Drone Registration

We are living in a developing country that is growing fast in all domains like culture, leadership, and most importantly technology. We are taking new highs in terms of innovation and technology. Drones are not a new technology for the world but they do not have any serious background in India. It is still a developing technology that creates a new market in innovation and technology. There are so many technical and mechanical engineers in India who are working on drone technology and innovating it regularly. As a result, the size and weight of drones came down over time which led to a boost in the market of drones and made it imperative for the government to regulate the same. Drone manufacturers need to get the Drone Registration before they can sell it further in the market.

Regulation of Drone Manufacturing in India

DGCA means Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Government of India controls and regulates drone manufacturing and working in India. Recently DGCA launched a new online platform known as the Digital Sky. This agency manages all the drone (unmanned Arial devices) activities in India. Since the government of India launched this platform, the process for Drone Registration has become much easier than before. This organization has introduced some laws and policies regarding the use of drone technology in India. It has also suggested maximizing the use of drone technology for commercial purposes. The government of India updated and revised the rules and regulations for unmanned aircraft in the year 2019 to facilitate the same.

This step was taken to prevent the flying and manufacturing of unauthorized unmanned aircraft (drones) in Indian airspace. This organization also regulates the architecture of UAs and develops common scalable standards. The Government of India adopted the NPNT process to regulate the drone-related management system. NPNT process refers to “no permission no take-off’. This process of NPNT controls the drones through an Unmanned Traffic Management System (UTM). The Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) System was developed on the requirement basis of civil aviation. These requirements like registration, flight plan, purpose, and permits are included in the Unmanned Traffic Management System (UTMS).

Engineers have manufactured different type’s drones with different types of shapes and sizes. that is why the ministry of civil aviation has put the different types of drones into different categories on the bases of the weight of different unmanned aircraft.

• The pilot should be 18 years or above
• Should have passed 10th grade in English
• Should have undergone the required training
• Should have acquired security clearance from MHA
• Foreign remote pilots shall follow the procedure as per Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA)
• Logbook of the remote pilot

• Three-view drawing of Prototype
• General arrangement/ layout drawing
• ETA from WPC
• Basic data
• Equipment details
• Description of design features
• Operating characteristics, and
• Proposed operating limitations

Certificate of Manufacturer and Airworthiness

This is the most important step for drone manufacturers. An airworthiness certificate will certify your drone as NPNT compliant, allowing it to be listed, sold, and operated on Digital Sky. However, obtaining this certification may appear to be a lengthy process. If a drone meets all of the technical standards outlined in the regulations and the maker possesses a valid Unique Prototype ID, the manufacturer must submit a UA-3 application form to the DGCA. Manufacturers must meet 16 technical conditions in order for their applications to be approved.. However, Nano and micro drones are exempt from certain conditions. Read the entire list of the requirements on Page 86, sub-rule (8), of the official publication.

Manufacturers can specify three preferred testing laboratories on the UA-3 application form. However, for the RPAS demonstration, the DGCA will assign an appropriate testing laboratory to a manufacturer. In India, there are now only a few testing laboratories available. This not only limits drone makers' options, but also slows down the entire process. When a testing lab is assigned to a manufacturer, they must develop a UAV prototype as well as design documentation for demonstration at the lab.

The testing lab will then compile a report of the UAV demonstration and send it to the DGCA. The DGCA will analyse the report and only upon satisfaction issue a Certificate of Manufacture and Airworthiness.

Certificate of Conformance

The final step in the airworthiness procedure is the Certificate of Conformance (COC). When a drone manufacturer is satisfied that the drone complies with the certificate of manufacture and airworthiness, the COC is issued. After that, the producer can make one or more drones of the same class and type. The COC is also required for registering your RPAS with Digital Sky. The COC can be issued in one of the formats listed on form UA-4.

Manufacturer Profile and Drone Registration

The firm can now construct a Manufacturer Profile on the Digital Sky platform after obtaining all essential certifications and approvals. Create a profile and fill up the information about your RPAS and company. After that, scan and upload all of the approvals and certificates. The DGCA will double-check this information. Your drone will be listed under the Certified RPAS section of Digital Sky once it has been confirmed.

A drone must be registered with the DGCA before being sold to an operator. The maker would need an Operator ID to register a drone. The operator to whom the drone is being sold or leased has this ID. Once the drone has been registered using this ID, it can then be sold or leased to the operator. The drone operator can then continue with the UIN process.

Based on the regulations as prescribed above, a streamlined process has to be followed to manufacture and undertake the activities relating to drones in India. The step-by-step process for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) is as follows:-

Manufacturing Approval from DGCA

• The very first step towards manufacturing a drone is before setting up a manufacturing unit, for which you have to get approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• Applicants need to fill out a UA-1 form with all the necessary details to get manufacturing approval. He or she needs to submit this form to the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation).
• DGCA will check all the technical requirements for that unmanned aerial device (drone).
• The authorization fees for manufacturing drones in India would be ten thousand rupees.
• According to the regulations, for some specific cases as applicable, the DGCA may direct the applicant to obtain a security clearance.
• This permit or permission will only apply to the director of the organization/company. Still, it’s not clarified from the side of DGCA what would be the applicability of this clearance.
• The validity of this authorization number is for ten years.

Create a Prototype of your UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)

• After getting approval from DGCA the next step toward the manufacturing of the drone is to create and manufacture a drone prototype and submit the same for approval of DGCA.
• DGCA will analyze the submitted prototype and then they will approve that prototype if it fulfils the basic requirements and safety standards as prescribed for the drones in India.
• After that manufacturers will have to strictly adhere to the DGCA’s technical requirements. Features such as NPNT compliance, RTH (Return to Home), GNSS receiver, and geographical fencing are crucial for the approval process.
• At the time of the application, the DGCA may establish additional technical requirements.
• The drone manufacturer must also obtain an Equipment Type Permission (ETA) from the Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) Wing before receiving approval. It can take up to a month to get an ETA. As a result, filing for an ETA early in the process can save time for manufacturers.

Unique Prototype Identification Number

• After receiving an ETA (Equipment Type Approval) for their unmanned aerial device (drone) from the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing, the manufacturers are eligible to apply for the Unique Prototype Identification Number.
• This unique number gives your device a unique identity and this number is also essential to get the certificate of airworthiness. For that manufacturer must fill out the UA-2 form.

In India, the process of developing and obtaining approval for drones is complex and time-consuming, involving multiple required certifications and authorizations. The scarcity of testing facilities further complicates this situation. Historically, this has hampered the progress of the drone sector in the country. Although the number of certified drones has increased in recent years, still the number of officially certified drones in India is not impressive and most are primarily tailored for industrial applications only. However, there's a possibility for growth in the recreational drone industry if stringent technical airworthiness standards are relaxed, enabling more opportunities for leisure-oriented drone ventures.

There are various processes involved in getting Drone Registration and starting manufacturing units for drones in India. At every step, forms are to be submitted and fees need to be deposited in the manner so prescribed. Some of the frequently used fee heads relating to the drones are as follows-

Our team at corpseed is continuously working to assist businesses in their compliance managment and acquiring the registrations and licences as required. We provide the best consultation to our clients through desk-based research, documentation and coordination. Our team has extensive knowledge and experience of the laws applicable in India. We can provide you with the requisite guidance regarding Drone Registration in India and assist you in obtaining the Drone Registration Certificate. We serve as a one-stop solution for all your business needs.