fWith using the Drone, Many travelers and Trekkers make beautiful travel vlogs. Using this drone footage, different travel agencies and travelers are promoting their business. In Nepal, It is illegal to fly the drone over the Nepalese sky without permission. We can use drone inside our home and in our personal garden. However you need an approval from the civil aviation authority (CAAN) when taking aerial photographs. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) maintains and regulates these rules of requirements to fly Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)/ drones in Nepal. This permission is rarely granted to foreigners. Those flying illegally risk arrest or massive fines.

General Rules/Law in Nepal

  1. You cannot fly your drone over airports or in areas where aircraft are operating and Military Air Space, army, military or securities areas and Archaeological areas are strictly prohibited.
  2. You cannot flying your drone around temples without prior permission.
  3. You do not need permission to use drone from CAAN, if you are flying drone is less than 2 kg kilograms and flown at the height of 400 meters and a distance of 500 meters on your personal purpose and properties like inside your house, land, and garden
  4. You cannot fly your drone over people or large crowds, keep 150 meters away from people or crowds.

Process to obtain drone flying permission in Nepal:

Documents required:

  1. Filled form
    1. Request letter addressed to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal asking for permission to use drone.
    2. A copy of Operation Specifications of Drone.
    3. Copy of map of intended drone operation area.
    4. No Objection letter or Recommendation letter from concerned owner if drone operation area is over private/public place or property.
    5. Letter from the concerned authority for security clearance or other clearance. This security clearance is taken from the operation areas Police Headquarters.
  2. Cost/Time:
    1. Cost: Free
    2. Time: After submit your required documents and accepted by CAAN, you should get the permission within 3 days.
  3. Process to get permission:
    1. Get a permission letter from the Municipality of the places that you want to fly drone.
    2. You need to take recommendation letter from the CDO (central district office) office. CDO will provide recommendation letter only after getting the permission letter from the municipality.
    3. After showing these 2 letters to police headquarters, they will provide security clearance letter (For larger production) if needed.
    4. All the documents listed above you should submit your application to the Drone operation permission department within Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.