The use of drones by civilians is currently restricted by the Directorate General of Civilian Aviation.
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Set to Come December 1 2018, drones will become a commoner sight in Indian skies than they are right now. The government this week unveiled regulations that will finally allow for legal drone operations in India.
Flying drones, however, will not be as simple as buying one, whipping it out and piloting it into the air whenever and wherever you want. Neither will your e-commerce packages or daily dinners be air-delivered to your doorstep (something that is in the last stage of testing in the West) by a drone.
It must be mentioned that these are just the first set of regulations, which the government is calling Drone Regulations 1.0, meant to free Indian skies for drone operations.
The 1.0 version of the regulations will kick in from December 1 and if you're planning to have a drone a part of your New Year's Eve celebration, here is what you need to know
What is Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP)?
Operators of civil drones will need to get a permit from the DGCA. There are exceptions for:
i) Nano RPA operating below 50 feet (15 m) in uncontrolled airspace / enclosed premises.
ii) Micro RPA operating below 200 feet (60 m) in uncontrolled airspace / enclosed premises – but will need to inform local police 24 hours prior.
Iii) RPA owned and operated by NTRO, ARC and Central Intelligence Agencies but after intimating local police.
The policy also stipulates that RPAs shall be flown only by someone over 18 years of age, having passed 10th exam in English, and undergone ground/ practical training as approved by DGCA.
What are the restrictions in place for drones in India?
RPAs cannot be flown within 5km of the perimeters of the airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and within 3km from the perimeter of any other airport.
It cannot fly within “permanent or temporary Prohibited, Restricted and Danger Areas” and within 25km from international border which includes the Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL).
It cannot fly beyond 500 m into sea from the coast line and within 3 km from perimeter of military installations.
THE PARTICULARS OF FLYING
So, it's after December 1, you have a registered drone and a permit allowing you to pilot drones. How do you go about flying the vehicle?
Well, it involves a mobile app that will work as the front end for what the government is calling the Digital Sky Platform.
- Before a flight, drone operators will have to apply for permission on the app. The request, the government says, will be accepted or denied instantaneously, as long as you are in the green zone.
You will have to seek a digital permit every time you intend to fly a drone. If the Digital Sky Platform denies your request, your drone's no-permission-no-take-off system will prevent it from taking off.
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