Registration course of for non-compliant drones began from June 8. (Representational)
New Delhi:
The authorities’s incubation fund DISHA that can promote indigenous manufacturing of unmanned aerial automobiles (UAVs) shall be allotted lower than Rs 500 crore as a result of coronavirus-triggered financial “recession”, Aviation Ministry Joint Secretary Amber Dubey mentioned on Tuesday.
The DISHA fund will give monetary assist to Indian startups and researchers to fabricate drones or UAVs to be used in 4 sectors — infrastructure, safety, healthcare and agriculture.
“These are the four big bang areas we are focusing on. We started with a big bang number of Rs 2,000 crore (allocation), brought it down to Rs 500 crore. All of this was before March so the number may come down even further because the reality is in front of us. We are in the midst of the worst recession in 100 years,” Mr Dubey mentioned at a webinar organised by ideaForge, a dronemaker.
Pointing to coronavirus-triggered financial slowdown, he mentioned this can be a time when small and medium enterprises are struggling and migrants, unemployed and underprivileged individuals need to be supported by the federal government.
“So, who the hell is going to talk about drones and high-tech and all that stuff. Yes, we (Civil Aviation Ministry) are standing in the queue. We are raising the issue with the end-user ministries (about funds),” he mentioned.
“Let us be very blunt and honest here. It is not going to happen overnight. I am a shameless guy, so I will keep trying. But the money may come a little later. It is not going to happen tomorrow or the next month,” he added.
The Civil Aviation Ministry began the registration course of for non-compliant drones which weren’t registered with the aviation regulator DGCA and haven’t been granted drone acknowledgement numbers (DANs) from June 8.
The ministry mentioned an identical one-time alternative for voluntary disclosure of such drones was offered between January 14 and January 31. A complete of 19,553 non-compliant drones have been registered throughout this era, it mentioned.
On June 5, the ministry had issued draft guidelines for manufacturing and use of drones within the nation whereby it has proposed that an authorised drone producer or importer can promote its gadgets solely to a person or entity authorised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
It will situation the ultimate guidelines as soon as it deliberates on feedback obtained from all of the stakeholders on draft guidelines.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)