Centre waives off mandatory passport requirement for drone training, to aid employment
According to the notification, identity proof and address proof can be submitted as a substitute for a passport
- City News
NewsTAP Bureau- Updated On:7 Oct 2023 9:42 AM GMT
HYDERABAD: The Ministry of Civil Aviation notified the Drone (Amendment) Rules 2023, under which the mandatory requirement of a passport for the training of drone operators was waived. Instead of passports, the authorities will now accept voter ID cards, ration cards, and driving licenses as valid forms of identification.
According to the notification, identity proof and address proof can be submitted as a substitute for a passport. Before this amendment, the necessity for individuals to possess a passport for drone training posed significant challenges, particularly in rural areas where passport ownership is relatively uncommon. Moreover, the passport application process could be unfamiliar and daunting for rural young people.
Welcoming the decision, Prem Kumar Vislawath, Founder and CEO of Marut Drones, in a statement on Saturday said that the Drone (Amendment) Rules, 2023 was a groundbreaking move.
“It aims to transform India into a drone hub while also fostering rural development. The inclusion of these alternative forms of identification is a commendable step, especially in the context of agricultural applications. It is likely to speed up the adoption of drone technology in the field of agriculture and will lead to substantial employment generation and agri-business opportunities in rural areas,” he said.
The regulations would help to streamline the achievement of initiatives such as the Prime Minister's vision to provide drone training to 15,000 women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
