Drone regulatins in Pakistan

Last update on 10.09.2024 | 0 Kommentare

In this article you will find the regulations for drone pilots in Pakistan.

In June 2024, the current regulation for unmanned aerial vehicles weighing up to 100 kilograms came into force. Since then, every drone must be registered in Pakistan regardless of weight and use. This also applies to tourists who want to fly their drone in Pakistan. Due to the long processing time, we recommend that you register two months before you plan to enter the country.

Drones are divided into four categories according to weight:

• I: Drones weighing less than or equal to 250 grams
• II: Drones weighing more than 250 grams and less than or equal to 10 kilograms
• III: Drones weighing more than 10 kilograms and less than or equal to 25 kilograms
• IV: Drones weighing more than 25 kilograms and less than or equal to 100 kilograms

If you want to fly your drone within a prohibited, restricted, segregated or controlled airspace or your drone weighs more than 10 kilograms, you need a permit from the PCAA.

For standard operations in Categories I and II, no additional authorization from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) is required. It is important that the applicable operating regulations are complied with. A remote pilot license is required for Category II and above.

The following tables provide an overview of the requirements for the individual Pakistani drone categories.

(a) No license required as long as described rules are followed.

How do I register my drone?

Since June 2024, as a local resident you must apply to register a drone within 15 days of purchasing it. As a private individual, you can register a maximum of three drones in one category within a calendar year. The upper limit for registrations for companies or legal entities is determined by the PCAA on an individual basis depending on the requirements and size of the company or legal entity.

If you already own a drone, you now have 180 days from the entry into force of the new Pakistani regulation to register it.

Tourists entering Pakistan must also register their drone with the PCAA. You can submit your application to register your drone directly to the PCAA, stating the intended use, make, type and category.

It can take up to 30 days for the documents to be checked for completeness. If your documents are complete, you will receive feedback within 60 days as to whether your drone has been registered. The amount of the registration fee depends on the category and the maximum take-off weight of your drone.

Each registered drone is given a unique number consisting of letters and numbers. This must be legibly and indelibly affixed to your drone. 

Drones weighing more than 250 grams require a built-in tracking and tracing system. We suspect that this is a remote identification system similar to those used in Europe or the USA. Whether it really means the same thing has yet to be verified.

Drones weighing more than 10 kilograms may only be registered if they have been inspected in advance by an approved organization and declared safe to operate.

Registration is valid for 3 years. Renewal must be applied for in good time. A renewal fee is payable.

If you sell or give away your drone, you must notify the PCAA in writing of this change of ownership.

The PCAA may revoke the registration certificate of your drone if the safety of persons, property or other aircraft is or has been seriously endangered or if you as the owner do not comply with the laws and regulations.

Overview: Drone rules in Pakistan

Further regulations in Pakistan

No additional permission from the PCAA is required for drone flights under the following standard conditions:

• Drone pilot is 18 years old
• within the authorized airspace
• in daylight, without fog or smoke
• within visual range
• never higher than 200 feet above the ground

You may not control several drones at the same time. Flying a drone from a moving vehicle or ship is not permitted.

The following distances must be maintained during your drone flights:

• 6 km from airports
• 6 km distance from international borders
• 5 km from ports
• 2 km distance from any military vessel at sea
• 100 feet (30 meters) horizontal and 30 feet (9 meters) vertical distance from people

Flying over military areas or facilities is not permitted.

Accidents caused by your drone must be reported to the aviation authority within 24 hours.

When do you need a remote pilot license?

To fly category II, III and IV drones, you also need a remote pilot license. This applies to drones heavier than 250 grams, such as the DJI Mavic 3 Classic or the DJI Air 3, so we recommend that you only travel to Pakistan with smaller drones such as a DJI Mini 4 Pro.

For drone flights within a controlled airspace, you also need a remote pilot license and a relevant qualification for the use of aeronautical radio or a corresponding permit from the PCAA.

Drone pilots with a valid remote pilot license and with a permit issued by the PCAA may deviate from the standard conditions mentioned above. To do so, your request to deviate from the standard conditions must be received by the PCAA at least 72 hours prior to the planned flight.

The following requirements must be met by drone operators who wish to apply for a remote pilot license:

• 18 years old
• qualified secondary school certificate or equivalent examination
• training with an approved organization in relation to the type of licence applied for
• Passing an examination prescribed by the aviation authority
• Possible further conditions imposed by the aviation authority

An application for a remote pilot license must be submitted to the PCAA. The application must be complete and must be accompanied by a receipt for payment of the fee specified by the authority. 

Exemptions are available for drone pilots with a remote pilot license to fly drones

• beyond visual range
• higher than 200 feet above the ground
• after dark or under unfavorable meteorological conditions (in a cloud, fog or smoke)
• Simultaneous operation of another unmanned aircraft
• Operation from a moving vehicle, a ship or another aircraft

If you already have a remote pilot license, you can have it recognized by the PCAA. We do not yet know whether the drone operator’s licenses from other countries will be recognized.

We have researched the drone rules for Pakistan listed here to the best of our knowledge. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. If you want to be on the safe side, contact the PCAA. Alternatively, you can ask the embassy in Germany for more information on the regulations. Please leave us a comment if you find out any news and/or have any experience with your drone in Pakistan!