Drones in India Rules and Regulations
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the National Aviation Authority of India, it is legal to fly a drone in India, but we recommend being aware of and complying with the Drones in India Rules and Regulations listed below before doing so.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India announced the country’s first Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) for drones on August 27, 2018, to be effective from December 1, 2018. Read the full rules here (Section 3-Air Transport, Series X, Part I).
In India, there are general guidelines for flying drones
Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important Drones in India Rules and Regulations
- All drones except nano-category drones must be registered and issued a Unique Identification Number (UIN).
- A permit is required for commercial drone operations (except for those flying below 50 feet in the nano category and 200 feet in the micro category).
- Drone pilots must maintain a straight line of sight at all times while in flight.
- Drones can not fly more than 400 feet vertically.
- Drones cannot fly in areas designated as “no-fly zones,” including areas near airports, international borders, Vijay Chowk in Delhi, state secretariat complexes in state capitals, strategic locations, and military installations.
- Permission to fly in control airspace can obtain by filing a flight plan and obtaining a unique Air Defense Clearance (ADC) or Flight Information Center (FIC) number.
India’s Drone Categories
- Registration is required for all except the Nano category.
- Nano: weighing less than or equal to 250 g (.55 pound).
- 250 g (55 lb) to 2 kg (4.4 lb)
- Sizes range from 2 kg (4.4 lbs) to 25 kg (55 lbs).
- Medium: 25 kg (55 pounds) to 150 kg (330 pounds)
- Large: weighing more than 150 kg (33 lb).
Equipment for Drones is required in India.
It’s also worth noting that India has specific requirements for what types of features must be in India (except for those in the Nano category). These mandatory requirements include:
- The Global Positioning System
- Homecoming (RTH)
- Anti-collision light
- ID plate
- A flight controller that can record flight data.
- RF-ID and SIM/No Takeoff Permission (NPNT)
India’s no permission, “No Takeoff Policy”
Before every single flight, drone pilots have to request permission to fly through a mobile app, which will automatically process the request and grant or deny it. India’s procedure is known as “No Permit, No Takeoff” (NPNT). If a drone pilot tries to take off without obtaining permission from the Digital Sky platform, he will not be able to take off easily.
All drone operators will register their drones and request permission to fly for each flight through India’s Digital Sky platform. The Digital Sky platform and more details will be available on the DGCA website from December 1st, 2018.
Want to get an idea of what kind of footage you can get while flying a drone in India? Here you go:
Don’t know what we don’t know about Drones in India Rules and Regulations? Drones in India Rules and Regulations can change throughout the year, and tracking those changes can be difficult. If we’ve missed something, please get in touch to let us know.
Drones in India Rules and Regulations
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