About Drone Camera

Technology has made everything easier, simpler and better. Along with the advancement in Science and Technology, there have been significant changes in Photography and Videography. Since it has been developed as a profession a lot of devices are used to capture the memories. Along with a number of new devices, drones have also been introduced.

Drone Camera and its Photography

A drone is an aircraft without a pilot that is operated by a remote controller. In other words, it is a radio-controlled aircraft. Drones Photography helps to cover areas and capture images that cannot really be done by humans.  To operate a drone in Nepal is an illegal activity. However, with official permission, one can easily operate it. In Nepal, drones must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Those people who fly illegally will be arrested or fined. Therefore, we advise you not to fly a drone without permission. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs in Nepal has enforced new guidelines for the use of Drones in Nepal in 2019. According to the new guidelines, all drones that are used in Nepal must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Here, in this article, I am going to tell you about the Drone Camera practices in Nepal. 

New Guidelines for the Use of Drones in Nepal 

• What you have to do is to apply with the registration form. After the registration is successful, a unique identification number is issued for your drone.
• All drones that fly up to 200ft in public spaces require approval from the local administration office. Once you receive an approval it will be valid for three months.
• Flights of drones above 200ft must require permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Flights up to 50 ft for recreation, ceremony, cultural and religious programme etc don’t need any kind of approval.
• Research institutions like Universities can fly drones under 2Kg within 200m of their premises without permission but must inform the nearest police station.

Know More: Rules and Regulations

Tips for Flying Drones in Nepal

• Obtain permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
• Don’t fly your drone over people or crowded area.
• Respect others’ privacy while operating the drones.
• Operate your drones during the day and during good weather condition.
• All flights operations must take place within a line of sight. A horizontal distance of 500 meters is given as a guideline.
• You should keep a distance of five kilometres to airports and International Border.
• In Nepal, there are flight bans in Maitighar Mandala, Swyambhunath, Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, Budhanilkantha, Durbar Square (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan), Religious and archaeological sites, Singha Durbar and the Residence of President, Vice- President and Prime Minister. Flights are also prohibited within 1000 meters of army office and within 500 meters of other security agencies.
• At high altitude, the air may partly be very thin. Not all drones can fly at this altitude. So, it is good to check whether your drone can fly in these regions or not. It is also wise to ask beforehand whether you can fly your drone or not in certain places like temples. There are always some places which are not necessarily to be exposed.

Process of Obtaining a Permit to Fly a Drone in Nepal

Obtaining a permit to operate a drone in Nepal is not that much difficult. However, it is a routine process and it takes little time. But you should not pay money to get the permit to fly drones in Nepal. To get the permit, you need to complete the following procedure:

• First of all, you should take the permission letter from the administrative (Municipality) office of the place you want to fly your drone.
• Then, you need to obtain the recommendation letter from the CDO office. This can be obtained only after obtaining a permission letter from the municipality.
• After that, you need to receive a security clearance letter from the police headquarter of the region you want to operate your drone.
• Finally, you have to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal with all the above-mentioned documents viz. Security Clearance, recommendation letter and Permission letter.

No one can operate the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)/ drone in Nepal without obtaining permission otherwise Government official can take your drone.

If you want fly drone then you can obtain prior permission from respected Nepal’s government offices:

• Department of Tourism
• Ministry of Home Affairs
• Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (not necessary for UAV less than 2 kg and below 200 ft from ground level)

For more information:  About Drone