India 2018 ruls for visitor

[Borowa]

Hello eveyrbody!
I'm photographer, motorcycle maniac (ADV rider), ex-diving instructor, traveller by heart soul and mind..

I have to ask about drons in India
I'm about to fly to India to Bangalore, few hours of stop over then I will have internal flights Andamans islands and than to Sikkim (almost Himalayas).
I wanna do some footage on beach, above ocean, that trakking close by Himalayas,
I know that India as country can be quite tricky - I'm not interested in flying abouve cities etc - I hate crouds, I have been in India 10ago and I saw few "big" cities - now NATURE is calling me.

I have Mavic Pro, I can detached propellers on airports to say that its like gimbal or toy dron. But I will have like 6 domestic flights....
Can anybody give me some advise - especially people how have been there

Law is changing but up to this moment it's not clear about Custom, confiscating drone etc

Thanks a lot
Paul

 

[psycho-realm]

Same for me... are you allready on your way?

 

[Borowa]

Hi
And it has started....
I was flying drone above beach for sunset, no single building around, nothing except sandy beach+trees and the ocean.
After few minutes police showed up.
I packed everything, and I was told to follow police car to polices station.
after 1h talk they told me that flying drone is prohibited in India (which is not exact truth), but they did not want to talk about it, they just said:

no fly!

No internet on this island to check regulations

If I want to fly I need to get permit, and on this island I won't get it, I need to apply to some Indian Civil Aviation Association (not this name but sounds like), to do so, I would need to go back to main island, go to Emigration Office and apply - but in 99,99% They won't grant permit....

They took my personal details, but they did not do anything else
I still have drone with me.

No talks about toy, private use, honeymoon footage etc
No flying in India at all

Hope you will have better fly time in Incredible India

Best Regards
Pawel

 

[nutsnbolts]

Hi
And it has started....
I was flying drone above beach for sunset, no single building around, nothing except sandy beach+trees and the ocean.
After few minutes police showed up.
I packed everything, and I was told to follow police car to polices station.
after 1h talk they told me that flying drone is prohibited in India (which is not exact truth), but they did not want to talk about it, they just said:

no fly!

No internet on this island to check regulations

If I want to fly I need to get permit, and on this island I won't get it, I need to apply to some Indian Civil Aviation Association (not this name but sounds like), to do so, I would need to go back to main island, go to Emigration Office and apply - but in 99,99% They won't grant permit....

They took my personal details, but they did not do anything else
I still have drone with me.

No talks about toy, private use, honeymoon footage etc
No flying in India at all

Hope you will have better fly time in Incredible India

Best Regards
Pawel

Lol they were waiting for you to slip them a few dollars or rupees or euros. Then you can fly.

 

[Davoice]

Hi
And it has started....
I was flying drone above beach for sunset, no single building around, nothing except sandy beach+trees and the ocean.
After few minutes police showed up.
I packed everything, and I was told to follow police car to polices station.
after 1h talk they told me that flying drone is prohibited in India (which is not exact truth), but they did not want to talk about it, they just said:

no fly!

No internet on this island to check regulations

If I want to fly I need to get permit, and on this island I won't get it, I need to apply to some Indian Civil Aviation Association (not this name but sounds like), to do so, I would need to go back to main island, go to Emigration Office and apply - but in 99,99% They won't grant permit....

They took my personal details, but they did not do anything else
I still have drone with me.

No talks about toy, private use, honeymoon footage etc
No flying in India at all

Hope you will have better fly time in Incredible India

Best Regards
Pawel

I will go to Maldives after India and plan to bring a drone to fly maldive

i dont intend to use the drone in india but, i heard that customs can confiscate the drone if they see one. Is this true?

Another question is: what are the chances that they will open my baggage ?

 

[mshergill]

I will go to Maldives after India and plan to bring a drone to fly maldive

i dont intend to use the drone in india but, i heard that customs can confiscate the drone if they see one. Is this true?

Another question is: what are the chances that they will open my baggage ?

Hi there,

As an Indian I can answer your questions.

