New Delhi, India: The government of India released its much-awaited Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP – 2011) on July 4, 2011, bringing relief to the industry. The new policy does away with restrictions on all remote sensing data up to one meter resolution, that is, all satellite remote sensing data of resolutions up to 1 m will now be distributed on a nondiscriminatory basis and ‘on request’. The 2001 policy required data up to 5.8 meter resolution to be protected. Meanwhile, for data better than 1 m resolution, private agencies need clearance from an interagency High Resolution Image Clearance Committee (HRC). However, government bodies can obtain such data without any further clearance.
Some of the highlights of the policy include:- Department of Space (DOS) of the Government of India will be the nodal agency for all actions under this policy. – The Government, through DOS, will be the sole and exclusive owner of all data collected/ received from IRS. All users will be provided with only a license to use the said data, and add value to the satellite data.- Any organisation interested in operating a remote sensing satellite from India, will need license and/ or permission of the government, through the nodal agency, for the same. – While the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of ISRO/ DOS is vested with the authority to acquire and disseminate all satellite remote sensing data in India, both from Indian and foreign satellites, Antrix Corporation Ltd. (of DOS) will be responsible for grant of license for acquisition/ distribution of IRS data outside India.- NRSC will maintain a systematic National Remote Sensing Data Archive, and a log of all acquisitions/ sales of data for all satellites.
RSDP-2011 comes into effect immediately.
Source: ISRO
