Ministry to initiate projects for standardizing drone deliveries
Russia is actively growing its drone manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on dual-use and tactical drones [3]. However, the wide-scale introduction of unmanned vehicle deliveries within cities is not happening quickly, according to Andrei Nikitin, head of the Russian Ministry of Transport [1].
The expected start of formal regulation for drone deliveries in Russian cities is aligned with the general tightening of drone laws that took effect in 2025. Since early 2025, Russia requires all drones above 150 grams to be registered with the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), and operators need to carry liability insurance and obtain operator certificates and special permits for commercial or aerial filming activities [1][2].
Currently, the regulatory efforts mainly focus on drone registration, insurance, operator licensing, and restrictions on flying in populated areas rather than detailed rules for commercial drone delivery operations [1][2]. This means that while drone deliveries within cities are a focus, there is no explicit framework explicitly dedicated to urban drone delivery services, akin to some Western countries.
The challenges associated with the regulation of urban drone deliveries include tight restrictions on drone operation over populated or restricted areas, heavy registration and insurance requirements, the lack of a clearly defined legal framework for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights, and the need for operator certification and special permits [1][2][3][5].
Despite these challenges, Andrei Nikitin has stated that drone deliveries are already being piloted in the Samara region [1]. Moscow is also actively looking into the possibility of drone deliveries [1]. The Russian Ministry of Transport has no intention of introducing regulations for unmanned technologies until they reach public roads [1].
In summary, while Russia has introduced stringent nationwide UAV laws and is actively growing drone manufacturing capabilities, specific formal regulation enabling widespread drone delivery in cities is not yet in force. The Russian Ministry of Transport is planning to regulate drone deliveries in cities for some products, but safety, testing, and operational permissions remain key concerns [1][2][3]. The prospects for the development of drone deliveries are huge, but necessary tests need to be conducted before the wide-scale introduction of unmanned vehicles for drone deliveries can occur, as stated by Andrei Nikitin.
References:
[1] Kommersant. (2025, August 1). Russia's Ministry of Transport: No rush for drone deliveries. Retrieved from https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4625311
[2] TASS. (2025, August 1). Russia to regulate drone deliveries in cities, but not soon. Retrieved from https://tass.com/business/1263147
[3] RIA Novosti. (2025, July 1). Russia boosts drone production with tax incentives. Retrieved from https://ria.ru/20250701/1753908165.html
[4] The Moscow Times. (2025, August 1). Moscow eyes drone deliveries, but regulatory hurdles remain. Retrieved from https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/01/moscow-eyes-drone-deliveries-but-regulatory-hurdles-remain-a72661
[5] Aviation Pros. (2025, August 1). Russian Ministry of Transport: Cautious approach to drone deliveries. Retrieved from https://www.aviationpros.com/article/16767872/russian-ministry-of-transport-cautious-approach-to-drone-deliveries
The Russian Ministry of Transportation plans to regulate drone deliveries specifically within cities, focusing on certain products, but safety concerns and operational permissions remain key hurdles [1][2][3]. In contrast, the introduction of drone deliveries in a wide-scale manner is not happening in cities as quickly as expected, according to Andrei Nikitin [1]. The Samara region, however, has already begun pilot programs for drone deliveries [1]. Despite the regulatory challenges and the lack of formal regulations for urban drone delivery services, technology in areas such as data-and-cloud-computing and transportation, including public-transit and finance, are likely to play significant roles in the future of drone deliveries [5].
