India Drone Laws (2019)

India Drone Laws

Img 1: Aerial Photography In India

Contents

  1. General India Drone Laws
  2. Drone Permits In India
  3. Brining Your Drone On Airplanes Guide
  4. Buying Drones In India
  5. Drone Travel Guide Articles
  6. Contact Information For Questions

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General India Drone Laws

Drone use is allowed in India, but there are several drone laws that need to be followed when flying in the country. Operators must ensure that they follow the following drone laws when flying a drone weighing over 250 grams in India, acording to Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) which has been effected from December 1, 2018.

  • Do not fly your drone over densely populated areas or large crowds
  • Respect others privacy when flying your drone
  • Do not fly your drone within 5km of airports or in areas where aircraft are operating
  • You must fly during daylight hours and only fly in good weather conditions
  • Do not fly your drone in sensitive areas including government or military facilities. Use of drones or camera drones in these areas are prohibited
  • You must be at least 18 years old and have completed a training course
  • All drones must be equipped with a license plate identifying the operator, and how to contact them
  • You must only fly your drone within visual line of sight
  • You cannot fly more than one UAV at a time
  • Do not fly your drone within 50km of a border
  • Do not fly your drone more than 500 meters into the sea, from the coastline
  • Do not fly within 5km of Vijay Chowk in Delhi
  • Do not fly over national parks or wildlife sanctuaries
  • All drones must have liability insurance

Permit Needed For Recreational Drone Use?

A drone permit is required for recreational drone use.

If you wish to fly a drone with a weight up to 250g according to the Drone Laws in India you must have to register your drone with the respective authority and also apply for an importation permit also issued by the Indian authorities.

You can register your drone with DigitalSky.

Please contact DigitalSky to obtain permission, or contact us for information for registration/importation. (What Is Recreational Drone Use?)

Permit Needed For Commercial Drone Use?

A permit is required for commercial drone use in India.

Please contact DigitalSky to obtain permission, or contact us for information for registration/importation. (What Is Commercial Drone Use?)

Bringing Your Drone On Airplanes Guide

For a detailed guide to bringing your drone on airplanes click here. All drones should be brought on carry on luggage if possible. This is because according to the Montreal Convention, airlines are only liable for losses up to ~$1,000 USD. When traveling internationally, theft and lost luggage can be common issues, particularly if your flight has many connections. If your drone is worth more than $1,000 USD and you cannot bring it onto the plane you should consider shipping it with DHL, Fedex, or UPS instead and fully insure the shipment.

You should NOT place drone batteries in your checked baggage. All drone batteries should be placed in a Medium Size Lipo Battery Bag" data-src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=uavsystemsint-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B007V9MN44" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> like the one shown here in the link and brought onto the plane in your carry on bag. Lithium-ion batteries are considered “dangerous goods” by airlines and rules surrounding these batteries on planes are EXTREMELY strict due to multiple incidents of these batteries catching fire. Failure to properly pack lithium-ion batteries in a bag such as the one shown in the link above can result in the airline seizing them, you getting fined, or being denied boarding.

Here is some video footage shot by TheQuadCamBros when flying a drone in India.

Buying Drones In Iraq

Read all of our India Drone Laws, and now looking for drones, parts, accessories, or something else? Read our guide for Buying Drones In India. It includes information on drones for sale in India, import taxes, payment options, and shipping.

Drone Travel Guide

India drone laws are up to date as of June, 2019. Please email [email protected] , or click “leave a message” at the bottom right of the screen if you have any questions or comments.