(a) whether the Government has formulated a comprehensive policy to prevent Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) drone attacks on vital security installations and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the steps being taken to regulate the manufacture and operation of drones; and
(c) whether the Government has set up a nodal department to deal with such type of policy and if so, the details thereof?
The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)
(a) Yes, Sir. The Government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent drone attacks on vital security installations.
Further, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has issued a AvSec Circular on "Basic requirements and Technical Specification/ QRs for Counter - Drone technology / solutions for Surveillance Detection and Neutralisation of drones / Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for Airports". Further, as per DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) , BCAS has prepared Security Programme Template of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). Based on MHA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling threats from sub-conventional aerial platform in the country, BCAS has also prepared an SOP on ''Procedure for stopping of civilian flight on detection of flying objects.
(b) Rule 15A has been inserted in the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) has been issued by DGCA to regulate the manufacture and operation of drones. Further, Digital Sky Platform has been launched for regulating the entire gamut of activities relating to drones.
(c) Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is the nodal organisation to deal with the matters relating to drones.;