General Rules for Flying a Drone in India

Here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in India.
o All drones except those in the Nano category must be registered and issued a Unique
Identification Number (UIN).
o A permit is required for commercial drone operations (except for those in the Nano category
flown below 50 feet and those in the Micro category flown below 200 feet).
o Drone pilots must maintain a direct visual line of sight at all times while flying.
o Drones cannot be flown more than 400 feet vertically.
o Drones cannot be flown in areas specified as “No Fly Zones”, which include areas near airports,
international borders, Vijay Chowk in Delhi, State Secretariat Complex in State Capitals, strategic
locations, and military installations.
o Permission to fly in controlled airspace can be obtained by filing a flight plan and obtaining a
unique Air Defense Clearance (ADC)/Flight Information Center (FIC) number.

Drone Categories in India

Registration is required for all but the Nano category.
o Nano: Less than or equal to 250 grams (.55 pounds)
o Micro: From 250 grams (.55 pounds) to 2kg (4.4 pounds)
o Small: From 2kg (4.4 pounds) to 25kg (55 pounds)
o Medium: From 25kg (55 pounds) to 150kg (330 pounds)
o Large: Greater than 150kg (33 pounds)

Required Drone Equipment in India

Also worth noting is that India has specific requirements regarding the types of features a drone must
have to be flown in India (excluding those in the Nano category). These mandatory requirements
include:
o GPS
o Return-to-home (RTH)
o Anti-collision light
o ID plate
o A flight controller with flight data logging capability
o RF ID and SIM/No Permission No Takeoff (NPNT)

India’s No Permission, No Takeoff Policy

Before every single flight, drone pilots are required to request permission to fly via a mobile app, which
will automatically process the request and grant or reject it. India is calling their system “No Permission,
No Takeoff” (NPNT). If a drone pilot tries to fly without receiving permission from the Digital Sky
Platform, he or she will simply not be able to takeoff.
 All drone operators will register their drone and request permission to fly for each flight through India’s
Digital Sky Platform. The Digital Sky Platform and further details will be available on the  DGCA
website from December 1, 2018.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the regulatory body governing the safety aspects of civil
aviation in India. It endeavors to promote safe and efficient Air Transportation through regulation and
proactive safety scrutiny system. DGCA provides permission for aerial shooting in the country
For filming at Airports / Aerial Filming permission, kindly apply at least two (2) months prior to the
day of the shoot.

Nodal Officer
Shri D.C. Sharma
Deputy Director General
Directorate General of Civil Aviation
Aurbindo Marg, Opp. Safdarjung Airport
New Delhi – 110003
*The FFO (Film Facilitation Office) portal accepts online applications from Domestic filmmakers who
wish to film in various locations in different States of India. However, it is not mandatory to apply
thorough the FFO and applicants may apply to the States directly too.

STEPS TO FILLING AN ONLINE APPLICATION (Domestic And International

Filmmakers Seeking State Level And Local Permissions)
Below are the steps to apply for permission on the FFO portal.

 1) Register – Register yourself with the FFO website to start your application process.
(International projects applying for State permissions need not register again)
 2) Fill Application Form - Fill out the application form for seeking permission for film shooting
across various States.
 Synopsis
 Details of shooting locations in India and the period of shooting
 Location wise cast /crew details and equipment list, if any
 Location wise additional shooting requirements, such as use of animals, arms and ammunition,
crowd, set structure, Unit vehicles, SFX etc., if any
 3) Upload Documents – The application form will ask for the following information/documents.
 4) Submit Application – The application will be sent to the respective State Nodal officer/s,
whose details will also be sent to you. The State Nodal officer/s will get in touch with you regarding
processing of application and payment of fees depending on your location. In case there is no
response from the State/s, you may contact the FFO office for follow up.
 5) Permission Letter – Once the permission has been granted for any State/UT, the Nodal
Officer will upload the Permission letter on the FFO web portal.