To Drone or Not to Drone .

Should drones be allowed for deliveries?

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That's the question being asked by governments around the world even as many companies are engaged in the field test. here's a look at the current regulations or, in some cases the current state of thinking about regulations .

1. INDIA 

• Drone registration has taken off with launch of digital sky platform in December 2018 .

• Nano drones (below 250 gm) allowed up to 15 m height ceiling for other drones 122 m.

• for micro, mini, small and large categories operators and pilots must register on digital sky portal .

• Drone (except nano once) must be registered and bear a unique identification number (UIN).   
• Only daytime use allowed.
• Colour coded zones (green , red and yellow) marked out.
• Flights in green zones allowed with intimation .
• Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) mandatory so far beyond ( VLOS ) to be considered in Drone 2.0 policy .

2. USA 

Seperate rules for applying for fun and business 

• For Fun : 
• Must be registered with FAA 
• Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) mandatory
• Must weight less than 25 Kg
• Flying limited to some airspace categories

• For Work
• Must be registered with FAA 
• Remote pilot certificate needed
• Weight must be below 25 kg including payload, at takeoff
• VLOS mandatory
• Height ceiling of 122 m; speed cap is 160 kmph

3. Germany 

• VLOS must .
• Permit must for night time use of drones weighing over 5 kg .
• No permit needed for drones upto 5 kg, but licence mandatory for flying a 2kg+ drone .
• Overflight curbs; additional curbs for camera drones.  

4. UK 

• VLOS mandatory .
• Also insurance .
• Can't fly higher than 122 m; additional curbs for camera drones .
• Must be registered with Civil Aviation Authority .

5. China

• No flying beyond VLOS 
• No-fly zones defined
• Drones weighing more than 250 gm must be registered with CAAC .
• Licence mandatory for commercial operations .
• Drones weighing 7-116 kg need licence; pilot's licence mandatory for drones over 116 Kg
• Can't fly above 120 m .

6. Japan 

• Govt approval mandatory.
• Hight celling of 150 m.
• VLOS mandatory only date time ops allowed.
• Can't fly within 30 m of people .

7. France

• Only VLOS allowed  
• Height ceiling of 150 m 
• Night time use not allowed without permission
• For Work : 
• Pilots must clear theoretical exam, undergo basic training
• For Fun :  
• Training must for drones weighing more than 800 gm.

8. Australia

• VLOS mandatory
• Only day time ops allowed 
• Height ceiling of 120 m
• Can't lie within 30 m  of habitat
• Overflight curbs 
• Drone weighing over 100 gm must stay 5.5 Km away from aerodromes 
• Licence mandatory for commercial drones
• Registration must for drones weighing over 800 GM .

Drone Delivery Companies

1. Amazon 

• In June, Amazon unveiled its prime Air drones .
• Prime Air Services yet to get regulatory nod .

2. Alibaba 

• In Feb 2015, AliBaba partnered which Shanghai YTO  Express to deliver tea via commercial drones to 450 customers in certain Chinese cities .

3. Alphabet (Google)

• Wing Aviation, an Alphabet arm has become the first drone operator to get government approval as an airline .

4. FedEx

• Started testing drones in 2014; plans to integrate them into its delivery services .

5. AHA

• Iceland's largest e-commerce website has partnered with Israel's Flytrex .
• AHA has been delivering customer goods and food via drones in Iceland since 2017 .

6. JD.com

• Pursuing rapid expansion of commercial Drone deliveries in four most populated Chinese provinces .