Drone Industry Seeks Govt Action Against 50,000 Uncertified, Illegally Imported UAVs

New Delhi, Sep 5 (KNN) India’s domestic drone manufacturers have urged the government to take stricter action against an estimated 50,000 uncertified and illegally imported unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), citing safety, regulatory and national security concerns.

The Drone Federation of India (DFI) has raised the issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, alleging that non-compliant drones used for cinematography and agricultural spraying are bypassing safety requirements and operating without mandatory type certification, the businessline reported.

Industry Flags Import Misclassification

The industry has alleged that commercial drones are being misdeclared as electric toys under HSN 9503 to bypass customs requirements applicable to drones classified under HSN 8806.

It has also flagged the use of agricultural spraying drones with payloads exceeding 10 kg without mandatory restrictions relating to range, altitude and geo-fencing.

Domestic manufacturers said such grey-market imports create unfair competition by allowing non-compliant products to be sold at lower prices, undermining companies investing in indigenous manufacturing under the government’s Make in India initiative.

DFI Seeks Coordinated Enforcement

The industry has proposed coordinated enforcement involving the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and local police to identify and act against large resellers, seize allegedly illegal units and impose penalties on offenders.

It has also called for tighter import controls to prevent complete commercial drone systems from being imported under toy classifications, along with higher tariffs on critical navigation and avionics components.

The DFI has further sought higher minimum domestic-content requirements for official type certification to encourage greater localisation of drone manufacturing.

The industry said stronger enforcement and regulatory measures are necessary to ensure a level playing field for compliant domestic manufacturers and strengthen safety and security standards in the rapidly expanding drone sector.

(KNN Bureau)