Regulation guide
DGCA drone rules for agriculture, in plain English
Agricultural drone spraying in India is governed by the Drone Rules 2021 + Amendments 2022, 2023, 2024. In practice you need four things before you can legally spray: a registered drone (UIN), a DGCA pilot certificate, airspace clearance for the zone you're flying in, and CIBRC-approved chemicals in the tank. Here's each one.
1. Airspace zones
Green Zone — 400ft AGL (120m)
Uncontrolled airspace up to 400ft AGL, no ATC permission needed but flight intimation via DigitalSky within 24hr
No prior permission — post-flight intimation only. Most rural Bihar farmland >5km from airport — Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya rural is Green. ~80% of Indian farmland.
Yellow Zone — 200ft AGL
Controlled airspace up to 200ft needs ATC permission via DigitalSky
Prior permission required. 10-12km outer ring Patna JPNI airport, Bihta · 8km from Delhi IGI
Red Zone — 0 · No flight
No-fly — airports inner 10km, military, sensitive · RPC Small/Medium required
Prior permission required. Patna Airport 0-10km, Gaya Airport, military, international border 25km (Nepal)
2. Pilot certificate (RPC)
| Category | Weight | Course | Cost | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano-exempt | <250g | — | Free | No license for Nano in Green Zone (Mini 4 Pro 249g) — self-declaration + NPNT |
| Small | 250g – 25kg | 5 days | ₹35,000 | 10th pass · 18yr · Indian · medical fitness |
| Medium | 25kg – 150kg (Agras T40 90kg here) | 7 days | ₹45,000 | 10th pass · 18yr · Small license first OR direct Medium |
3. Mandatory registrations and compliance
- UIN (Unique Identification Number) on DigitalSky₹1,000
One-time registration per drone on digitalsky.dgca.gov.in
- DAN (Airspace permission) — Green ZoneNo fee
File intimation within 24hr after flight via DigitalSky app · auto-approved in Green
- NPNT (No Permission No Takeoff) complianceNo fee
DJI Agras, XAG, Garuda, IoTech already NPNT-firmware
- Remote IDNo fee
Inbuilt in DGCA-certified drones — broadcasts UIN + position
- Third-party Insurance₹8,000
₹8k-15k/yr for Small/Medium agri drone · mandatory under Motor Vehicles + Drone Rules 2021
- Type CertificateNo fee
Manufacturer holds it · check cert number in models.ts DGCA_type_certified.certNumber
4. Rules operators get wrong
- • Green Zone <400ft — no prior permission, only post-flight intimation
- • Nano <250g exempt from pilot license in Green Zone
- • Small and Medium need RPC (Remote Pilot Certificate)
- • NPNT mandatory
- • No drone flight within 5km of Vijay Chowk Delhi, 3km of military, 25km of international border
- • Night flying allowed with anti-collision lights and BVLOS approval case-by-case
- • Drone spraying allowed only for CIBRC-approved pesticides
- • PMFBY crop insurance evidence capture drone data accepted since 2023 amendment (Bihar Agri Dept)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to fly an agricultural spraying drone in India?
Yes. Any drone between 250 g and 25 kg needs a DGCA Remote Pilot Certificate (Small category) — a 5-day course costing about ₹35,000, valid 10 years. Drones from 25 kg to 150 kg, which covers most large spray platforms like the Agras T40, need the Medium category certificate (7 days, about ₹45,000). Only nano drones under 250 g are exempt in Green Zones.
What is a Green Zone and do I need permission to fly there?
A Green Zone is uncontrolled airspace up to 400 ft AGL, which covers roughly 80% of Indian farmland. No prior permission is needed — you file a flight intimation on DigitalSky within 24 hours. Yellow Zones (near airports) cap you at 200 ft with ATC permission, and Red Zones are no-fly.
What registrations are mandatory before spraying?
A UIN for each drone on DigitalSky (₹1,000 one-time), NPNT-compliant firmware, Remote ID broadcast, third-party insurance (₹8,000–15,000 per year), and a manufacturer type certificate. Spraying is legal only with CIBRC-approved pesticides.
Which law governs drone spraying in India?
The Drone Rules 2021 with amendments in 2022, 2023 and 2024, administered by DGCA through the DigitalSky platform. The 2023 amendment also made drone-captured data admissible as PMFBY crop-insurance evidence.