MUMBAI: The Indian Aeromodellers Association (IAMA) has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to review specific provisions of the draft Civil Drone (Promotion and Regulation) Bill, 2025, warning that the current version could make it nearly impossible for hobbyists, schools, and clubs to continue India’s century-old aeromodelling tradition.
In a detailed representation submitted to the ministry last month, the IAMA stressed that the draft bill wrongly groups aeromodelling with drones, overlooking the fundamental differences between the two. While drones are primarily used for commercial, industrial, or surveillance purposes, aeromodelling, the association noted, is a recreational and educational pursuit that has “inspired generations of pilots, aircraft engineers, and aviation professionals.”
According to the association, the proposed framework — which mandates registration, licensing, type certification, and flight permissions — is unnecessarily restrictive and ill-suited for manually flown, non-autonomous model aircraft that pose negligible safety risks. “If enforced in its present form, the bill will effectively end aeromodelling in India,” the IAMA cautioned.
Under the draft law, no individual may own or operate any unmanned aircraft without registration and a unique identification number (UIN). Violations can attract penalties of up to ₹1 lakh or imprisonment of up to one year. Further, breaches involving restricted airspace are categorised as “cognisable and non-compoundable” offences, carrying up to three years in jail or fines of ₹1 lakh.
“Aeromodelling is a low-risk, high-learning activity,” the IAMA wrote, pointing out that most enthusiasts design, build, and fly their own model aircraft rather than purchase ready-made multi-rotor drones. Since these custom-built models have no commercial manufacturer, registering them under the proposed system would be impractical, the association argued.
The IAMA has called for explicit exemptions and separate recognition for educational and recreational aeromodelling activities within the legislation. It also urged the ministry to restore aeromodelling to the educational and sports category — a classification it held prior to 2021 — to preserve a vital learning tradition within India’s aviation ecosystem.
