New Delhi, Oct 23 (UNI) Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted conditional exemption to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for the deployment of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) for carrying out research and inspection activities at Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station, Madhya Pradesh, Gadarwara Super Thermal Power Plant, Madhya Pradesh, and Sipat Super Thermal Power Project, Chhattisgarh using drones. The Ministry for Civil Aviation said on Friday.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Amber Dubey, said, “NTPC will use the drones to carry out terrain mapping, stockpile volumetric analysis, aerial inspections and other applications at the three NTPC sites. This will provide NTPC excellent data with high accuracy at a fraction of the cost. This is in line with Government of India’s attempts to promote use of industrial drones in infrastructure, mining, agriculture and disaster relief etc.”
The conditional exemption is till December 31, 2020 or until the full operationalization of Digital Sky Platform, whichever is earlier. Conditions and limitations to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd to carry out research and inspection activities at National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) sites – Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station, Madhya Pradesh/Gadarwara Super Thermal Power Station, Madhya Pradesh /Sipat Super Thermal Power Station, Chhattisgarh using Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems:
This exemption to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd from the relevant provisions of CAR Section 3, Series X, Part I, is subject to exemption from Rule 15A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 by Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The Ministry said that the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd will have to obtain necessary clearances from Local Administration; Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs; Air Defence clearance from Indian Air Force and Airport Authority of India (AAI) prior to operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).
It said that the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd shall only operate the RPAS which has been voluntarily disclosed to Government of India and issued with a valid Drone Acknowledgement Number (DAN) (i.e. D1DXOOS1T and D1DXOOS24 for NETRA PRO of M/s ldeaForge Technology Pvt Ltd).
