With maximum take-off weight more than 250 g but not more than 7 kg

Unmanned aircraft (drones) 250 g to 7 kg maximum take-off weight

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8806 22 00 (unmanned aircraft with maximum take-off weight more than 250 g but not more than 7 kg) is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Revised Policy Condition No. 03 of Chapter 88, ITC (HS) 2015-20, as amended by DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022. Import of drones in Completely-Built-Up (CBU), Semi-Knocked-Down (SKD), or Completely-Knocked-Down (CKD) form is Prohibited for commercial importers, with narrow exceptions for government entities, recognised educational and R&D institutions, drone manufacturers, and defence and security purposes — each requiring an import authorisation issued by DGFT in consultation with the concerned line ministry.

What this is

HSN code

8806 22 00

Chapter

88 · Aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereof

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Prohibited import policy, Revised Policy Condition No. 03 of Chapter 88

Customs documentation

Import authorisation from DGFT
Line ministry concurrence to DGFT
Entity eligibility declaration to CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Confirm that the importing entity falls within an eligible category — government entity, central or state government recognised educational institution, government-recognised R&D entity, drone manufacturer, or defence and security body. Commercial importers outside these categories cannot import CBU, SKD, or CKD drones under any circumstances; the import is Prohibited under ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 03 of Chapter 88.
DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022 · ITC (HS) Revised Policy Condition No. 03, Chapter 88
2
Obtain import authorisation from DGFT before shipment. DGFT issues the authorisation in consultation with the concerned line ministry; the authorisation must be obtained prior to filing the bill of entry, and its absence renders the consignment liable to seizure and confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962.
DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022 · ITC (HS) Revised Policy Condition No. 03, Chapter 88

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is conflating the prohibition on CBU, SKD, and CKD drone imports with the treatment of drone components: import of drone components is Free and does not require DGFT authorisation. An importer who ships a complete drone characterised on the commercial invoice as 'components' without structural disassembly meeting the CKD definition risks confiscation of the entire consignment and prosecution for mis-declaration under the Customs Act, 1962 — the classification follows the functional completeness of the imported unit, not the invoice description.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8806 22 00 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers this unmanned aircraft category. Import is governed exclusively by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Revised Policy Condition No. 03 of Chapter 88, ITC (HS) 2015-20, which renders CBU, SKD, and CKD drone imports Prohibited except for specified eligible entities holding DGFT import authorisation.

Are drone components in this weight class also subject to the Prohibited import policy?

No. Import of drone components is Free under Policy Condition No. 03 of Chapter 88, per DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022; only complete drones in CBU, SKD, or CKD form are Prohibited for non-eligible importers.

What happens if a DGFT import authorisation is not obtained before filing the bill of entry?

The consignment is liable to detention, seizure, and confiscation at the port of import; re-export at the importer's cost and demurrage are the typical enforcement outcomes, and mis-declaration as 'components' to circumvent the prohibition attracts criminal liability under the Customs Act, 1962.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.