1. Customs can confiscate your drone if they find out. In case that happens you must tell them that you will be reexporting it. You need to mention it in your form they make you sign when they confiscate it. This is very important, so that you can take it with you when you leave the country. I don’t know the process in details.

2. As an Indian I have travelled out of India around twice every year for the last 18 years and I have never been stopped or checked by customs. Customs are on the lookout for people smuggling drugs and gold, certainly not drones as of now. As long as you behave normally and dress decently, nobody from customs should stop you.

 

[mshergill]

Also do keep in mind the mindset of the authorities in India. We are a victim of state sponsored terrorism from across the border. There is a fear in the country amongst aurhorities that drones might be used in future to carry out terrorist activity.

Photographers in India use drones extensively for weddings, as they are huge celebrations. When the police show up, they are given bribes and the shooting carries on. The photographers are Indian.

However when a foreigner uses a drone in India, it becomes a huge and totally different matter taking on security aspects. No police will accept a bribe and take the risk of letting a foreigner fly drones.

They have come out recently with draft laws for drones. It will be a long and complicated process.

 

[dementedrone]

Mavic pro is not a very popular drone in India so no one really knows what this thing is when folded. So i have been carrying it around through airport xrays without being ceased. Be mindful where you fly a drone as locals get curious and skeptical then report a suspected terrorist activity. Also, my Mavic went thru xray as I enter Taj Mahal, still all good to go. However, I decided to fly when I exited the gates about 200 meters away from a hotel terrace. Then everything went to sh* from here and I made it to breaking news of India. I got away without any charges or jail time and my drone is safe Just be prepared to be interrogated for 4.5 hrs. From Tourist to Terrorist! Linked the news below:

 

[plainman007]

Lol they were waiting for you to slip them a few dollars or rupees or euros. Then you can fly.

That is true. The fellows would try some scare tactics to just extract money from you. There is no section in IPC (Indian Penal Code) yet describing the terms and punishment for flying drones. Cheap Indian cops are always like that. Instead of catching thieves and rapists (which incidentally they dont do, even when women run to them for help, they wont take the complaint) but they have time to chase hobbyists for flying a drone for pleasure.

 

[plainman007]

Hi there,

As an Indian I can answer your questions.
Customs are on the lookout for people smuggling drugs and gold, certainly not drones as of now.

As an Indian i can tell you, I agree with everything you said as true, except that above line. The customs & police in India are more perturbed about these petty ******** offenses that dont hurt anyone. They dont take action for theft cases, assault and even murder very seriously as you will know from the huge amount of pending / unsolved cases in this country. 1 in 100 cases they will solve and that will come out as huge flash news that THEY SOLVED IT (as in did their job which they are paid for) and that they are so great, try asking them how many cases are pending or where they have not even bothered taking action, thousands per year per police station. But the beggars will try to catch you for such simple things because it means instant money / bribes. India is one country where police vehicles will stop openly to collect bribes of $1 equivalent etc. Cheap with no self-respect at all.

 

[plainman007]

I admit even in the USA govt officials take bribes. But only solid sums (to deviate from the norms for some subtle norm/crime which doesn't immediately affect the public) and maybe 10% number of occurrences compared to India. In India every 8 out of 10 cops get up in the morning and wear their uniform thinking where they can collect money today. They even maintain an everyday collection register where they split the cash among themselves. This gives them immunity and support from their peers opposed to pocketing it without sharing. They are like a business and calculate daily collections which come from every shop and small business in that area. Everyone has to contribute monthly (for business establishments and hotels) or daily (for smaller push carts and shops). They maintain a register of the daily collections and if anyone has missed paying. Then they split it according to rank. If a business doesn't co-operate, then no protection from the Law. They wont come if someone is breaking your restaurant, and their next step is to strike a deal with some petty criminal and ask him to trash your restaurant one late night etc, and then they will laugh at you when you run for help. They wont come or accept your complaint, they will even turn it against you by saying you instigated a fight and arrest you for it. Another method is cancelling the small business owners police license to operate a business in that area, which is mandatory for every shop/business.

