The Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted a conditional exemption to the Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL) from the Unmanned Aircraft Rules, 2021 for counter drone demonstrations to government organisations.
The Unmanned Aircraft Rules were recently notified, on 12th March, 2021. Based on an undertaking given to the Ministry by ADSTL, the Ministry has exempted it from the Rules for a single day, i.e. today, subject to certain conditions. Notably, the ceiling for exempted Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) is 400 ft. above ground level.
The Unmanned Aircraft Rules, 2021
Prior to the 2021 Rules, Aircraft Rules, 1937 governed the operation of RPAS or drones and exemptions were also granted as such.
Rule 70 of the new 2021 Rules grants the Central Government the power to exempt any unmanned aircraft system from the operation of the rules.
Earlier exemptions
Previously, the government had exempted the Ministry of Agriculture to use drones for remote sensing data collection and the Kochi Metro for water transport system project.
However, these exemptions were granted under Section 160 of the Aircraft Rules, exempting them from Section 3 of the Civil Aviation Requirements, Series X, Part I.
You can read a copy of the order here.
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