New Delhi, Aug 8: The Delhi government is preparing to seek cabinet approval for a proposed drone policy within a month, Information Technology Minister Pankaj Singh said today.
The policy, being drafted by the Delhi government’s IT department, is designed to build a broader drone ecosystem through research clusters, dedicated flight-testing facilities, pilot training and financial incentives.
It will also set out safeguards for drone operations and provide a framework for their use by government agencies, according to officials.
The proposed framework seeks to regulate drone operations while preventing misuse and enabling government agencies to deploy the technology for surveillance, mapping, policing, disaster response and traffic management.
The government also plans to strengthen integration with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s Digital Sky platform, officials said.
The policy comes as Delhi faces significant restrictions on drone operations because of sensitive installations.
Media reports claim almost 60 per cent of the capital is classified as a no-drone zone, according to officials, requiring the proposed framework to account for existing restrictions while identifying permitted applications and operating areas.
The government earlier constituted a committee headed by the IT department secretary to examine the feasibility of a dedicated drone policy for Delhi.
The committee’s work has since fed into the framework that is now expected to be placed before the cabinet.
The policy is expected to support infrastructure required to expand drone-related activity in the capital. This includes research clusters, flight-testing facilities and centres of excellence, along with financial support for research and development.
The government is also considering subsidies and reimbursement of state goods and services tax as part of the proposed incentives.
A separate budget is planned for implementing the policy and developing the supporting infrastructure, according to officials.
Capacity building is another component of the framework. The government plans to explore drone-awareness programmes in schools, remote pilot training organisations and pilot-training projects to build a skilled workforce for the sector.
Beyond government operations, the policy is expected to identify potential drone applications in sectors including real estate, telecommunications and media.
The government intends to develop sector-specific usage plans while keeping safety and airspace restrictions in consideration.
For public-sector applications, drones could be deployed for policing, disaster response and traffic management.
Their use for surveillance and mapping is also part of the proposed framework, officials said.
The policy will additionally establish a safety framework covering drone operations, with counter-drone standard operating procedures forming part of the proposed regulatory architecture. (BVI)
