RU-35-01-0053-280122/BACKGROUNDER
The Drone Rules, 2021
Realising our collective vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat
(Ministry of Civil Aviation)
January 28, 2022
Introduction
The Ministry of Civil Aviation vide gazette notification CG-DL-E-26082021-229221
dated August 25, 2021 published the Drone Rules1 and vide gazette notification CG-DL-E-
26012022-232917 dated January 26, 2022 published the Certification Scheme for Unmanned
Aircraft Systems2.
Drones are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems
(RPAS) that are controlled either by a pilot on the ground or with the help of technology.
Drones offer tremendous benefits to almost all sectors of the economy like –
agriculture, mining, infrastructure, surveillance, emergency response, transportation, geo-
spatial mapping, defence and law enforcement etc. Drones can be significant creators of
employment and economic growth due to their reach, versatility, and ease of use, especially in
India’s remote and inaccessible areas.
In view of its traditional strengths in innovation, information technology, frugal
engineering and huge domestic demand, India has the potential to be global drone hub by
2030.3
Classification of unmanned aircraft systems
The unmanned aircraft system shall, based on the maximum all-up weight including
payload, be classified as follows4:
• Nano unmanned aircraft system: weighing less than or equal to 250 grams;
• Micro unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than 250 grams, but less
than or equal to Two kilograms;
• Small unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than Two kilograms, but
less than or equal to 25 kilograms;
• Medium unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than 25 kilograms, but
less than or equal to 150 kilograms
1
https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2021/229221.pdf
2
232917.pdf (egazette.nic.in)
3
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1749154
4
https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2021/229221.pdf
, • Large unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than 150 kilograms.
Usage of Drones:
• Drone based surveillance system introduced for Railway Security5.
• Survey of India to use drones for mapping of
inhabited areas of villages under “SVAMITVA”
scheme 6.
• India deployed drones to deliver COVID-19
vaccines. The ICMR-led pilot project is being
rolled out in Manipur, Nagaland and Andamans
and Nicobar Islands.7
• Drone is used for surveillance of COVID-19
hotspots and containment zones to ensure strict
compliance of lockdown guidelines. The system
has been demonstrated to the Chandigarh Police
in a containment zone.8
• Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
have granted conditional exemption to the Board
of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the
deployment of drones for live aerial
cinematography of the India Cricket Season in
2021.9
Drones in Defence Sector
India’s Defence Research and Development Organization10 (DRDO) has developed its
own domestic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
program. The project aims to develop a domestic arsenal to replace and augment the existing
fleet of unmanned vehicles. Examples of these11 are:
• DRDO Lakshya12: This is a target drone used for discreet aerial reconnaissance and
target acquisition. It is launched by a solid propellant rocket motor and sustained by a
turbojet engine in flight.
• DRDO Nishant13: Primarily designed for intelligence-gathering over enemy territory,
it is also used for reconnaissance, training, surveillance, target designation, artillery fire
correction, and damage assessment. The Nishant has completed its developmental
phase and user trials.
5
https://ddnews.gov.in/national/drone-based-surveillance-system-introduced-railway-security
6
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1725715
7
https://www.who.int/india/news/feature-stories/detail/india-deploys-drones-to-deliver-covid-19-vaccines
8
https://www.drdo.gov.in/drone-based-surveillance-system
9
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1696175
10
https://www.drdo.gov.in/
11
https://www.investindia.gov.in/team-india-blogs/growing-market-drone-technologies-india
12
https://www.drdo.gov.in/pilotless-target-aircraft-lakshya
13
https://www.drdo.gov.in/nishant
The Drone Rules, 2021
Realising our collective vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat
(Ministry of Civil Aviation)
January 28, 2022
Introduction
The Ministry of Civil Aviation vide gazette notification CG-DL-E-26082021-229221
dated August 25, 2021 published the Drone Rules1 and vide gazette notification CG-DL-E-
26012022-232917 dated January 26, 2022 published the Certification Scheme for Unmanned
Aircraft Systems2.
Drones are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems
(RPAS) that are controlled either by a pilot on the ground or with the help of technology.
Drones offer tremendous benefits to almost all sectors of the economy like –
agriculture, mining, infrastructure, surveillance, emergency response, transportation, geo-
spatial mapping, defence and law enforcement etc. Drones can be significant creators of
employment and economic growth due to their reach, versatility, and ease of use, especially in
India’s remote and inaccessible areas.
In view of its traditional strengths in innovation, information technology, frugal
engineering and huge domestic demand, India has the potential to be global drone hub by
2030.3
Classification of unmanned aircraft systems
The unmanned aircraft system shall, based on the maximum all-up weight including
payload, be classified as follows4:
• Nano unmanned aircraft system: weighing less than or equal to 250 grams;
• Micro unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than 250 grams, but less
than or equal to Two kilograms;
• Small unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than Two kilograms, but
less than or equal to 25 kilograms;
• Medium unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than 25 kilograms, but
less than or equal to 150 kilograms
1
https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2021/229221.pdf
2
232917.pdf (egazette.nic.in)
3
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1749154
4
https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2021/229221.pdf
, • Large unmanned aircraft system: weighing more than 150 kilograms.
Usage of Drones:
• Drone based surveillance system introduced for Railway Security5.
• Survey of India to use drones for mapping of
inhabited areas of villages under “SVAMITVA”
scheme 6.
• India deployed drones to deliver COVID-19
vaccines. The ICMR-led pilot project is being
rolled out in Manipur, Nagaland and Andamans
and Nicobar Islands.7
• Drone is used for surveillance of COVID-19
hotspots and containment zones to ensure strict
compliance of lockdown guidelines. The system
has been demonstrated to the Chandigarh Police
in a containment zone.8
• Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
have granted conditional exemption to the Board
of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the
deployment of drones for live aerial
cinematography of the India Cricket Season in
2021.9
Drones in Defence Sector
India’s Defence Research and Development Organization10 (DRDO) has developed its
own domestic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
program. The project aims to develop a domestic arsenal to replace and augment the existing
fleet of unmanned vehicles. Examples of these11 are:
• DRDO Lakshya12: This is a target drone used for discreet aerial reconnaissance and
target acquisition. It is launched by a solid propellant rocket motor and sustained by a
turbojet engine in flight.
• DRDO Nishant13: Primarily designed for intelligence-gathering over enemy territory,
it is also used for reconnaissance, training, surveillance, target designation, artillery fire
correction, and damage assessment. The Nishant has completed its developmental
phase and user trials.
5
https://ddnews.gov.in/national/drone-based-surveillance-system-introduced-railway-security
6
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1725715
7
https://www.who.int/india/news/feature-stories/detail/india-deploys-drones-to-deliver-covid-19-vaccines
8
https://www.drdo.gov.in/drone-based-surveillance-system
9
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1696175
10
https://www.drdo.gov.in/
11
https://www.investindia.gov.in/team-india-blogs/growing-market-drone-technologies-india
12
https://www.drdo.gov.in/pilotless-target-aircraft-lakshya
13
https://www.drdo.gov.in/nishant
