Drone regulations in Thailand (2024)
Last update on 04.04.2024 | 501 Kommentare
If you want to fly a drone in Thailand, you will have to take some hurdles. In this article, I explain to you the conditions you have to fulfill.
In recent years, the rules for drone pilots in Thailand have changed quite often. This creates a lot of confusion and not all the information you can find on the internet is up to date. I am trying to give you a current and complete overview of the legal situation in the Kingdom.
First of all, if you are caught drone-flying without the necessary permits, you face high fines and even imprisonment. Thai prisons are not fun!
For most camera drones, you need two registrations: First, from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), which handles the frequencies used by the drone. Second, by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), which registers all drone pilots.
So far it is not possible to complete the registrations before going to Thailand. This means you will need some luck to get your documents in time. In the following I explain to you how the procedures at NBTC and CAAT work.
Overview: Drone rules in Thailand
Drone labels can be ordered here
CAAT: 0066 (0) 2568 8815
Registration of drones in Thailand
In total, you need three documents to fly legally in Thailand: drone insurance, NBTC registration and CAAT registration. You should have these documents with you during all drone flights.
Get insurance
The insurance confirmation should be in English and contain the following data:
- full name of the policyholder
- brand, model, serial number and weight of the insured drone(s)
- validity in Thailand must be clear
- insurance coverage of at least THB 1 million (approx. EUR 30,000)
Register with the NBTC
Before the Corona pandemic, you had to go to one of the NBTC offices to register. Fortunately, this process has finally been digitized, so you can at least prepare this step before your trip to Thailand.
First you create an account here. After your email address has been confirmed, you can enter your contact details and your address in Thailand. However, the actual registration of your drone requires a photo of the entry stamp you receive in your passport upon arrival. Therefore, you can actually only complete the NBTC registration in the country. According to some experiences from our community, you can upload your e-ticket for the flight to Thailand instead of the entry stamp.
The cost of drone registration with the NBTC is about 200 baht and must be deposited at a Thai bank. A good place to start is Krung Thai Bank. The deposit of the NBTC fee cannot be done at all Thai banks.
If you fail to register with the NBTC and are caught by the police, you could face up to five years in prison or a fine of 100,000 THB (approx. 3,000 euros).
Register with the CAAT
You have to register your drone with the CAAT if it has a camera/recording equipment or – if it does not have recording equipment – weighs more than 2 kg.
You can only register with the CAAT once you have the approval of the NBTC. Since summer 2018, registration has been possible via the online platform uav.caat.or.th.
The relevant fields have been translated into English so that you should be able to fill out the forms quite easily. You will have to provide a lot of personal information during the process. In addition, you have to upload a signed self-declaration, a picture of the drone with the serial number on it and proof of your drone insurance. In addition, the CAAT requires a copy of your passport with the entry stamp. Several of our readers received rejections due to the lack of proof of entry. This means that you can only register once you have already entered the country.
Update: Since February 2022, we have repeatedly received feedback that the CAAT has accepted the registration even before entry and without confirmation from the NBTC. Instead of the photo with the entry stamp, some applicants uploaded a photo of their passport again and this was accepted. However, there are still other experiences. We still encourage you to try the CAAT before your trip and keep us informed about your experiences. Thank you very much for doing so!
After you have submitted the complete documents, the CAAT will check your application and carry out a background check with several security authorities to ensure that you have not yet committed any legal violations in Thailand. Since this can be very time-consuming, you have to expect a long processing time. The CAAT writes on its website that you will receive a notification within 15 working days. In practice, it can be shorter, but it can also take much longer. The good news is that if your registration was successful, it is valid for two years.
If you are caught flying without CAAT registration, you face up to 1 year imprisonment and / or 40,000 THB penalty (approx. 1,200 euros).
Frequently asked questions about drone rules in Thailand
I would like to answer the questions most commonly asked in the comments here:
- Do I have to register my DJI Spark / DJI Mavic Pro / … for my Thailand vacation?
Yes, because these drones have a camera. You can find more information above. - I am only visiting Thailand in transit and do not want to start my drone in the country. Can I get in trouble if I have no registration?
