New Delhi, (Asian independent) India’s airspace map for drone operations has been released and is available on aviation regulator DGCA’s digital sky platform, an official statement said on Friday.
The drone airspace map comes as a follow-through of the liberalised Drone Rules, 2021 which were released by the government on August 25, the PLI scheme for drones released on September 15, and the Geospatial Data Guidelines issued on February 15.
“All these policy reforms will catalyse super-normal growth in the upcoming drone sector,” the Civil Aviation Ministry statement said.
It said the interactive map demarcates the drone operational zones across the country.
In the green zone, airspace up to 400 feet has been designated for operations. It is, however, reduced to 200 feet above the area located between 8-12 km from the perimeter of an operational airport.
“In green zones, no permission whatsoever is required for operating drones with an all-up weight up to 500 kg.”
“Yellow zone is the airspace above 400 feet in a designated green zone, above 200 feet in the area located between 8-12 km from the perimeter of an operational airport, and above ground in the area located between 5-8 km from the perimeter of an operational airport.”
“Drone operations in yellow zone require permission from the concerned air traffic control authority – AAI, IAF, Navy, HAL etc as the case may be.”
The yellow zone has been reduced from 45 km earlier to 12 km from the airport perimeter.
A red zone is the ‘no-drone zone’ within which drones can be operated only after a permission from the Central government.
“The airspace map may be modified by authorised entities from time to time.”
“Anyone planning to operate a drone should mandatorily check the latest airspace map for any changes in zone boundaries. The drone airspace map is freely available on the digital sky platform to all without any login requirements,” the statement said.