RC India

Hi, I wasn't sure where I should post this, so I chose here. Forgive me if I chose unwisely.

What is the situation over there with owning and flying quadcopters? I ask mainly because I noticed a young guy from India claimed on an American forum that your Government banned the flying of quadcopters. He didn't however mention if it was a regional thing or India wide.  If it's true I imagine your jails must be full of criminals who have flown their quads or that your Government is growing very rich from the fines they hand out.

It appears that quadcopter flying is much the same in India as anywhere else in the world if I'm to believe how many of you guys talk about your quads. It doesn't appear to be something you wish to hide and only participate when the local policeman is having day off.

So are they banned or did this guy have it all wrong. If it's true then you have my deepest sympathies, I don't think anyone who's competent in flying should be banned from such a healthy and fun pastime. I do agree with some form of control over where they can and can't be flown and this should be self policing. But those are my personal views Perhaps some kind person can fill me in on your rules and regulations re quadcopter or any type of multicopter flying, and do you have any unwritten laws on flying, the laws you follow because they're logical and safer?

He was right - there 'technically' is a blanket ban on flying all UAS until such a time as the DGCA comes up with rules and regulations (it has been 3 years since the initial ban and about 1.5 years since the first draft of the regulations came out). However it's barely enforced and the few people who've gotten in trouble are usually commercial photographers/ tourists flying in more crowded areas. As far as I know commercial operators are able to get permission to fly from the local police on a case-by-case basis. Even the IDRL (Indian Drone Racing League) organises races quite frequently at various colleges and is able to get permission for those. So the 'ban' pretty much means nothing on the ground in my experience (flying every weekend). I've interacted with cops a few times while flying and they asked a few questions/ sometimes asked us to leave and not fly at that location but it's generally not been too bad.
It's certainly not a serious enough offence to be jailed for and 'fines' are usually more likely.


On the separate topic of imports (based on your other post), most individuals can't import any RTF/BNF quads and radios. Customs usually asks for 2 documents on this front:

• Approval from the DGCA - I have no idea how you'd go about getting this and I don't know what (if any) procedure is in place
• ETA (equipment type approval from the WPC (wireless planning & coordination wing) - Even though 2.4/5.8GHz are technically open bands, you still need an ETA for each piece of equipment you try to import to prove they meet maximum power regulations etc. Some RC radios have already been type approved so this could be got around.

Importing parts (except LiPos) usually isn't a problem. Suppliers on the other hand are usually able to import RTFs like DJI quads, so either they have the documents or contacts in customs.

Mmmm, we have a term we use in Australia, but I don't think it's appropriate here. It sounds like a typical Government situation where someone didn't do his homework. As I said the only comparison here in Australia was when our Government banned CB radio use, They didn't ban their importation and they didn't ban shops from selling them, they simply made them illegal to own. I was caught with a hand held wrapped in a towel on the back seat of my car, I was fined $40 and now almost 40 years later I have a criminal record. After a lot of hard work and hiring aircraft to fly to capital cities for public meeting plus having the biggest convoy of cars and trucks which drove from Sydney to Canberra with police escorts (the convoy stretched for 40 miles) We finally got them legalised. Today we have both 80 channels on 27Mhz and 40 on UHF.

Sorry, that has nothing to do with quadcopters. We are allowed to fly them as long as we don't make any money from doing it. If you do want to make money you require a special licence which I've been told is almost as hard as getting a real pilot's licence. We have our unwritten laws which 99% of us stick by, don't fly over crowds, over built up areas and within 6km of an airport or airstrip. Basic stuff as long as the 1% don't mess it up as a few clowns did in the USA. Landing a quadcopter on the lawns of the White House and putting a fake bomb inside one which crashed not far away is what has the US government worried.  But banning them won't stop them being used, not with many millions of them currently being used.

Thanks for taking the time to tell me about your dilemma, hopefully it's ratified and they allow you to participate in a wonderful hobby. All the best to you,   Stu