Drone Regulations
35. Are there sector-specific rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to companies by the government or government-controlled agencies or companies (state aid) in the UAS sector? If not, do general state aid rules apply?
Bahamas
There are no sector-specific rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to
companies by the government or government-controlled agencies or companies (state aid) in the UAS sector. Further there are no applicable general state aid rules. Generally, provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 require that state aid, be managed prudently in accordance with general principles of fiscal management. Holders of public office are required to expend public money in a manner which is fiscally sustainable.
Bolivia
This is not detailed in the regulation.
Brazil
The BNDES (Brazilian National Bank of Economic and Social Development) has been authorizing the use of the BNDES card for purchase of specific licensed drones in Brazil. The FINEP (Finance of Research and Innovation) has invested in the sector since 2009.
Canada
No
Colombia
As we explained at the beginning of our document, the regulation for public UAS is not available for public consult, so is not possible for us to assure that government guides for the general rules or have any specific policies.
Costa Rica
The small and medium-sized companies (known as PYMES) that are registered before the Ministry of Economy and Industry are able to obtain the CE for the first time without paying the fee for the certification process.
El Salvador
There is not an express regulation on this matter.
Germany
We are not aware of any sector-specific rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to companies by the government or government-controlled agencies or companies in the UAS sector.
General State aid rules apply, in particular articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“TFEU”) and the Regulations and Guidelines in thisfield by the European Commission and Section 44 of the Federal Budget Code (Bundeshaushaltsordnung, “BHO”) and the mostly identical State Budget Codes (Landeshaushaltsordnungen, “LHO”).
Guatemala
There is not an express regulation on this matter.
India
Presently India does not have any sector-specific rules / general state rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to companies by the government or government-controlled agencies or companies in the UAS sector.
Israel
There are no specific rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to companies in the UAS sector. However, the Innovation Authority (the “IA”), which was established by virtue of Section 5(a) of the Law for the Encouragement of Research, Development and Technological Innovation in Industry, 1984 (the “Innovation Law”), provides various financial and other benefits to hi-tech companies and entrepreneurs in the form of grants, loans, exemptions and discounts and also operates programs to promote entrepreneurship and technological innovation, including in the field of UAS. For example, in recent months the IA offered grants to Israeli companies and individuals who will submit innovative ideas for the promotion and creation of aerial transport systems using UAS.
Italy
No, there are no sector specific rules regulating state aid in the UAS sector.
Kenya
There are no regulations of financial support by the government to companies in the UAS sector. There are also no regulations generally on financial aid in Kenya.
Mexico
No.
Nicaragua
There is not an express regulation on this matter.
Norway
General state aid rules apply, which in Norway is based on the EU/EEA regulations on state aid.
Pakistan
No.
Panama
There are no sector-specific rules related to direct or indirect financial support to such companies in Panama, either from the government or the private sector. Furthermore, there are no general aid rules that apply in such cases.
Philippines
Presently, the PCAR does not provide for sector-specific rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to companies by the government or government-controlled agencies or companies (state aid) in the UAS sector. The PCAR likewise does not provide for any general state aid rules.
Portugal
There are no specific rules for UAS. General state aid rules are applicable.
Puerto Rico
There is no state legislation covering this in Puerto Rico.
Romania
There are no specific rules regulating direct or indirect financial support to companies operating UAS. General state aid rules shall be applied.
South Africa
No.
Spain
No sector-specific rules regulate direct or indirect financial support to UAS companies by government. However, the main entities which are contributing with the financial strength of the Spanish UAS market are private equity funds and other private investors. On a State aid level, as UAS operators can be considered as start-up companies with a highly technological component, they can obtain credit lines from the Official Credit Institute, the Center for the Technological Industrial Development – CDTI (mainly for R+D projects) or ENISA.
At the regional level, several authorities have promoted the creation of drone hubs, like the Catalonia Smart Drone Project of the Government of Catalonia or the project of the Aerospace Technique National Institute (INTA) in the Centre of Excellence Unmanned Air Systems (CEUS) in Andalucía. Those projects are also for research, development, and testing of new inventions and upgrades on drones and special devices attached.
Switzerland
No, there are no sector-specific rules regulating state aid in the UAS sector, but the general state aid rules apply.
Turkey
There are no specific rules for state support or aid for UAS sector, general rules apply.
United Kingdom
N/A
United States of America
We are not aware of any rules regulating state aid to UAS operators or state aid programs specifically targeting the UAS industry. However, it is possible that generally applicable state aid programs could be available to qualified UAS operators, in which case the rules and regulations pertaining to such programs would apply.