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 The government of India released its new Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP – 2011) on July 4, 2011.

 

The new policy removes restrictions on all remote sensing data up to 1 m resolution, that is, all satellite remote sensing data of resolutions up to 1 m will now be distributed on a non-discriminatory 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.

 

RSDP-2011 comes into effect immediately.

 

More info on the policy is available at http://www.isro.org/news/pdf/RSDP-2011.pdf