The NPNT is fine example of mismatch—almost four months after it started accepting applications, it is yet to see its first registration from either a drone operator or a manufacturer. A robust drone industry courted by start-ups and manufacturers alike has the power to not only help India leapfrog innovation cycles in aviation in particular but also bridge the North-South divide in aerospace technology

by Ujjwal Bakshi and Manash Neog 

While India has crafted a world leading drone policy framework, formalising the use of drones will need synchronised efforts of policy makers and industry for practical implementation across the country.

It’s been an exceptional last 18 months for India’s drone sector, in more ways than meets the eye today. From having no regulatory framework compounded by a blanket ban on drone operations, the sector now has a world leading ‘Digital Sky Platform’ where an automated compliance system through ‘No Permission No Take Off (NPNT)’ has been put in place to streamline operations across the country.

Much of this has been due to pragmatic leadership and foresight at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which has crafted a policy framework that is ahead of its time. But there is a flip side. The ministry, it appears, has charted regulatory regime that has clearly outpaced the readiness of industry stakeholders to embrace such provisions. The NPNT is fine example of this mismatch—almost four months after it started accepting applications, it is yet to see its first registration from either a drone operator or a manufacturer.

A more evolved version of this framework- the Drone Policy 2.0 is already being drafted and is up for discussions. The draft policy road map seeks to enable operations beyond the visual line of sight and flying drones with payloads, and has taken bits and pieces from some of the most forward-looking regulatory work proposed anywhere in the world today. For instance, the need for bi-modal communication with drones while in flight has been taken from the United Kingdom’s Flight Information and Notification System (FINS) framework, the need for airworthiness standards specific to the zone of its operations have been absorbed from Australia, among others.

It is interesting that all the above approaches were rolled back in their respective countries after extensive fact finding and industry consultations that lead to doubts about its benefit and practicality in real world drone operations. Ironically, it may be worth noting here that only a washed down version of India’s own NPNT is now being implemented by Canada in form of its ‘Safety Assured Flight Envelope’ (SAFE).

The United Kingdom has adopted a balanced approach given the dynamic nature of the industry it is seeking to regulate. Despite the Gatwick fiasco, the UK’s aviation regulator did not take any knee jerk actions and has given time until the end of November this year for drone operators to adhere to a new set of compliance, including registrations and training.

These are also very interesting times in European Union’s pursuits for harmonisation of drone regulations aiming for common European drone market and airspace integration. There could be merit in looking at the way these rules have been adopted by Europe as recently as on March 12 since much of the outcome has taken three long years of discussions and deliberations.

Europe’s aviation regulator EASA has been reiterating the risk and evidence based approach to rule making. With this, the EU attempts to implement rules it says will balance the responsibilities accorded to drone manufacturers and operators. They have brought in classification for drones based on kinetic energy generated by them in events of a collision or impact, since questions of public safety remain eminent, no matter which part of the world.

After all, for the industry to fulfil its promise even in India, it is important that any safety concerns among the public at large are allayed. It appears that India policy makers are finally turning a corner here.

Development organisations around the world agree that drones can do a lot more in terms of social good for emerging economies when compared with developed nations. In India, there is a tremendous opportunity in areas such healthcare, agriculture, surveillance, among a host of strategic growth sectors. The World Economic Forum came up with a toolkit for regulators around the world to learn from the innovative policy experiments and governance models that accelerate the benefit of drones for all. The paper points to use of regulatory sandboxes and policy prototyping and recommends that the concerned departments in respective governments go beyond legacy regulatory approaches to develop new paradigms for drone regulation. It is riding on such frameworks that drone operators have been able to air drop critical human blood across health centres in Rwanda.

In the final analysis, political will and commitment must remain consistent and sustained. While the DGCA, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation will control our airspace, ministries like Home, Agriculture and Health and Urban Development will have to own the cause by providing a push for application of drones for larger social good. A liberal and more accommodative framework for application of drone in agriculture and healthcare could be just what is needed today. But the cost of compliance must never over shadow the benefits of the technology.

Irrespective of whichever political denomination shapes up after the general elections this year, the leadership must ensure that there is a more synchronised effort amongst policy makers and the industry for practical implementation of the world leading policy framework. Only then can we aim to formalise the use of drones across the country, which analysts believe will be a market worth over $885 million by 2021 in India. A robust drone industry courted by start-ups and manufacturers alike has the power to not only help India leapfrog innovation cycles in aviation in particular but also bridge the North-South divide in aerospace technology. As DRDO has exhibited nation’s spatial prowess through the successful launch of indigenously built anti-satellite missiles, hopefully, the next lighthouse for drone aviation will also spring to life in India.