 |
 |
Remote Sensing Data Policy:
ISRO:EOS:POLICY-01:2001
INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION HQ
BANGALORE-560 094
REMOTE SENSING DATA POLICY (RSDP)
Recognising that Remote Sensing data provides much essential and critical
natural resources information – which is an input for developmental activities at
different levels and is also of benefit to society;
Noting that a large number of users – both within and outside government use
Remote Sensing data from Indian and foreign remote sensing satellites for
various developmental applications;
Taking into consideration the recent availability of very high-resolution images
from foreign and commercial remote sensing satellites and noting the need for
proper and better management of the data acquisition distribution from these
satellites in India;
Recognising that national interest is paramount and that security consideration
of the country needs to be given utmost importance;
The Government of India adopts the Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP) –
containing modalities for managing and/or permitting the
acquisition/dissemination of remote sensing data in support of developmental
activities.
Department of Space (DOS) of the Government of India will be the nodal agency
for all actions under this policy, unless otherwise stated.
1. For operating a remote sensing satellite from India, license and/or permission
of the Government, through the nodal agency, will be necessary.
- As a national commitment and as a “public good”, Government assures a
continuous/improving observing/imaging capability from its own Indian
Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) programme.
- The Government of India, through the nodal agency, 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.
- Government reserves right to impose control over imaging tasks and
distribution of data from IRS or any other Indian remote sensing satellite
when it is of the opinion that national security and/or international
obligations and/or foreign policies of the Government so require.
2. For acquisition/distribution of remote sensing data within India,
license/permission from the Government of India, through the nodal agency,
will be necessary.
- Government reserves the right to select and permit agencies to
acquire/distribute satellite remote sensing data in India. DOS shall be
competent to decide about the procedure for granting license/permission
for dissemination of such data and for the levy of necessary fees.
- To cater to the developmental needs of the country, the National Remote
Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the DOS is vested with the authority to acquire
and disseminate all satellite remote sensing data in India – both from
Indian and foreign satellites.
a. NRSC will enter into appropriate arrangements with DOS for
acquiring/distributing data from IRS within the visibility circle of
NRSC receiving station(s).
b. NRSC will be competent to enter into agreements with foreign
satellite operator(s) for acquisition/distribution of foreign satellite
data in India. However, so far as the acquisition/distribution of
IKONOS data in India is concerned, Antrix Corporation Limited (of
DOS) will conclude agreements with Space Imaging, USA on such
terms and conditions as may be considered appropriate by it and
NRSC will distribute the data as per terms agreed to with Antrix.
- NRSC will maintain a systematic National Remote Sensing Data Archive
and a log of all acquisitions/sales of data for all satellites.
3. For acquisition/distribution of IRS data for use in countries other than India,
the Government of India, through the nodal agency, would grant license to
such bodies/agencies of those countries as are interested in the
acquisition/distribution of IRS data, as per specific procedures.
- The Antrix Corporation Limited (of DOS) is vested with the authority for
receiving the applications for grant of license for acquisition/distribution of
IRS data outside of India; to consider and decide about the grant of license within the policy considerations of the Government and to enter
into licensing agreements with the prospective users on behalf of the
Government. It shall be competent to levy such fees for granting licenses
as may be considered appropriate by it. It shall also be responsible, where
necessary, for rendering any further help/guidance needed by the license.
- The Government reserves right to impose restrictions over imaging tasks
and distribution of IRS data in any country when it is of the opinion that
national security and/or international obligations and/or foreign policies of
the Government so require.
4. Government prescribes the following guidelines to be adopted for
dissemination of satellite remote sensing data in India:
- All data of resolutions up to 5.8 m shall be distributed on a nondiscriminatory
basis and on “as requested basis”
- With a view to protect national security interests, all data of 5.8 m and
better than 5.8 m resolution images will be screened by the appropriate
agency before distribution so that images of sensitive areas are
excluded.
a. Data of 5.8m and up to 1m resolution can be distributed to users
after screening and ensuring that the sensitive areas are excluded.
b. Data of 1m resolution and better will also be screened as above
and the following procedure will be followed for its distribution.
i. Government users can obtain the data without any further
clearance.
ii. Private sector agencies, recommended by at least one
Government agency for use of 1 m and better resolution data for
supporting development activities, can obtain it without any
further clearance.
iii. Other Private, Foreign and other users can obtain the data after
further clearance from an inter-agency High Resolution Image
Clearance Committee (HRC).
iv. Specific requests for data of sensitive areas, by any user, can be
distributed only after obtaining clearance from HRC.
v. Specific sale/non-disclosure agreements to be concluded
between NRSC and users for data of 1 m resolution and better.
5. This policy comes into effect immediately and may be reviewed from time-to-time by
Government.
|
|
|
