NEW DELHI: The much awaited guidelines for regulation of drones in the country may finally be formalised soon.
The Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday said that it has set up a committee, which includes officers from security agencies, to finalise the regulations on usage of drones. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha made the statement on Thursday in Lok Sabha while giving a written reply to a question.
The minister, however, said that that no firm timelines have been fixed for regulations on the use of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).
Sinha’s reply stated, “Pursuant to the discussions held in the Ministry of Home Affairs, a committee has been formed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on May 11, 2017, comprising officers from regulators and security agencies to finalise the regulations on UAS.”
The minister, however, added that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has not issued standards and recommended practices for certification and operation of civil UAS. The minister also apprised the Parliament that “the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has prepared an air transport circular regarding ‘Guidelines for obtaining Unique Identification Number (UIN) and operation of Civil Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)’ in consultation with various stakeholders.”