Airspace Map for Drones Are Out; Key Takeaways
Within a record time, the drone airspace map comes as a follow-through of the liberalised Drone Rules, 2021 and the PLI scheme for drones. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has termed drones as "a significant creators of employment and economic growth" due to their reach, versatility, and ease of use, especially in India’s remote and inaccessible areas.
What is an Airspace Map for Drones?
The drone airspace map is an interactive map of India that demarcates the yellow and red zones across the country. It is divided in to Green Zone, Yellow Zone and a Red Zone.
Green zone: No Permission Required.
It is the airspace upto 400 feet that has not been designated as a red or yellow zone; and upto 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 upto 500 kg.
Yellow Zone: Requires Permission from ATC/AAI/IAF/Navy/HAL as the case may be
It 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. Yellow zone has been reduced from 45 km earlier to 12 km from the airport perimeter.
Red Zone: ‘No-Drone Zone’
It is a 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.
Freely Available: The drone airspace map is freely available on the digital sky platform to all without any login requirements.
