India Issues Guidelines For Operating UAVs Citing Security Concerns

The government of India has issued guidelines for operating any kind of aerial object that include UAVs, para-gliders and hot air balloons, among others citing security concerns.

The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has already conducted meetings at various levels involving all the stakeholders in the last few months and it was decided that guidelines will be framed on the issue for strict implementation, Asian Age newspaper reported Sunday.

Concerns over terror outfits like the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba procuring para-gliders to launch terror strikes has prompted the government to issue strict guidelines for operating any kind of aerial object.

“LeT has been successful in procuring advance paragliding equipment which cannot be picked up by radar signals. It is also in the process of procuring paragliding engine and clothes and has conducted a research on potential of using para-gliders to carry out terror strike. We are going to strictly implement all such rules,” a senior home ministry official was quoted as saying by the news daily.

According to the guidelines, all authorized users are restricted to carry any weapon or photography/video recording equipment while operating the micro-light aircraft, hang gliders, hot air balloons etc.

The guidelines have urged agencies to ensure that such flying objects must not intrude into the air space beyond the authorized licensed area of operation as it is not possible to monitor such craft moving beyond the reach of naked eyes in absence of radars or direction-finders.