Aerospace drones and defence

Define the product and the role

A component supplier, drone manufacturer, survey operator, maintenance provider and defence exporter need different permission maps. Document product specifications, intended use, customer, destination and the activity actually performed. Supplying a customer in the defence sector does not by itself settle the classification of every product.

Keep manufacturing and operating permissions separate

For civil drone activities, assess the applicable Drone Rules, current DGCA procedures, product certification, registration and pilot requirements for the particular category and operation. Confirm airspace and operational conditions for the planned activity. Product ownership or a customer contract is not evidence that a flight is permitted.

For aerospace manufacturing or maintenance, identify the approval and quality requirements attached to the actual product and work scope. Track configuration, inspection and release records with the responsible technical specialists.

Review trade controls before committing to delivery

Classify goods and relevant technology against the current export-control framework, including SCOMET where applicable. Assess end use, end user and destination before sending controlled items or information. The Department of Defence Production publishes authorisation procedures for Category 6 munitions-list exports; other classifications may involve different procedures.

Do not assume an ordinary export registration, a customer purchase order or a civil-use description resolves an export-authorisation requirement. Keep classification reasoning and any applicable authorisation conditions with the transaction file.

Prepare the project evidence pack

• Customer requirements, technical scope, configuration and change approvals.
• Supplier traceability, inspection evidence, serial numbers and acceptance records.
• Project milestones, advances, retention, warranties and delivery documentation.
• Applicable manufacturing, operating and trade permissions with their conditions.
• Access permissions for technical data, subcontractor obligations and incident escalation.

Example: a survey business adding hardware sales

A drone survey operator that starts importing and selling equipment needs a fresh product and import assessment. Its experience conducting surveys does not establish the permissions or responsibilities for placing equipment on the market. Keep sales, operating services and maintenance obligations distinct in contracts and accounts.

Coordinate business and technical owners

Kosha can support corporate, accounting, tax and commercial records, including project costing and customer advances. Airworthiness, flight safety, technical certification and specialist controlled-trade determinations need their own appropriately qualified engagement. Manufacturing premises, worker safety and data handling should also be included in the operating review.

Connect project acceptance to billing

Keep the agreed milestone, submitted deliverable and customer acceptance record together, with the relevant configuration or document version identified. Record open observations and any retained payment separately. Internal completion, dispatch and customer acceptance can be different events; the project file should explain which event supports the commercial claim.

For example, a survey assignment may include an initial dataset and a later corrected deliverable. Preserve the delivery history and agreed change request so finance can distinguish the original milestone from additional work. Avoid sharing restricted technical material in an initial enquiry; a document index and commercial summary can establish the support scope.

Commercial contract review can help examine acceptance criteria, change requests and payment dependencies. Monthly-close support can help reconcile project advances, invoices, supplier costs and outstanding customer balances against those records.