There should be no problems. Customs are not interested in drones, and the registrations are only required for the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles. However, there may be issues if the authorities get the impression that you want to resell the drone in Thailand (for example, if you import the drone in its original sealed packaging). - I am flying to Thailand in a few weeks/days and would like to take my drone with me. Now I have read that I have to register. What can I do now?
You should take out drone liability insurance and collect the above documents. At the moment you can only register if you are already in Thailand. But keep in mind that processing your application can take weeks and you may not receive your permits in time if you are in the country for only a short vacation. - How long does it take to register with the CAAT?
This varies and also seems to depend on the number of current applications. You can avoid a very long processing time by submitting all documents on time. Please keep in mind that processing at CAAT will only begin once you have approval from the NBTC.
Further regulations for operating multicopters in Thailand
After you have successfully registered yourself and your drone, there are of course other rules to follow
If you want to fly privately and no camera is mounted on your drone, the maximum take-off weight is 2 kg. With a higher weight you need approval from the CAAT. Drones weighing 25 kilograms or more need a separate permit from the Ministry of Transport.
Commercial pilots need permission for their flight maneuvers.
Safety distances and flight bans
You have to keep a distance of 9 kilometers (= 5 miles) to airports.
You can’t get closer than 50 meters to people, vehicles and buildings.
You must not fly near crowds of people. Flying over cities and villages is not allowed. Also avoid government buildings and hospitals.
You must always obtain permission from the property owner to take off and land. In practice, we usually solve this by asking the guards for permission or by asking at the information desk.
Your drone must always be kept within visual line of sight.
Drone flights are only allowed in daylight in Thailand, i.e. between sunrise and sunset.
The Thai rules also stipulate that you have an emergency plan. This includes having to carry a fire extinguisher with you. We have not yet found out whether this rule is enforced.
Good to know: Flights in Chiang Mai must be generally approved by air traffic control because the airport is so close to the city. We have obtained the appropriate permission. But you should call a few days before so that the people in the tower can coordinate with their bosses. Also, for flights over the historic park of Ayutthaya, approval is necessary. The Historical Park Office grants the permission, which is open daily from 8:30 to 16:30. According to the tourist information, the permit costs 5,000 baht.
We have researched the listed drone regulations for Thailand to the best of our knowledge. We cannot guarantee the correctness of the information. If you want to be on the safe side, contact the Thai aviation authority. Alternatively, you can also ask the Thai embassy in your country for further information about the regulations. Please leave us a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your copter in Thailand!
Hi ???? Can I bring mavic pro into the krabi airport n through Singapore?
hi Francis!
thanks for your great blog!! it’s superb.
now i’m going to Bangkok soon for travelling. Can I fly my Mavic pro equipped the camera without permit? if needed, can you share more details on that?
Your Mavic has a camera, so all the above applies, you need to apply for permits about 2 months in advance and get your drone insured by some company that somehow insures drones in Thailand.
In other words, you might as well leave your Mavic at home.
This is exactly why I haven’t bothered buying a Mavic. Was considering getting one for an upcoming trip to Thailand but this has helped convince me that it’s just not worth the bother.
Since you say that the Mavic Pro has a camera and that all the above applies, I’m assuming the same will apply to the Spark? I’ve got both the Phantom and Spark, the latter for travel purposes due to its small size.
Did you travel with Spark? What was required in Thailand to use the Spark? I am traveling next week and do not have time to apply for permit, so curious to find out if its worth taking it on the trip. I will be visiting Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi.
Hi. I insured my drone with Coverdrone. This insures for most countries (there are a few exceptions, mostly war zones), and USA, though I did get extended cover for Colorado
The last drone law USA (2016) say non-résidente can’t record and flight in USA !!!! please Verify this information here
HYUNSEOK, did you go to Thailand with your Mavic? If so, did you register it? Could you please let us know. I
Hi, I’m currently traveling thru Asia and I have a Mavic with me. If I go to Thailand but don’t use it can I still get in trouble during x-ray checks at metro stations for example if I don’t have it registert?
