North Sentinel Island Contact Attempts: from Bows and Arrows to Modern Drones

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Operating an unmanned aircraft anywhere near North Sentinel Island violates Indian and international law across multiple jurisdictions.

The Indian government enforces a five nautical mile exclusion zone around the entire perimeter of North Sentinel Island. Entering this zone without explicit clearance from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration violates the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation of 1956. This statute carries mandatory prison terms of up to seven years and heavy fines.

Aviation laws impose additional penalties:

• Under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations, the airspace over North Sentinel Island is designated as an absolute "No-Fly Zone" (Red Zone).
• Unauthorized drone flights within Red Zones violate the Aircraft Act, empowering maritime authorities to seize vessels and confiscate electronic equipment.
• Indian coastal radar arrays, coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard maritime patrol and naval installations in Port Blair, actively monitor the waters for unauthorized vessels.
• Local boat operators who transport tourists or photographers near the buffer zone face criminal charges, immediate vessel impoundment, and revocation of fishing licenses.

Content creators who post aerial imagery of the island risk prosecution upon landing in Indian territory. Authorities also pursue legal mutual assistance treaties to target illegal footage hosted online.