Though the Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria has imposed a blanket ban on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones in the city, drones were flown in two separate incidents recently. While one drone was used during the inauguration of a super-speciality hospital in central Mumbai, the other was used in an event organized by college students at Oberoi mall in Goregaon.

The use of such drones is significant, in the wake of intelligence inputs that such pilot-less aircraft can be used by terror outfits to carry out attacks.

The management of Oberoi mall confirmed the use of a drone at an event recently. "The event was carried out by college students and alumni of a reputed technical institute, who had built their own drone and had displayed it in the mall on December 18. The students had taken the necessary permissions from the mall authorities; the drone was a huge hit among the visitors," said a mall employee on condition of anonymity.

Deputy commissioner of police (operations) Sanjay Barkund said, "For use of drones, it is necessary to take permission from the directorate of civil aviation (DGCA) and the police. If permission was not taken, then we can definitely take action against (the people concerned)." He added, "In special cases, though, permissions can be granted by the police and the DGCA officials through due process."

A public notice issued by the DGCA in October states that "DGCA is in the process of formulating the regulations (and globally harmonize those) for certification & operation for use of UAS in the Indian civil airspace. Till such regulations are issued, no non-government agency, organisation, or individual will launch a UAS in Indian civil airspace for any purpose whatsoever."

In May this year the Mumbai police raised security concerns after a local pizza company delivered a pizza by drone in Central Mumbai. It was after that incident that the ban on drones was issued by the Mumbai police.