Im sorry for the big rant, but any foreigners and innocent Indians should be forearmed with this knowledge so that they can handle situations better. My suggestion if your caught with a drone is just slip him a few hundreds and get away right there promising to pack up, instead of going up to the police station etc. Get it sorted on the spot and just scoot from that location, or he will go away and send his friends to come loot you for more.

 

[plainman007]

In the video posted above did you hear the Director General Of Police for that state talking on the phone with the reporter ? He says it can be rigged with explosives and sent to destroy the monument/people. LOL. what absurd talk. How much in weight of explosive can someone tie to the drone and will that quantity create an impact thats worth flying a drone. A person wanting to do harm can create more damage by simpler means and on the ground because security is lax at so many other points. Just because these are flying machines they are getting so much attention and being berated for very superficial reasons.

 

[lmel2005]

All these happen, because people in India fly irresponsibly. ,,,[emoji316]

 

[plainman007]

All these happen, because people in India fly irresponsibly. ,,,[emoji316]

Have you been to India ? Im from India and im flying not more than 30 feet, literally. On my private roof top in my private campus. How more responsible can we get. If i so much as see one person around who can interfere or cause a problem, i land & pack up. I only fly with zero people around. So dont try to be judgemental.

For your kind info most of the people who flew in India irresponsibly are foreigners like you, who come to another country and fly irresponsibly. Just look at the video above for obvious proof before you run your mouth. Also google Chinese youth arrested in India for flying drone on beach. I myself have pointed out the fallacies in my country, but i cant listen to uneducated opinions just posted on impulse.

You want to say something just for the sake of upping your post count ?

 

[lmel2005]

Have you been to India ? Im from India and im flying not more than 30 feet, literally. On my private roof top in my private campus. How more responsible can we get. If i so much as see one person around who can interfere or cause a problem, i land & pack up. I only fly with zero people around. So dont try to be judgemental.

For your kind info most of the people who flew in India irresponsibly are foreigners like you, who come to another country and fly irresponsibly. Just look at the video above for obvious proof before you run your mouth. Also google Chinese youth arrested in India for flying drone on beach. I myself have pointed out the fallacies in my country, but i cant listen to uneducated opinions just posted on impulse.

You want to say something just for the sake of upping your post count ?

It was a joke my friend.

I wrote it, because some folks here believe, that restrictions come from "irresponsible pilots".

Seriously, I believe that situation in India is terrible, and hope things will be better in the future.

 

[Thwyllo]

The funny thing is the Taj Mahal is slowly falling down on its own, partly because of official incompetence, partly because falling groundwater levels have caused its wooden foundations to become unstable, and partly because of atmospheric pollution caused by poor resource and waste management. Bits are falling off all the time.

 

[Thwyllo]

It was a joke my friend.

I wrote it, because some folks here believe, that restrictions come from "irresponsible pilots".

Seriously, I believe that situation in India is terrible, and hope things will be better in the future.

It's a shame the government doesn't spend less time on a pointless space race and more time taxing the rich properly and helping the poor a lot more.

 

[sumesh]

Hi there,

As an Indian I can answer your questions.

1. Customs can confiscate your drone if they find out. In case that happens you must tell them that you will be reexporting it. You need to mention it in your form they make you sign when they confiscate it. This is very important, so that you can take it with you when you leave the country. I don’t know the process in details.

2. As an Indian I have travelled out of India around twice every year for the last 18 years and I have never been stopped or checked by customs. Customs are on the lookout for people smuggling drugs and gold, certainly not drones as of now. As long as you behave normally and dress decently, nobody from customs should stop you.

Hi thanks for the share.
Is it OK to have the drone in luggage or is it mandatory to have it in checked in hand baggage .

 

[wendy32]

I took my drone to India last year, I was advised to put the drone in my suitcase and the batteries in hand luggage. Nothing was checked so getting in was fine. I was very careful about where I flew it, not going too high or too far away but got some amazing photos. On leaving India, in the airport there was huge sign showing what was prohibited and drones was one of the items! By now I was panicking but nothing was said after scanning the cases. Like someone had said, maybe because it is the Mavic pro folds up, and they didn't know what it was. Will be taking it again in a few weeks, so fingers crossed.