‘Don’t destroy our sport by equating it with flying drones’
MUMBAI: Aeromodellers — people who fly radio-controlled aircraft — have protested against aviation regulator DGCA’s plan to put their aircraft in the same category as drones for security reasons.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) released the draft of a new civil aviation requirement (CAR) that seeks to regulate the use of radio-controlled aircraft and drones. The rules were framed after concerns that global positioning systems (GPS) fixed on drones could make them a security threat.
Aeromodellers said their aircraft are not equipped with such technology, making them harmless. During a meeting in Juhu on Saturday, aeromodellers drafted a letter that they plan to send to the DGCA, explaining how the CAR could destroy their sport.
They will ask that model aircraft be included in a separate category, such that they can practise in areas away from operative airports, defence installations and densely populated areas. They have demanded that the building and selling of model aircraft and accessories be exempt from any regulatory controls.
According to the Aero Club of India, there are 16,000 aeromodellers and 40 registered clubs in the country. Members participate in competitions organised by Indian Institutes of Technology and other big education institutes, as well as international events. They said while drones were a potential threat, unmanned machines such as model aircraft are used purely for educational purposes and as a sport.
“Drones entered the public domain around five years ago as a result of advancements in technology. The highly accurate and precise flight path of such machines, along with their ability to fly autonomous give rise to concerns of privacy, safety and security worldwide. However, such concerns do not apply to the conventional type of model aircraft, which are used for, recreational, sports and educational purposes,” said Umesh More, an aeromodelling enthusiast.
Taran Manakatala, 14, from Mumbai, who has been aeromodelling for the past 10 years, said the aviation regulator has lumped model aircraft with drones, which is erroneous.
Meanwhile, BS Bhullar, director general, DGCA, said the draft CAR was meant for consultation purposes. “Anyone is welcome to give their comments or suggestions,” he said.