Two employees from the famous real estate portal, housing.com, were arrested earlier this week in India for flying a drone. The Mumbai Police accused the two of operating a drone fitted with a camera that was being used to take pictures of buildings in the vicinity. While the photographs were being taken for the website, the Police are still not happy with the act due to privacy issues.
According to Sangramsinh Nishandar, DCP, no one is allowed to take pictures from devices such as drones without getting permission from the right authorities, in this case, the police. India had recently imposed a ban on flying drones within the country in October 2014, however, not many people are aware of the new restrictions. Drone sales in India have in no way seen a drop and toy stores and ecommerce websites still sell the product to anyone who wants to pay for it.
One can find drones for as low as $20 and none of the drones come with a label or warning stating that flying them is illegal in the country. This ban has been put forth for individuals and private organizations by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCAC) until it figures out the specifics of drone usage. This will certainly not be an easy feat because it will need clearance from the Ministry of Defense, the air navigation service provider, and other concerned agencies.
Civilian drones have amassed a great amount of popularity in the recent years, thanks not only to their unique concept, but also because they are highly affordable and accessible. Depending on one’s budget, they can purchase a drone that fits their needs. Few countries have placed proper restrictions or regulations on civilian drone usage. The United States, in May 2015, announced regulations for the use of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) but agrees that it will be a great challenge to sort matters out in one of the most complex and busiest airspaces in the world.