suggestions on using drones. The suggestions were made from surveillance to disaster management. Also, the ministry suggested the Home Ministry to deploy UAVs for crime control, aerial vehicles for surveillance, disaster management, VVIP security and situational analysis. Different suggestions were made to different ministries. The suggestions made on drones are as follows:

Power and Petroleum

The Ministry of Power and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas were asked to use drones for inspection, theft prevention, construction planning, surveillance of assets, etc.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

To use for evidence gathering, monitoring forests, anti – poaching activities, pollution assessment.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

For high quality videography events and in places that are difficult to reach
This will facilitate videography without noise. Also, the drones shall be replaced with helicopters thereby reducing costs and resources to great extent.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Collection of samples from remote areas, delivery of medicines and also to collect samples from pandemic affected areas

Ministry of Defence

To deploy drones for communication in remote areas, for combat, counter drone solutions.

Recommendation made on Unmanned aerial Vehicles

It can be used for incidence response, disaster management, project monitoring, inspection or maintenance works.

Why were the suggestions made?

To aid in implementing Drone Rules, 2021. The rules increased the coverage of drones from 300 kg to 500 kg. Drone corridors were developed. The red tape involved in the process of getting a drone flying certificate was reduced. Flying fees and application fees were reduced. Drones were classified as Nano drones, micro drones, small drones, medium drones, large drones based on their weight. No Permission – No Take Off software and hardware were released.