LUCKNOW: The government has proposed a drone policy that is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, establishing a framework for its safe and regulated operations in the capital, IT Minister Pankaj Singh said on Saturday.
The policy, drafted by the Information Technology (IT) department, will focus on developing drone research clusters and dedicated flight-testing facilities, besides promoting the use of drones for traffic management.
It will also provide subsidies and other incentives to strengthen the city’s drone ecosystem and encourage innovation and investment in the sector. “A comprehensive drone policy is being planned to ensure safe and regulated drone operations, along with job opportunities. The policy is ready; we plan to table it for cabinet approval in a month,” Singh said.
The proposed policy is aimed at enabling government agencies to use drones for surveillance and mapping and strengthening integration with the DGCA’s Digital Sky platform while ensuring that the operations are carried out within a regulated framework. The government plans to allocate a separate budget for implementing the scheme and creating the necessary supporting infrastructure.
“The policy is focused around five focus areas, including public awareness and enforcement under these events; outreach; zoning signage; sensitisation workshops; safety framework; and counter-drone standard operating procedures will be worked out,” an official said.
CAPACITY-BUILDING EXERCISES ON THE CARDS
According to the plan, the government is also exploring capacity-building exercises like drone awareness workshops in schools, creating centres of excellence, setting up remote pilot training organisations (RPTO), and pilot training projects as part of the Delhi drone policy. The policy will also include support for facilities within the drone ecosystem, such as research clusters and flight testing facilities, as well as subsidies and state GST reimbursements.