Can you fly your drone in India?

In India, the credential to know about is the Remote Pilot Certificate. Whether you need it depends on your drone's weight and how you fly — Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) runs the scheme, and the official sources below spell out exactly when it applies.

Effectively no — India has banned drone imports of any size, a DJI Mini included, since 2022, and registration on DGCA's eGCA portal requires an Indian passport or Indian government-issued ID and address proof. Declare any drone at the Red Channel: customs can detain or seize it, so expect it to be held until departure. Flying it is not lawful. Rules for foreign pilots can change, so always double-check with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) before you travel, and see the official sources below.

The short version: DigitalSky divides airspace into Green (no permission needed, up to 120 m/400 ft), Yellow (permission from the concerned air traffic control authority) and Red (Central Government permission only). 8–12 km from an operational airport's perimeter, Green applies only up to 60 m (200 ft); above that is Yellow. Always check the DigitalSky map before flying. On top of that: Unless exempt (Nano drones up to 250 g, or model drones up to 25 kg used only for education, research or recreation within visual line of sight), a drone must conform to a DGCA type certificate. DGCA has temporarily suspended registration of drones without a type certificate until further notice (only India-made Nano and model drones can apply to DGCA directly), and an unregistered drone may not be flown. Also: Insurance mandatory for all categories except Nano. These are central aviation rules — location-specific airspace, land, nature, privacy and photography requirements can also apply in India, so always check the official sources.

What you need to avoid are the restricted zones — typically around airports, prisons, military areas and protected nature areas. You'll find the official map for India under Sources below, and the DroneKoll app shows current NOTAMs (temporary airspace restrictions) for India.

Drone flying in India is regulated by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The airspace itself is managed by Airports Authority of India (AAI). You will find both organisations' official pages under Sources below — those are the links worth bookmarking.