**Executive Summary**
The National Test House (NTH) has partnered with STQC-ERTL (North) to enable Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing of drones. This collaboration aims to strengthen India's drone certification ecosystem. This initiative addresses critical regulatory requirements outlined in the Drone Rules, 2021, and the Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CSUAS), 2022. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on February 2, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Partnership and Purpose:**
* NTH partners with STQC-ERTL (North) to enable EMI/EMC testing of drones.
* The collaboration aims to strengthen India's drone testing and certification framework.
* **Regulatory Compliance:**
* The collaboration addresses critical regulatory requirements under Drone Rules, 2021, and CSUAS, 2022.
* **Testing and Certification:**
* EMI/EMC and immunity testing of drones and their subsystems will be carried out at ERTL (North) according to applicable IEC 61000/IS 14700 standards.
* NTH will conduct the remaining tests at its premises.
* Test reports will be integrated into the Type Certification process for drone manufacturers, particularly startups and MSMEs.
* **Infrastructure and Standards:**
* The initiative aims to optimize the utilization of existing national facilities and strengthen India's regulatory framework.
* Drones certified through NTH will meet global benchmarks.
* **Cost and Accessibility:**
* The initiative aims to make drone testing and certification accessible and affordable.
* **Roles and Approvals:**
* NTH is approved by DGCA and QCI as a Certification Body (CB)/Authorized Testing Entity (ATE) under CSUAS.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Drone Manufacturers (particularly startups and MSMEs)
* **Impact:** Benefit from a transparent, seamless, credible, and government-backed certification pathway.
* **Action Required:** Engage with the NTH and STQC-ERTL (North) for EMI/EMC testing and certification of their drones.
**Stakeholder:** Government of India
* **Impact:** Reinforces commitment to "Make in India", "Atmanirbhar Bharat", and Vision 2047, positioning India as a global hub for drone technologies. Supports enhanced safety, quality, and regulatory compliance for drones.
* **Action Required:** Continued support for NTH and STQC-ERTL (North) to strengthen India's drone certification ecosystem.
**Stakeholder:** Various Sectors (agriculture, logistics, healthcare, disaster management, infrastructure monitoring, and smart cities)
* **Impact:** Accelerated innovation due to affordable and accessible drone testing and certification.
* **Action Required:** Integrate certified drones into their operations to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Key Entities Referenced
Drone Rules, 2021: Regulatory framework governing unmanned aircraft systems (drones) in India.
Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CSUAS), 2022: Scheme for certifying unmanned aircraft systems in India, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards.
National Test House (NTH): Premier scientific and testing institution under the Department of Consumer Affairs, involved in drone testing and certification.
STQC-ERTL (North): Standardization Testing & Quality Certification Directorate – Electronics Regional Test Laboratory (North), partnering with NTH for drone testing, under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
Atmanirbhar Bharat: Government of India's initiative to promote self-reliance and domestic manufacturing, relevant in the context of drone technology.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
NTH partners with STQC–ERTL (North) to enable
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing of
drones.
New Government-to-Government collaboration strengthens
India’s drone certification ecosystem;
Boosts safety, affordability, and global acceptance
Posted On: 04 FEB 2026 4:21PM by PIB Delhi
Reinforcing the Government of India’s commitment to Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Vision
2047, the National Test House (NTH) has taken a significant step towards positioning India as a globally
competitive hub for safe, reliable, and certified drone technologies.
In this direction, National Test House (NTH) has entered into a government-to-government collaboration
with the Standardization Testing & Quality Certification Directorate (STQC) Directorate – Electronics
Regional Test Laboratory (North) [ERTL (North)], under the Ministry of Electronics & Information
Technology (MeitY). This will enable Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic
Compatibility (EMC) testing of drones, thus strengthening India’s drone testing and certification
framework.
The collaboration addresses a critical regulatory requirement under the Drone Rules, 2021 and the
Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CSUAS), 2022, and will significantly enhance
India’s capability to certify safe, reliable, and globally compliant Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 2nd February 2026 in the presence of Smt.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs; Dr. Alok Kumar Srivastava, Director General,
National Test House; Shri Vivek Kashyap, Scientist ‘G’, STQC Directorate; and Shri Pradeep Gunjyal,
Scientist ‘F’ and Director, ERTL (North).
Under the proposed MoU, EMI/EMC and immunity testing of drones and their subsystems will be
carried out at ERTL (North) in accordance with applicable IEC 61000 / IS 14700 standards, while NTH
will conduct the rest of the tests at its own premises. The test reports generated through this collaboration
will be seamlessly integrated into the Type Certification process, providing drone manufacturers—
particularly startups and MSMEs—with a transparent, seamless, credible, and Government-backed
certification pathway.
This collaborative approach avoids duplication of high-cost infrastructure, enables optimal utilization of
existing national facilities, and significantly strengthens India’s regulatory framework for drone safety
and reliability. It also ensures that drones certified through NTH meet global benchmarks such as
IEC/ISO, MIL-STD, ASTM, and RTCA, enhancing international acceptance of Indian-certified drones.
By making world-class drone testing and certification accessible and affordable, at substantially lower
cost than private facilities, the initiative will accelerate innovation across sectors such as agriculture,
logistics, healthcare, disaster management, infrastructure monitoring, and smart cities.
The proposed collaboration between NTH and STQC–ERTL (North) marks an important milestone in
expanding NTH’s drone certification capabilities and building a robust, indigenous, and future-ready
drone certification ecosystem for the nation.
National Test House (NTH) is approved by DGCA and QCI as a Certification Body (CB) / Authorized
Testing Entity (ATE) under the Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CSUAS) and
plays a critical role in ensuring safety, quality, and regulatory compliance for emerging technologies,
including drones.
NTH is a premier scientific and testing institution of the Government of India, established in 1912,
functioning under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution. With a nationwide network of NABL-accredited laboratories, NTH provides testing,
inspection, quality assurance, and certification services across diverse sectors.
*********RT/ARC
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