A little off topic : How do I get a small sized drone to India from US? Any tips/issues to be wary off?
A friend is traveling to India , and is ready to get the drone for me, but I want to know what things should I be aware of so that they don't get into any issues at the airport.
Last time my brother tried to bring DJI drone, customs said you cannot carry of drones into India. While returning back to US he forgot to collect. So somewhere a BLR customs employee is chilling with my drone.
As per DGFT, Import of drones is banned. Only drone parts of allowed.
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1881767
Customs might charge a lot, sometimes even higher than the import duty!
Also it depends on whether it's a DJI Mavic or MQ9 Reaper
Trying to get the DJI Mavic Mini .
Can my friend not open the box packing and claim that it's theirs to avoid Customs?
They could, however drone customs are stricter than say a laptop or phone. Suggest read up on the rules, and ask on reddit or something if someone has done the same.
You can declare and bring it. Check YouTube, multiple videos for Dubai and usa