Laws related to use of Drone in India - A Critical Analysis

Abstract

There has been tremendous development in India where unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have been applied in various industries, mainly because of the advancement in technology & increased employment opportunities in respectively agriculture, defence, healthcare, e-commerce etc. This spike in drones in the use has set the need to develop and update the legal systems so that people can get safe, private and secure in the country. With the advancements in technology renewed legal framework guiding drone utility are shaped to keep pace with technological advancements and their implications. This paper critically assesses the existing laws in India as they pertain to the operations with drones. It delves into their broadness and implications, with a particular focus on their effectiveness in tackling the multifaceted issues raised by drone technology. It covers CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) guidelines which DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) published for speaking about violation of operational restrictions, document requirement and for directional zones. The paper examines the problem in relation to tractability, safety, and national security regarding the drone usage that reveals the main nuances in the law-making and executive mechanisms against the drone operation. Taking a critical look closely, the paper is meant to parse the effectiveness of current regulations in tackling technological developments in a balanced way of ensuring people’s security and private life. Along with this, it has emerged with the proposition of some regulations to be made to the current regulatory framework, which is the plan towards a robust, flexible, and more comprehensive governance of drone technology in India