NEW DELHI: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has proposed an amendment in its export policy for certain kinds of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), dropping the need to receive authorisation under the SCOMET scheme - Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies.

The Director General of Foreign Trade announced on Tuesday that a proposed policy adjustment to the General Authorization for Export of Drones/UAVs (Excluding Software and Technology) for Specific Types and Category 5B of the SCOMET List are intended to streamline the SCOMET list's procedures.

For the purposes of SCOMET Category 5B, UAV systems such as drones, remotely piloted air vehicles, and autonomous programmable vehicles that are not specified under SCOMET Categories/Sub-Categories 3D013, 5B(a) & (b), 6A010, or 8A912 and are capable of delivering a payload of no more than 5 kg (excluding the software and technology of these items) will not be covered; instead, they will be subject to the General Lic.

The proposal states that, subject to the following conditions, SCOMET authorization will not be necessary for the export or re-export of unmanned aerial vehicles, such as drones, remotely piloted aircraft, and autonomous programmable vehicles, that are capable of a range of at least 5 kilometres and a payload of no more than 5 kilogrammes (excluding the software and technology of these items)

The applicant exporter must use the online SCOMET site to submit their application for a one-time GAED authorization and provide the necessary supporting documentation.

It stated that the Inter-Ministerial Working Group (IMWG) will assess and evaluate the application for the issue of a GAED based on the submitted application and additional supporting papers submitted by the applicant exporter in the required Performa.

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