Drone laws in India (updated for 2020)

india-drone-laws
height flight limit

150m max height

can't fly over crowds of people

Don't fly over crowds

plane icon white

Don't fly near airports

Only line of sight

All Drone Laws in India in 2020 (Ultimate Guide)

This is a guide for Indian drone laws in 2020 (updated every year) where you'll get a clue about what you can or shouldn't do while flying and travelling through this country.

Table of Contents

Are drones legal in India?

To fly any drone for that matter, you need to have it registered. A new policy directive from the Director-General of Civil Aviation mandated the registration. It is important to point out that foreigners are not allowed to fly drones in India. If the work involved a commercial task, the party has to lease the drone to an Indian entity who then has it registered so as to obtain the Unique Identification Number and UAOP.

 

Who do I contact?

The body responsible for drone-related information, news, regulations, and registrations are the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India.  

 

Here is the contact information:

 

Ajay Yadav, The Deputy Secretary

Email: a.yadav@ias.nic.in 

Tel: +91 011-2463-2950

What are the drone rules in India?

In August 2018, the India Civil Aviation announced its first Civil Aviation Requirements their drone industry. The rules went into effect on the 1st of December 2018. Now, why am I sharing this? It is important to give a prologue of happenings as one might have traveled to the place before the changes and wonder why my review tells a different story. You can find out more about the drone laws here.

 

Here are the general rules:

  • line of sight icon
    Line of sight
    Keep your done within the visual line-of-sight of an observer who is next to you or in direct communication with you
  • plane icon
    No flying near airports
    Do not interfere with a manned aircraft
  • crowd icon
    Don't fly over crowds
    Do not fly over any person or moving vehicle
  • height icon
    Height limit of 400ft
    Operators can only fly drones in uncontrolled airspace (Class G) up to 400 ft
  • checkmark
    Flying above 400ft requires permit
    Flying in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, E) requires permit. This could be done in three ways I'll cover bellow.
  • weight icon 500g
    Register over 250g
    If your drone weighs more than 250g you need to register your drone
  • city icon
    Permits are mandatory for all commercial drone operations
  • checkmark
    Do not fly your drone over 500m into the sea

How are drones classified in India?

  • Nano drones – weigh less than 250 g (0.55 pounds)
  • Microdrones – weigh 250 g to 2 Kg (0.55 to 4.4 pounds)
  • Small drones – weigh 2 Kg to 25 Kg (4.4 to 55 pounds)
  • Medium drones – weigh 25 Kg to 150 Kg (55 pounds to 330 pounds)
  • Large drones – weigh over 150 Kg (330 pounds plus)

How can I register my drone in India?

  • The body issuing the drone licenses in India is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. As of December 1, 2018, flying a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) is legal. 

    You can also register your drone on the DigitalSky website. There will be clearly laid out steps guiding you on how to register your drone.

    Part of the mandatory requirements for flying a drone is:

  1. Anti-collision light
  2. Return to home
  3. GPS
  4. ID Plate
  5. RF-ID and SIM

What are my top drones to fly safely in India?

My following two recommendations are 2 great compact drones that are quite silent and also small enough to travel with and not stand out as annoying.

1.Dji Mavic Mini - The best international travel drone (under 250g)

DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is perfect for not having to register it in India.

I have covered it much more in depth in my article review and even compared it with the DJI Spark and Mavic Air.

Check Price and reviews

Advantages

  • 30 min battery life
  • under 250g
  • super portable
  • 4km range
  • can edit videos in the app

DISAdvantages

  • no obstacle avoidance
  • no settings for iso and shutter speed

2.Dji Mavic Air 2 - My favorite drone overall

mavic air 2 package fly more combo
If you want more control over things like shutter speed, iso and such, the best professional drone that still falls under the 500g category is the DJI Mavic Air.
 
It's made mostly for people who want to play around with settings and enter into the pro category.
 

 

DJI lowered it's price since it was first released.

Check Price and reviews

Advantages

  • 3 way sensors
  • 68kph (fastest among the 3)
  • follow me mode(quite a few options)
  • 8gb internal storage
  • ISo & shutter speed settings
  • 6 photo modes
  • takes RAW photos
  • 100mbps bitrate

DISAdvantages

  • battery life ins't that amazing

Frequently asked questions

faq-what-should-you-look-for-in-a-drone

These are a few of the questions people travelling in India with their drone usually tend to ask. They'll get updated with time.

What happens if my drone isn’t licensed?

What happens if my drone isn’t licensed?

Can I travel with my drone to india by Airplane?

Unfortunately, no. If you come with a drone from overseas to India, it can get confiscated at the airport as it will be regarded as an import.

What are the restricted areas for flying drones in India?

India has implemented one of the most aggressive drone policies in the world. It has launched the No Permission No Takeoff policy that required authorization from the Digital Sky Platform. 

For more information on drone laws and drone use in India, check out this here.

Sources

Digital Sky