Private drones likely to be allowed in India from December 1

New Delhi: In a significant move, India will allow the commercial usage of drones from December 1 this year, but users will have to seek permission to fly them on a mobile app, after which an automated process will permit or deny the request instantly. This will be done across sectors like agriculture, health and disaster relief under the new regulations, but the delivery of payload, including food items, will not be allowed as of now, news agency reports said.

The flight of drones is expected to be of huge significance particularly in future scenarios where there is a natural disaster such as the Kerala floods. As per the regulation, there are five categories of drones, known in official parlance as Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) — categorised by weight, namely nano, micro, small, medium and large. No permission needs be taken if the drone is a nano one (smallest category in weight). 

The airspace has also been partitioned into Red Zone (flying not permitted), Yellow Zone (controlled airspace), and Green Zone (automatic permission). All RPAS except nano and those owned by the NTRO, ARC and Central intelligence agencies will be registered and issued with an Unique Identification Number (UIN), the government said Monday. 

The “No Drone Zones” include areas around airports, near the international border, Vijay Chowk in New Delhi (with Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House and the North and South Blocks nearby); the state secretariat complex in state capitals, strategic locations and certain vital military installations.  “To prevent unauthorised flights and to ensure public safety, any drone without a digital permit to fly will simply not be able to take off,” the government said.