NTPC set to use drones for research & inspection of its thermal power projects

New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted a conditional exemption to NTPC Limited for the deployment of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), or drones, 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.

MoCA's Joint Secretary Amber Dubey said, "NTPC will use 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 the the government of India's attempts to promote the use of industrial drones in infrastructure, mining, agriculture and disaster relief etc."

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The conditional exemption is till December 31 or until the full operationalisation of Digital Sky Platform, whichever is earlier. Digital Sky is an online IT platform developed for handling drone unique identification number (UIN), Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) applications, permission to fly RPAs in India. 

NTPC will have to obtain multiple clearances before starting operations

Prior to operation of drones, NTPC Limited will have to obtain necessary clearances from the local administration, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Air Defence clearance from the Indian Air Force and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). NTPC Limited will also have to submit a comprehensive brief on the scope of operations and a copy of the SOP will have to be sent to Flight Standards Directorate (FSD), DGCA. "NTPC Limited shall only operate the drone which has been voluntarily disclosed to government and issued with a valid Drone Acknowledgement Number (DAN)," an official statement said. The operation of drones shall be restricted to day operations (from sunrise to sunset), within Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) and will not be allowed in no-fly zones without the approval of the concerned ministries or authorities, it added.​

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