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The Centre has proposed an amendment in its export policy for certain types of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (unmanned aerial vehicles), dropping the requirement to receive authorisation under the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) scheme.

With the aim to simplify the policy under the SCOMET list, a draft policy amendment of the Category 5B of SCOMET List and the General Authorization for Export of Drones/UAVs (Excluding Software and Technology) for specific types is proposed, said the Director General of Foreign Trade on Tuesday.

UAV systems including drones, remotely piloted air vehicles and autonomous programmable vehicles, not specified under SCOMET Categories/sub-categories 3D013, 5B(a) & (b), 6A010, 8A912, and capable of range equal to or less than 5 km and delivering a payload of not more than 5 kg (excluding the software and technology of these items), will not be covered for the purposes of SCOMET Category 5B, subject to the General Licensing procedure under GAED policy to be notified in the Public Notice, said the DGFT.

As per the proposal, SCOMET authorization will not be required, for export and/or re-export of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles including drones, remotely piloted air vehicles and autonomous programmable vehicles, not specified under SCOMET Categories/sub-categories 3D013, 5B (a) & (b), 6A010, 8A912, and capable of range equal to or less than 5 km and delivering a payload of not more than 5 kg (excluding the software and technology of these items), subject to the following conditions I.

The applicant exporter shall submit an application for getting a onetime authorization under GAED through online SCOMET portal and attach information in the given proforma.

It said that the application would be reviewed/examined for the issuance of GAED by Inter-Ministerial Working Group (IMWG) based on the submitted application and other supporting documents submitted by the applicant exporter in the prescribed Performa.