Drone Ecosystem and Policy in India

In March 2021, India brought in the UAS Rules. Users found them full of paperwork. Almost every flight needed a permission. So the government scrapped them within months.

What did the new rules cut?

• The Drone Rules, 2021 were notified on 25 August 2021.
• The number of forms fell from 25 to 5.
• The types of fee fell from 72 to 4. Fees no longer depend on the drone’s size.
• The remote pilot fee fell from ₹3,000 to just ₹100. It stays valid for 10 years.
• Rules now cover drones up to 500 kg, up from 300 kg. That covers drone taxis too (PIB).

Where can you fly freely?

• Airspace is split into green, yellow and red zones.
• In a green zone, you need no permission to fly up to 400 feet.
• Nearly 90% of Indian airspace is a green zone.
• The yellow zone around airports shrank from 45 km to 12 km.
• The airspace map was released on 24 September 2021 (PIB).

Who can fly a drone?

• A 2022 amendment dropped the need for a traditional pilot licence.
• Now you need only a Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC).
• The DGCA issues it after training at an approved drone school.
• No passport is needed. Any government ID with address proof is enough.
• Micro drones for fun and nano drones need no pilot licence at all (PIB).

What is Digital Sky?

• Digital Sky, launched in 2018, is India’s online single window for drones.
• Registration and pilot certificates have since moved to a newer portal, eGCA.
• Flight plans and the airspace map still run on Digital Sky (PIB).

Easy rules bring more buyers. But the government also wanted those drones made in India. So it used three tools: a reward, a ban and a tax cut.

How does the PLI scheme help?

• The Cabinet approved a PLI scheme for drones on 15 September 2021.
• It was notified on 30 September 2021.
• Its total outlay is ₹120 crore, spread over three years from 2021-22.
• Makers get 20% of the value they add in India (PIB).

What did the import ban stop?

• On 9 February 2022, India banned imports of ready-made drones.
• The ban covers drones in built-up, knocked-down and semi-knocked-down form.
• Imports for research, defence and security are still allowed, with a licence.
• Drone parts can still be imported freely (PIB).

What did the GST cut do?

• Before, drones paid GST at 18% or 28%.
• In September 2025, this became one flat rate of 5%.
• Flight simulators used to train drone pilots also got the lower rate (PIB).

A drone is like a flying eye with a hand attached. It can see from above and spray from above. That makes it useful on farms, in villages and on roads.

What are Kisan Drones?

• The Budget 2022-23 promoted Kisan Drones for farm work.
• On 19 February 2022, the PM watched 100 Kisan Drones fly at 100 places at once (PIB).
• Farm drones get subsidies under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM).
• Farm institutes get up to 100% of the cost, capped at ₹10 lakh a drone.
• Small, SC/ST, women and North-East farmers get 50%, up to ₹5 lakh (PIB).

What is Namo Drone Didi?

• The Namo Drone Didi scheme was launched in November 2023.
• It gives drones to Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
• The women then rent out spraying services to farmers.
• It aims for 15,000 drones, with an outlay of ₹1,261 crore.
• The Centre pays 80% of a drone’s cost, up to ₹8 lakh (PIB).

How do drones help villages and roads?

• Under SVAMITVA, drones map village homes. Owners then get property cards.
• SVAMITVA was launched in April 2020 by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• The NHAI wants monthly drone videos of every highway project.
• These videos are stored as a record. They can be used as proof in disputes.
• Railways use drones to check tracks and bridges (PIB).

What role in defence?

• Drones watch borders and gather intelligence.
• During Operation Sindoor, Indian drones and loitering munitions hit enemy targets.
• They work alongside radars and air defence systems (PIB).

How are skills being built?

• SwaYaan trains people in drone skills. It has run 857+ activities for 26,000+ people.
• NIDAR is a challenge for students and researchers. It has a ₹40 lakh prize pool.
• Bharat Drone Shakti, Bharat Drone Mahotsav and the Drone International Expo showcase Indian firms.
• Many of these firms sell Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) (PIB).

The February 2026 numbers

• As of 9 February 2026, 38,575 drones had a UIN.
• The DGCA had issued 39,890 Remote Pilot Certificates.
• It had approved 244 Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs).
• SVAMITVA drone surveys covered 3.28 lakh villages by December 2025. That is about 95% of the 3.44 lakh target.
• 2.76 crore property cards were ready for 1.82 lakh villages in 31 states and UTs.
• 1,094 drones had gone to women SHGs, over 500 of them under Namo Drone Didi (PIB, 17 February 2026).

What is the draft Drone Bill?

Today, drones run on rules, not on a law. The Ministry of Civil Aviation wants to change that.

• On 16 September 2025, the Ministry put the Civil Drone (Promotion and Regulation) Bill, 2025 out for comments.
• Comments were due by 30 September 2025.
• It covers drones below 500 kg. Heavier ones stay under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024.
• Once rules are made under it, it would repeal the Drone Rules, 2021 and their 2022 and 2023 amendments (Section 51).
• Every drone would need a UIN and a third-party insurance policy.
• The airspace map would use red, yellow and green zones (Section 28).
• The Airports Authority of India, or another body the Centre names, would build drone traffic management (Section 29).
• Death in a drone accident would bring ₹2.5 lakh. Grievous hurt would bring ₹1 lakh.
• Some offences carry up to 3 years in jail or a fine up to ₹1 lakh (Ministry draft Bill).

Common mistake: this is only a draft. The Drone Rules, 2021 still apply today.

How big is the market?

• India’s commercial drone market was about $1.88 billion (₹17,000 crore) in FY26.
• An industry report expects growth of about 17.98% a year from FY25 to FY29 (NewsGram).

The IAF’s first Dronathon

• In September 2026, the Air Force held its first Dronathon-2026.
• It took place at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer.
• Indian firms showed home-made drone and anti-drone technology (Akashvani News).