Pune, India | September 24, 2026: The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) announced that its Certification for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is now fully operational, offering conformity assessment and certification services to drone manufacturers across the country. Operating under the Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CSUAS) administered by the Quality Council of India (QCI) on behalf of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ARAI is authorised to evaluate UAS platforms against the requirements of CSUAS, and to issue Statements of Conformity that support DGCA type certification.
India’s drone sector has expanded rapidly on the back of liberalised airspace policy, the ProductionLinked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components, and rising demand across agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, mining, disaster management, and defence. As adoption accelerates, manufacturers increasingly need a reliable certification body that can evaluate design, build quality, and flight performance against evolving airworthiness, safety, and cybersecurity requirements. Drawing on decades of experience in vehicle and component testing, validation, and type approval, ARAI is well positioned to guide drone manufacturers through this process and shorten time-to-market.
ARAI’s UAS Certification follows the scheme’s two-stage evaluation methodology. The first stage involves detailed document verification, covering design data, technical specifications, and safety and security documentation. The second stage covers physical and flight evaluation, in which the submitted UAS is examined against its documentation and subjected to flight testing to confirm performance, stability, and adherence to the applicable classification — spanning Micro, Small, Medium, and Large categories as defined by maximum all-up weight. On successful completion of both stages, a Statement of Conformity is issued to DGCA, forming the basis for type certification and eventual allotment of a Unique Identification Number (UIN) to compliant platforms.
Manufacturers can access certification procedures, application formats, evaluation criteria, applicable fee structures, and technical guidance documents through ARAI’s dedicated UAS certification portal.
Sharing his views on this milestone, Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, stated, “India’s drone ecosystem is entering a phase of accelerated growth and technological innovation, creating new opportunities across sectors. At ARAI, our objective is to enable a safe, compliant, and innovation-driven drone ecosystem for the nation. Through our fully operational Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Certification, we look forward to work with industry stakeholders for deployment of reliable drone technologies that meet the highest standards of safety and performance. We invite organizations seeking certification support to engage with ARAI and embark on their certification journey with confidence.”
About ARAI:
The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), established in 1966, is a leading automotive R&D organisation set up by the automotive industry with the Government of India. ARAI is affiliated to the Ministry of Heavy Industries and is recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
An ISO 9001 certified organization, ARAI is accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL). ARAI is also accredited for ISO 14001, ISO 27001 and ISO 45001:2018.
ARAI offers Testing & Validation, Certification & Homologation, Design & Development, Research & Development, Projects & Consulting, Standardisation & Harmonisation, Education & Training, Testing Solutions services. It has also developed indigenous products including automotive technologies, data bases, software tools and testing facilities.
Media Contact:
Dr. Atul Thakare
Deputy General Manager, BDCP, ARAI
+91 20 6762-1134
thakare.dts@araiindia.com
Ms. Manali Sarpatwar
Executive, Corporate Communications, BDCP, ARAI
+91 20 6762-1141
sarpatwar.dts@araiindia.com
Website: https://www.araiindia.com/
ARAI UAS Certification Webpage: https://www.araiindia.com/certification/certification-body-cb-for-unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas