Interactive airspace map for drone usage to be uploaded online in next 2 days: Scindia

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 24 (ANI): An interactive airspace map indicating fly and no-fly areas for drones across the country will be uploaded online in the next two days, said Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

"In the next two days, an interactive airspace map indicating fly and no-fly areas for drones in the country will be uploaded online. A digital sky platform will be introduced to obtain permission to operate drones, approvals or rejection to be given instantly," said the Union Minister at a press conference held in Gwalior on Thursday.

Elaborating on the interactive airspace map, the Minister informed that it will have red, yellow and green zones earmarked which will indicate different flying zones. In the red zone, no drones will be permitted to fly, but in the green zone, no permission would be required to fly drones. However, in the yellow zones, drones can be flown with permission from the authorities.

This comes almost a month after the Centre issued a fresh set of norms - 'Drone Rules 2021' - for drones usage in the country. Earlier in July this year, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had released the updated 'The Drone Rules, 2021' for public consultation.

After issuing a fresh set of norms for drones usage in August, the Ministry had informed that the interactive airspace map with green, yellow, and red zones will be displayed on the digital sky platform. The yellow zone has been reduced from 45 kilometres to 12 kilometres from the airport perimeter. No permission is required for operating a drone in green zones and upto 200 feet in the area between 8 and 12 km from the airport perimeter.

Online registration of all drones shall happen through the Digital Sky Platform, the Ministry had said. (ANI)