Hi, I’m currently in Thailand for 2.5 months with my Mavic Pro. I was unaware of all drone regulations in Thailand, I just check the DJI map before. I passed several times X-rays (currently in Koh Samui) and haven’t got any trouble. About flying, well, I Flow vier Buildings in Bangkok, national Parks, beaches and even over a Buddhist temple in Samui. For me it is mostly a question of respect, you just need common sense and don’t do crazy stuff with the drone, just keep a low profile when flying. I usually try to avoid exposing me when flying, for example if a want to check a place I just sit in a spot where nobody can see I’m the pilot. If it weren’t so complicated with the regulations I would have registered, but now that I know I’ll try to be even more careful when flying.
I’m going through registration now… It takes about 2 months as I’m told. I’m stuck at the show your liability insurance policy part. I’m sure I’ll be covered by travel insurance but haven’t bought any yet as I won’t be traveling for another 3 months plus. The form is in Thai as well. I would say that anyone thinking of filming with a quad in Thailand to register it. It may be the land of the free but the government doesn’t think along the lines that westerners are used to.
The strange thing is that if I don’t have a camera on my phantom it doesn’t need to be registered or have insurance. Add a camera and it’s an uphill struggle. I’m not sure that it is worth it buying extra insurance for 5 mins of video footage. I will be heading out to sparsely populated areas in the north where I know the people and can get away with not registering but to be safe I will. You never know what will happen in a corrupt Asian country. One could always remove the camera and carry that separately so that if the quad gets inspected you can say there is no camera attached etc and not feel guilty.
https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/27220
New laws coming in all the time are getting too restrictive world wide it seems. I’m starting to regret spending the big dollars on something I won’t be able to use where and when I want.
Hello @Christian Aguayo,
I will be in Bangkok in a couple days and would love to connect. Are you still there? If shoot me an email [email protected]
Thanks
Unlikely, I know, but if your drone did malfunction & drop out of the sky on someone, think of the consequences. Up to you, but I went for commercial licence & insurance.
Hi I have a phantom 4 and I just want to spend 3 days in Koh Samui flying my drone in safe areas, would I still have to do all that work to register it for 3 a days with insurance?
See my instagram page @perth_air too please
Notification of the Ministry of Transport Regarding Licensing Criteria and Conditions for Enforcing or Releasing Aircraft with No Type of Aircraft Controlled by External Aircraft BE 2558
Posted on July 2, 2015.
According to the announcement, the definition is as follows.
“Aircraft controlled by external flight” means aircraft controlled by an aircraft operator outside the aircraft and an aircraft control system, excluding small aircraft. Which is used as a player under the Ministerial Regulation prescribing non-aircraft objects, 2005
“Aircraft control system” means a set of equipment consisting of a linking command, control or aircraft control. Including stations or places where these sets of equipment or instruments are used to control flight from outside and aircraft.
The aircraft in this notice fall into two categories, namely
Type 1 is for playing as a hobby. For entertainment Or for sports
Type 2 is for purposes other than Category 1, ie news coverage. TV shows or movies Research and development aircraft Or for other purposes
Type 2 is not over 25 kg while Type 1 is broken down by size as follows:
Type 1. A weight of not more than 2 kg requires that the operator or aircraft release must be over 18 years of age or have a legal representative supervised. Which aircraft in this article. Ministry of Transport allowed to fly. Must meet the conditions set.
Condition
(1) before flying
(A) verify that the aircraft is in a safe state of flight; This includes aircraft and aircraft control systems.
(B) Get permission from the owner of the area to fly.
(C) Study areas and layers of airspace to fly.
(D) an emergency plan, including a plan for an accident. Medical treatment And to solve the case can not force the aircraft.
(2) during flight
(A) shall not fly in such a way as to cause harm to the life of the body, property and disturb the peace of another person;
(B) Prohibit flying into restricted areas and hazardous areas as declared in Thailand Aviation Press Release Paper (Aeronautical Information Publication – Thailand or AIP – Thailand) as well as government offices. State agencies, hospitals, unless authorized by the owner of the area.
(C) The downward flight of the aircraft shall be unobstructed.
(D) An aircraft operator or aircraft must be able to see the aircraft at all times during the flight and not to impose the aircraft on an aircraft or other similar device.
(E) Flight must be made between sunrise and sunset. This can clearly see the aircraft.
(F) Do not fly near or into the cloud.
(G) No flight within nine kilometers. (Five nautical miles) from the airport or the temporary rise and fall of the aircraft. Unless authorized by the owner or operator of the aerodrome permit or temporary permission.
