Capitalising on the drone revolution

New products or new technologies almost always begin with a torrent of scepticism. Take for example mobile phones, a solution initially considered not of much use has managed to change the way we communicate, do business, entertain ourselves, socially interact with others, and learn. Mobile phones have proven to fill gaps in governance, enhance financial inclusion, and support disaster management in developing countries.

Technology has long been a driver of economic development throughout the world, and those that embrace it are able to shape it and maximise its multiplier effects. One such new solution is in the form of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or in common parlance drones. Across industries, the potential of drones is starting to be realised. From military drones to children’s toys, drones are making a big impact.

Multifarious usage of drones

Wherever drones have been used, it has been a strong force multiplier. The agriculture industry continues to benefit from incorporating new and evolving technology. It has found drones to be an indispensable tool for farmers around the world. Drones are helping farmers to address several of the challenges in the industry such as increasing productivity, better crop management, improving adaptation to climate change, reducing pollution etc.

Drones have been used for livestock management giving accurate data on herd counts. They have been deployed in orchards and vineyards for data on accurate counts of trees, vines, and other plants for much better yield predictions. In India, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana (PMFBY) mandates use of technology, drone imaging to detect fraudulent insurance claims and discrepancies. It was also used for the spraying of anti-locust pesticides earlier this year.

In manufacturing and mining too, drones have been used for geospatial mapping, evaluating, monitoring, inspection, and surveillance. In some cases to drill holes and drop explosives for excavation too.

UAVs have been actively used in governance – enforcement, monitoring, urban planning, transport management and traffic control.

Disaster Management would be handicapped without accurate geographic information of affected areas. Searches in the night or in areas of dense foliage or under the rubble are important activities in disaster relief. In these efforts, drones are a boon. With their ability to fly tethered indefinitely, they can be used to create temporary Wi-Fi or mobile telephony hotspots to allow urgent communications in disaster-hit areas.

This list of usages could go on and is not complete without highlighting the usage of drones in Covid relief measures.

Regulatory muddle

India has also used UAVs but has it been able to optimise its compounding effect? That has not been possible because of the regulatory bottlenecks.

While there is much excitement within the emerging UAV industry it is more on account of the potential and not so much about what has been achieved. The regulations for UAVs are still a work in progress. The regulations once they are notified have a long way to go before they can be fully implemented.

Large components of the implementation infrastructure are yet to see the light of the day and are without an unambiguous timeline for its full operationalisation. Much of the usage of drones has been facilitated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation by providing fast-track approvals through exemption route. Numerous organisations have received this relief and the usage was facilitated by conditional exceptions under the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

While there is a need to have solutions customised for India, given its diversity of governance standards, economic development, and of geography, it should not hesitate to benefit from the experience of other countries. The unique concept of No Permission-No Take-off (NPNT) or the globally accepted No information –No Take-off (NINT) system is worth a vigorous debate.

Although the rules and regulations governing UAV operations primarily lay emphasis on safety and security, it seems that they suffer from the same muddle we saw for the telecom industry in its early years - remember the CDMA versus GSM versus Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) conundrum?

For India to optimise the benefits from the far-reaching advantages of drones and potentially become a global leader in the UAV industry, it needs to build systems and norms that are aligned with global best practices. The existence of conducive and consumer-friendly regulatory environment is concomitant with this ambition.

India must get its act together at the earliest not only because it has been witness to the advantages brought by a new technology like mobile phones but also because drones of the future hold much greater potential. Drones of the future could support precision agriculture helping define irrigation needs; conserve electricity and prevent wanton usage of groundwater. They could also be used for personal transportation in the near future.

(The writer is a public policy consultant at Chase India)