Professional drone flyers pin hope on DGCA guidelines

MANGALURU: The DGCA policy on drone flying has come as a silver lining to professional drone flyers, who were under the radar due to casualties caused by amateur operators.
Though drone operation in the city is at a nascent stage, a couple of casualties caused by amateurs have already created a scare over flying Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS). The policy, professional drone flyers believe, will restrict amateur operators from flying, thereby minimizing untoward incidents.

The government has classified RPAS are under five categories: nano (up to 250gram), micro (250gram-2kg), small (2kg-25kg), medium (25kg-150kg) and large (150kg and above). While nano drones are being allowed to fly since December 1, operators of micro and above categories, in addition to pilots, are required to register on Digital Sky Portal.

“Drones are used in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts mainly for wedding photography and to find the concentration of fish in seas. These drones come under the micro category. Operating them is not a child’s play — it needs practice to ensure a safe flight,” said Nithinraj Kotian, who has flown drones in the coastal city and the UAE.

“With drone flying requiring registration with RPAS and a licence for operation, only professional operators will stand a chance to legally fly drones. Also, the registration will fix accountability in case of any untoward incident. Public can also watch drones hovering over them without any fear,” he said.

In September 2017, two devotees were injured during Krishna Leelotsava celebrations near Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi after a drone deployed for shooting the ceremony fell on them.

In another incident reported at Kadri some years ago, a drone fell on a passerby after its battery drained mid-air. In both the incidents, the drones were operated by amateurs.