150m max height
Don't fly over crowds
Don't fly near airports
Only line of sight
All Drone Laws in India in 2021 (Ultimate Guide)
This is a guide for Indian drone laws in 2021 (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 sightKeep your done within the visual line-of-sight of an observer who is next to you or in direct communication with you -
No flying near airportsDo not interfere with a manned aircraft -
Don't fly over crowdsDo not fly over any person or moving vehicle -
Height limit of 400ftOperators can only fly drones in uncontrolled airspace (Class G) up to 400 ft -
Flying above 400ft requires permitFlying in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, E) requires permit. This could be done in three ways I'll cover bellow. -
Register over 250gIf your drone weighs more than 250g you need to register your drone -
Permits are mandatory for all commercial drone operations -
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:
- Anti-collision light
- Return to home
- GPS
- ID Plate
- 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.
Dji Mini 2- The best international travel drone (under 250g)
4k
31min
10km
No follow me
DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is legal to fly in most countries without registration.
It comes at a very cheap price for it's incredible specs.
It comes at a very cheap price for it's incredible specs.
I have covered it much more in depth in my article review and even compared it with the Mavic Air 2.
2.Dji Mavic Air 2 - My favorite drone overall
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.
Frequently asked questions
These are a few of the questions people travelling in India with their drone usually tend to ask. They'll get updated with time.
Drone laws Ending
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