Drone
Firms Push for Easier Rules to Soar Beyond BVLOS
Extract
from the article:
The Economic Times article sheds light on the burgeoning drone industry in
India, emphasizing how companies are advocating for relaxed regulations to
enable operations beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). Currently, stringent
rules restrict drone flights within the direct sight of the pilot, hampering
the scalability and commercial potential of drone applications, especially in
delivery, surveillance, and agriculture. Drone firms argue that easing these
regulations would open unprecedented avenues for innovation, efficiency, and
widespread adoption across sectors. A collective push from various
stakeholders, ranging from startups to industry associations, highlights the
pressing need for government intervention to create a more enabling regulatory
ecosystem.
Furthermore, the article hints at the strategic advantage
for India to become a global pioneer in drone technology by embracing
progressive policies. With the government’s proactive “Drone Policy 2.0”
framework already setting some promising milestones, industry leaders suggest
that streamlining certification, improving operational guidance, and fostering
public-private collaboration will be decisive in unlocking India's full
potential in the drone domain. The narrative is clear — without liberalizing the
BVLOS restrictions, India’s drone revolution may remain grounded, limiting not
only economic growth but also the technological leapfrog the country urgently
requires.
My
Take:
A. CONGRATS
- AND A CHALLENGE
"Just viewed a video about your drones and got , both impressed and
proud... India can leapfrog the rest of the world in drone delivery of
everything ( - an essential condition for E Commerce to flourish ). It may even
get adopted as THE STANDARD for the entire Drone Manufacturing Industry,
world-wide... A Swarm-O-Drone is born [ Swarm-O-Drone = A Drone with built in
Swarm Algorithm for collision avoidance ]. Look out for this headline in Media
within 2 / 3 years, by which time, millions of drones would be flying
overhead."
Reflecting on this prophetic insight from several years ago,
it strikes me how the current call for easier BVLOS operations dovetails
perfectly with the vision I outlined back then. The “Swarm-O-Drone” concept was
about collective intelligence and collision avoidance—the necessary backbone
technology that needs regulatory freedom to manifest fully. Today’s struggles
against restrictive flight boundaries impede the swift adoption of such
innovations, keeping India from leading the global pack. My conviction was, and
remains, that systemic enablers—both technical and regulatory—must harmonize to
see a drone ecosystem take off, literally and figuratively. The ongoing
industry push is both a vindication of that early foresight and a reminder of
the road still to be traveled.
B. Thank
You Shri Jayant Sinhaji - Drones: Out of Sight, But in Indian Govt’s Mind
"As of today, India has barely 40,000 drones but you have laid a solid
foundation through Drone Policy 2.0, to reach by 2023 following targets: #
1,000,000 drones # 500,000 drone pilots # 1,000 Manufacturers # 100,000 drone
operators."
Looking back at this blog, I express admiration for the
drone policy framework set forth in India, which indeed laid the groundwork for
industry growth. This policy’s bold, quantifiable targets underpinned a vision
to legitimize and mainstream drone technology nationwide. Yet, as the current
article underscores, ambition must be matched with operational flexibility.
Policies provide scaffolding, but without easing the BVLOS constraints, the
infrastructure cannot support the envisioned scale and diversity of use cases.
Revisiting these numbers today reinforces the message that regulatory
environments must evolve dynamically, responding to technological advances and
business demands to ensure those targets are not just aspirational, but
achievable.
C. Reliance
Industries Makes Investment in Drones
"Initially we will employ manual 'Delivery Persons' for this but, before
long, we will deploy a fleet of autonomous DRONES for this purpose... These
drones will get their 'Delivery Instructions' directly from our Web Server, for
all ONLINE orders... This fleet will cover 'Kirana Stores' and 'Online
Customers' located in pre-designated areas covering 4 sq km (2 km x 2
km)."
This observation from 2019 anticipated the commercialization
and automation of drone delivery within urban and semi-urban ecosystems.
Reliance's venture into drones speaks volumes about the strategic importance of
this technology in the retail and logistics sectors. The current regulatory
appetite for easing BVLOS constraints directly impacts such commercial
initiatives’ feasibility and scale. The reliance on autonomous drone fleets
controlled by centralized systems demands a legal latitude that permits
beyond-visual flights, thus enhancing coverage and operational efficiency. This
alignment between business strategy and regulatory reform encapsulates the
essence of the drone industry’s push today — not just innovation for the sake
of it, but innovation supported by enabling governance to drive real-world
impact and economic transformation.
Call to
Action:
To policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders mentioned in the article
and beyond, I urge you to accelerate the reassessment and reform of BVLOS
regulations. The current restrictive framework places an unnecessary bottleneck
on India’s enormous potential in the drone sector. Embrace risk-based,
technology-neutral regulations that encourage innovation while assuring safety.
Facilitate certification pathways that are clear, swift, and affordable for
drone operators and manufacturers. Engage deeply with the private sector to
co-create an operational ecosystem that supports autonomous, long-range drone
applications spanning commerce, agriculture, surveillance, and emergency
services. This is a pivotal moment for India to leapfrog into the frontlines of
global drone leadership — let the skies open up, not shut down.
With regards,
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