India Frees Up Spectrum Band for Commercial UAS

After years of delay, the government is set to issue at least half-a-dozen licences for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to private players, although civilian use still remains a closed area.

Sources in the government told TOI that the department of telecommunications, which was the main stumbling block, has agreed to allow the UAV manufacturers to use the spectrum band allocated to defence forces, paving the way for issuing licences.

During the UPA regime, it was the defence ministry which was holding up proposals as it did not want the private sector to enter the defence production arena, even if no foreign investment was permitted. But, a change of guard at the Centre and the BJP government’s push to cut the import bill by allowing private participation in the defence sector seems to have paved the way for a consensus between the ministries, at least on the issue of UAVs.

The sources said that last month, the licensing committee decided on seven licences, several of which will go to little-known names. Bangalore-based  Dynamatic Technology is expected to bag the biggest block of licences from the panel, comprising representatives from several ministries, clearing a plan to allow it to make 10,000 unmanned aerial systems and vehicles.

Among the bigger players is Ashok Leyland, whose proposal to manufacture 600 UAVs along with armoured vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles, was pending with the government.

There are others that have smaller orders. For instance, Taneja Aerospace & Aviation is expected to be given a licence to manufacture only 10 UAVs, while  Avaana Software & Services can make 200. Then, there is Basant Aerospace, SasMos HET Tech, Swallow Systems and Om UAV Systems, which are likely to get permission to manufacture up to 100 units each for the defence.

Sources said there are close to a dozen other proposals for manufacturing UAVs that are pending, including those from  Punj Lloyd, Mahindra Aero Structures, Piramal Systems & tech, Idea Forge, Aman Aviation & Aerospace Solutions, OIS Aerospace, Kadet Defence, Deepti Electronics and Spectrum Infotech. Several companies, whose proposals have been cleared, will get licences when their FDI proposals are cleared by the  Foreign Investment Promotion Board, said an official, adding the process may take around two to three months.