Rules for Drone Operators

Flying a drone is permitted in India, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the country's national aviation regulator. However, before doing so, we advise being informed of and abiding by the drone rules given below.

You must not fly your drone higher than 120 metres (400 feet) above ground level.

All Drones must be registered and issued a Unique Identification Number. This does not applies to Nano Drones.

You must keep your drone at least 30 meters away from other people.

Drones can not fly in areas specified as "No Fly Zones"

Respect personal privacy. Don’t record or photograph people without their consent

You must keep your drone within visual line-of-sight. This means always being able to see the drone with your own eyes

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If you intend to fly your drone for or at work (commercially), there are extra rules you must follow. First , Register your Drone and request for permission to fly.

Drone Classification in India

Drone Classification based on weight

Drones are classified using maximum all-up weight including payload, be classified as follows:-

Nano Drones : Weight should be less than or equal to 250 grams
Micro Drones : Weight should be from 250 Grams to 2Kg
Small Drones : Weight should be from 2Kg to 25 Kg
Medium Drones : Weight should be from 25Kg to 150Kg
Large Drones : Weight should be more than 150Kg

Drone requirements

In the future, the Central Government may prescribe safety safeguards that owners of unmanned aircraft systems must implement. These safety features may include, among other things, the ones listed below:

(a) ‘No Permission – No Takeoff’ hardware and firmware
(b) Real-time tracking beacon that communicates the unmanned aircraft system’s location, altitude, speed and unique identification number
(c) Geo-fencing capability.

What is NPNT ("No Permission, No Takeoff")

Drone pilots are obliged to obtain permission to fly before each and every flight using a smartphone app, which will automatically process the request and approve or deny it. India refers to its policy as "No Permission, No Takeoff" (NPNT). A drone pilot won't be able to take off if he or she tries to fly without getting approval from the Digital Sky Platform.

Through India's Digital Sky Platform, all drone operators must register their devices and submit a request for authorisation before each flight. From December 1, 2018, more information about the Digital Sky Platform will be accessible on the DGCA website.