(H) Flight shall not be made using a height exceeding ninety meters (three hundred feet) above ground.
(ฌ) Do not fly over city, village, community or congregational areas.
(J) Prohibiting the aircraft from approaching an aircraft with a pilot.
(K) Do not violate the privacy of others.
(L) Do not fly, causing trouble to others.
(M) not to transmit or bring the dangerous substance as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations or the laser emission device attached to the aircraft.
(N) Do not fly with a horizontal distance to any person, vehicle, building or building less than thirty meters (One hundred feet)
As it stands today Sep 18, 2017, Registration is not required for a Mavic Pro. The Drone weighs in at .7348Kg and you must adhere to all of the above stipulated rules. 300ft max altitude. Guys, please adhere to this so that we don’t lose our flying privileges. PLEASE!!!
Hello Francis,
Can you kindly elaborate more on what does “commercial use” mean? If I am travelling for a job to get some footages but only using a phantom 4, does it counted as “commercial use”?
Thanks!
If you are getting paid, then it’s commercial usage.
Where are you getting the info that if the the drone has a camera that registration is compulsory, even if under 2 kgs? Looking tat the CAAT site, I don’t see an update to the regs after 2015 (https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/27871) . The equivalent Thai documents appear to have the same date. Those regs define any drone under 2 kg, camera or no, as being a hobbyist drone and not requiring registration, just the usual common sense rules regarding when and where not to fly. Can you post link to new regs that you’re referring to?
I agree that the CAAT site is confusing on this point. By clicking on the “Recent Laws” link on the home page, one would assume that it would take you to the most recent laws – like most things in Thailand, it’s best not to assume…
If one scrolls down on the CAAT home page, you will see Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Regulation under both the Our Service and Did You Know sections. The regulation in this link (https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/27220) is dated 20 February 2017.
The law is not so confusing. It states very clearly that ALL RPA (remote pilot aircraft) with camera installed must register. NO exceptions. I have a Phantom 4Pro+, which is under 2 kg, BUT it has a camera installed, so I need to register unfortunately
But what if you bring your drone with you but you don’t fly? Do you still need to register? For me that part is still a bit confusing!
I’m backpacking through Asia and want to visit Thailand, but if it’s to hard to get the drone in I will maybe have to skip Thailand what would be a shame
I don’t know the rules for not flying, but if I were you I would take it with you. If you are not flying you are not doing anything. But do not report it thru customs just take it thru nothing to declare. And on board you have to check your airline. I am using Emirates and they want the drone to check in with your suitcase, you can not take in on board, and the battery you should take with you with your handlugage
Bart,
You are commenting on a government graphic. The law as best we can read in English is given in the PDF. In that document a “camera” is defined as “filming, photographing, or making television program”. So the common interpretation of the word “camera” is not in play, and the graphic is very confusing. Graphic even says you can not “control UAV by using camera on aeronautics”. if you think that is clear then it is safe to assume all drones are outlawed in Thailand for now.
I am not shooting for commercial use, and using a mavic, does this still apply to me?
Hey Francis.
Thanks for good block☺️
Im gong to phi phi, with my kids, and travel many times to Thailand, but is My først with my drone.
Its in july, so i cant gået at permit in time. Do you thinking its a problem? And can the take it in the costum?
Are the very observent, and can i go to jail..
What do you thinking ☺️
Have you taken the drone with you? Where there any problems?
So what is the current if I flew a dji phantom 2 vision what exactly do I need seen so much different info latley
Minimum age is now 20 years!
Now, each Cameradrone must be registered. It is almost impossible for tourists, you need for this a official proof of residence and crimial report obligation by 3 different offices, and they know nothing of it. Also you must carry a fire extinguisher and emergency plan with you.
Francis did you make your registration already?
No. I will go to Germany soon and will try when I come back. I had asket the Immigration, but they said, they would not do and sent me to the police. Policeman said, he is not responsible and sent me to another office, but that was closed. And everywhere you need a Thai for translation.
