JOIN US In a possible violation of a recent notice by the Director General Civil Aviation notification, IIT-Delhi students plan to fly a drone to videograph their annual festival Rendezvous.
Imposing a blanket ban on “unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)”, the aviation regulator had said it is in the process of formulating regulations for certification and operation of drones in Indian airspace.
“Till such regulations are issued, no non government agency, organization, or an individual will launch a UAS in Indian Civil Airspace for any purpose whatsoever," the DGCA said in the public notice issued on October 7.
Even before the aviation regulator had issued in the public notice, the organisers the festival on their Facebook page had announced their plans of using a helicam, a remote-controlled mini helicopter used to capture motion images using video, to film the festival that sees an average footfall of 60,000 people.
When contacted on Thursday, a festival organiser Sachit Sehgal said, “We are aware of the DGCA notice. But these are not drones.” But the caption of a picture on the fesitival Facebook page described the helicam as “flying drone”.
Sehgal insisted no rules were being violated. The remote-controlled device will fly within a 10-metre radius, he added.
“If you spot a creepy flying machine over your head, do not worry its not Uncle Sam but the Rendezvous team trying to capture your moves from the perfect angle possible. This October get ready to give your best poses and to witness some exceptional snaps as Rendezvous will be covered by helicams. Smile to the skies, we are looking at you!” the Facebook page of the IIT festival on September 27 had said.
The IIT Delhi spokesperson Rakesh Kumar said he did not know whether the use of helicams will be a violation the DGCA rules. “It is a 100 per cent student organised event,” he added.
In the wake of commercial establishments plan to use drones for delivering their products, the aviation regulator had forced a blanket ban.