The experimental legal regime (EPR) will allow test flights of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the city of Innopolis. The EPR will be set for drones with a maximum takeoff weight of 30 kg or less.
Drone movement adjustment will be implemented on the basis of the AVTM digital UTM platform. The platform was developed by a resident of the Innopolis SEZ (Special economic zone), a center for organizing the movement of unmanned vehicles (TSOD BTS LLC).
The legislative regulation of drone flights is comprehensive and consists of two large stages: registration of the drone and performance of flights. After the drone is registered, it gets an accounting number, and to obtain permission to fly, it is necessary to prepare a flight plan and obtain permission to use airspace.
The system will simplify this process – the platform will prepare all the necessary documents and send them to the relevant departments on its own. Several participants will observe the movement of the drone over settlements: a UAV pilot, a platform operator and an EMERCOM duty officer. In case of unforeseen circumstances, participants will be able to adjust the route to a safer one.
“Now the mayor’s office of the city of Innopolis, together with the Innopolis SEZ, is working on the issue of creating an ecosystem for small companies that are developing projects in the field of UAVs. This infrastructure will allow them to minimize investment at the initial stage to enter this market. As a result, there should be a technical business incubator for companies that are engaged in UAVs, – Ruslan Shagaleev, the mayor of the city Innopolis said. – It is necessary to eliminate administrative obstacles and facilitate access to flights in cities for companies so that they can test their products in real conditions, with real customers, tasks and economics. This is the most important thing that regulators, local governments and development institutions must do.”
UAV manufacturers and software developers participate in the development of EPR on the territory of the Innopolis SEZ.
One of the participants is a resident of the Innopolis SEZ, Rusdronoport LLC. Drone ports will automatically serve the unmanned fleet of the Converse Avia BS operator, also a participant in the EPR. Innopolis University will provide the latest developments in multirotor logistics UAVs for flights. NITA, one of the leaders in the Russian air navigation equipment market, will deal with issues of determining the exact location of an aircraft under ELR conditions.
“Unmanned taxis have been driving on the territory of Innopolis since 2018. Now the city is approaching the expansion of the scope of drones towards airspace. Thanks to ELR, we will figure out experimentally how to make urban airmobility possible and at the same time safe for people not only in Innopolis, but also in Russia. And it is better to start with drones up to 30 kg than with unmanned air taxis weighing from 500 kg, so as not to endanger anyone”, Renat Khalimov, General Director of the SEZ “Innopolis”, said.
We recall that the Innopolis industrial park is being built on the territory of the Innopolis SEZ. It will house companies engaged in the production and assembly of drones. The experimental legal regime will allow manufacturers to introduce new developments quickly and test them in real conditions.
Earlier, the ELR project for drones in Innopolis was discussed at the Digital Economy ANO site. It was supported by the major’s office of Innopolis. Now the project is under consideration by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.