The civil aviation ministry today said there is no proposal to explore the possibility of having 'air rickshaws' based on drone technology. To a query on whether the government is exploring the possibility of 'air rickshaws' based on drone technology for easy transportation service in the country, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha replied in the negative. "No such proposal is under consideration by this ministry," he told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. Questions about 'air rickshaws' was raised by three members. Among others, they also wanted to know whether the government has done any survey regarding cost of 'air rickshaw' compared to other modes of transportation. Last year, the ministry came out with draft norms for The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), commonly known as drones. At present, aircraft rules do not cover use of drones as well as their sale and purchase.
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had in October 2014 restricted the use of drones and unmanned aircraft system by civilians.
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