Man arrested for flying drone near HC: Police issues guidelines

CHENNAI: After the arrest of a 31-year-old man from Bengaluru near Chennai for trying to operate near the Madras High Court on Thursday, Chennai police issued guidelines for operating unmanned aerial vehicles in the city.

Police sources said that the man was taking aerial shots of Parry’s area and CISF officials deployed in the Madras High Court noticed the drone and informed the police. The man reportedly was shooting aerial shots of various places of Chennai for his sister’s marriage.

“He has been detained for shooting using a drone without permission,” a senior police officer said. He was released on station bail later by the police.

Following the development, the Chennai police issued fresh guidelines for operating drones which said that use of drones over important government installations, courts, doordarshan offices, places of worship, residences of VVIPs, railway stations, harbours, airports, offices of foreign etc, has been banned.

Even for the shooting of marriages, temple festivals, movies and short films, if one is using a drone, he or she should get permission from the police department.

City police have asked people to get permission to shoot videos using drones and not to shoot aerial views of important government installations. If anyone found violating the guidelines, strict action will be taken against him, the city police said on Thursday.