Gurugram-based IoTechWorld Avigation recently became the first Indian company to be awarded a Type Certificate under Drone Rules,2021. The Type Certificate was handed over to company officials by Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M Scindia.
IoTechWorld was established in April 2017 and makes kisan drones. The drone manufacturer received its Type Certificate barely 34 days after submission of its online application on the Directorate General Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) DigitalSky Platform.
Fourteen drone prototypes from other companies are currently undergoing certification tests, and according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the number of Type Certified prototypes could exceed 100 over the next three years.
The Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems for obtaining Type Certificate for drones was notified by MoCA in January, to make it easier for drone manufacturers to obtain Type Certificates.
MoCA has mandated three globally-renowned certification bodies, namely – TQ Cert, UL India and Bureau Veritas. A drone manufacturer can approach any of them to test of their drone prototypes.
The Government has set a target for India to become a drone hub by 2030.