The Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked all drone owners to voluntarily register their drones before January 31, failing which they woul be penalised with a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine of ₹10 lakh.
As per the rules framed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), all drones in India must be registered on the Digital Sky portal and must have a unique identification number. All drone operators must also have an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP). Both came into effect from December 1, 2018.
According to a DGCA official, there are a total of seven drone manufacturers registered with it, whereas there is no data is available for the number of drones registered.
According to the rules, if a person operates a drone without registering it, he or she may be booked for endangering someone's life or for negligence with respect to machinery- both of which are crimes under the Indian penal code and carry a punishment of up to six months. The person can also face a penalty under the Aircraft Act, 1936, which provides for a punishment of up to two years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.
