You may take drones on domestic flights soon

You may take drones on domestic flights soon

Govt Working On New Rules, Say Officials

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:05.09.2021

You may soon be able to take your small drones with you on domestic holidays by air and post envyinducing pictures of chilling out on beaches or hills. After relaxing rules for drone usage, the government is working out ways to ensure that people can take drones with them on domestic flights for recreational purposes.

“Drones can’t be taken on (domestic) flights as of now, but we have to find a way to let people carry it for vacations for use at their destination. Whether they can be taken in handbags or check-in (luggage) and how, these things are being worked out,” said top aviation officials. For international travellers, regulations on carriage of drones at destination countries will have to be complied with.

This clarity of rules is needed to ensure people can at least take nano drones (weighing up to 250 grams), that now come with great cameras, on vacation when flying within the country. A new set of relaxed drone rules were enforced late last month, by junking stringent regulations put in place this March. The carriage of drones by air travellers passengers still remains a grey area that needs to be cleared.

People operating nano and micro (weighing between 251 grams and 2kg) drones for non-commercial or personal uses do not require a remote pilot licence.

The government is working out an airspace map for unmanned aircraft system operations that will have three colour zones. This map is expected to be on Digital Sky drone platform by the month-end. That will clearly show where a drone can be operated or not. Red, like areas in vicinity of airports, will be “no go” areas. In yellow zones, air traffic control clearance will be required.