India to publish new Rules on Drone Use

TNI Bureau:   Following the drone attack on the Jammu Air Force Station on June 27, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation is working on new guidelines to regulate drone use. The revised set of regulations is scheduled to be released for public consultation around August 15.

These regulations will be an upgrade of the existing Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, which were issued earlier this year to govern drone use, according to sources inside the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The new guidelines are anticipated to look into ‘Made in India’ anti-drone technologies that would detect and efficiently neutralise rogue drones like the ones that staged the Jammu bombings on June 27 and the drones that have since been spotted in the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed on the amended regulations when he met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri at his house on June 29 to assess the situation in Jammu and overall security preparedness.

According to sources, the new guidelines are nearly complete, but some work remains. The new guidelines are expected to be published around August 15th.