I had no probs. In Vietnam now
Just got back from 2 weeks in Thailand w/ my Mavic Pro, no problems. Got through all airports between Tokyo, Bangkok, Chiang mai, Koh Samui, Phuket, and Seoul. Kept it folded up in my carry on, with battery and chargers all in separate bags. I think it’s pretty unrecognizable under x-ray when folded up and could easily pass as a camera. There was a restriction about batteries in checked bags going into Koh Samui / Phuket so keep everything in your carry on. I flew all over Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai, and only from my hotel room in Koh Samui and from the beach in Phuket. It still felt like I was breaking the rules, so best to use your judgement and if you ever feel uncomfortable it’s best not to risk it. Tried to keep it around 200m high so it was inaudible. Don’t try flying over temples or James Bond Island (Phuket) it’s part of a national park and is crawling with Park Rangers who will put you in jail for +6mo. I kept an extra $3000THB in my drone bag in case to pay off anyone for forgiveness 😉 // I also emailed the CAAT my completed Category 1 UAV registration form, but they never responded. Maybe good idea to keep a copy with you just in case you need to prove good intention. https://www.caat.or.th/th/archives/20367
Hello, while this information is surely important, interesting and accurate, ask ANY of the various DJI official dealers in Bangkok (I’ve personally asked several of them over the years, again and again) and they will all say they same thing: You neither need to register your drone nor buy an insurance for it because in reality nobody cares. Just use common sense and you should be fine. I’m not saying you’ll be 100% fine or guarantee anything but these DJI dealers are knowledgeable, experienced drone pilots with a large customer base and they all say it’s completely optional and they wouldn’t recommend it and they never had any issues with the law, neither had any of their buyers. I’m mainly posting this because I’m seeing people leaving their Mavic at home when traveling in Thailand which sounds really odd for me as a hobby drone pilot in Thailand where you can take such great videos everywhere, it’s Thailand after all, people can get away with pretty much everything here so flying a drone isn’t exactly worth worrying imho :p
You obviously don’t understand the mentality that prevails in Asian countries. Sure people there may scoff at the laws but, as a foreigner in Thailand you will get different treatment if caught doing the wrong thing. Breaking the law is worth worrying about because they will come down hard on you just because they can. There is a good chance that you will be treated as guilty regardless especially if they see whatever happened as serious.
They are cracking down on many things no in Thailand like wearing seatbelts, helmets on motorbikes, speeding and they even have red light cameras now. The land of smiles is only smiling on the surface. You do not want to go to prison there for something which may be dismissed or only mean a small fine in your home country.
Sure, you might be safe out in the countryside and no one will care but, it only takes one person to say something and they may come down hard if they find out you are flouting the law.
It’s NOT worth the risk. Get registered. Same goes for driving r riding a motorbike. Make sure you are licenced and have insurance and get an international driver’s licence.
When the shit hits the fan you will be screwed. I’ve been married to a Thai for 20 years and been going there to live on and off for a long time. It can be a dangerous place especially if you play with fire.
I’m going through registration right now and have liability insurance cover for the min THB 1Mill. Just have to wait now so stay tuned for a video….
I know the mentality, country and culture very well, unlike you, I have been permanently living in Bangkok since the 90s, I’m here all year every year, I’m also fluent in written and spoken Thai. As I’ve stated, the legal situation stated here is correct and I’m not guaranteeing you won’t get into trouble or recommending breaking laws. All I’m saying is, the reality is quite relaxed. And I’m talking about drones specifically and none of the other things you’re mentioning, not sure what you’re getting at. I’ve talked to the local drone community at length about this topic, so why do you think they all have a very relaxed stance? Please go ahead and ask any DJI dealer what they think one should do and see for yourself. Farang or not, they’ve all said จริงๆแล้วไม่ต้องทำอะไรเลยก็ได้ ไม่มีใครสนใจอะครับ
No will care till you are deep in shit. Then it’s too late. I know how relaxed it is there and have done stuff in the past without caring about the consequences but things are changing. Regardless of what DJI dealers say I would beware. The dealers just want to sell drones and don’t care what happens to customers. A too carefree attitude can be a bad thing. Then again Thailand is not North Korea……..
Fair enough if you wanna do this but has anyone actually ever successfully done so?
I’ve asked around and no drone owner that I know, neither Thai nor farang, has done it. Especially this point basically makes people give up on it before trying and I can’t imagine this being easy:
“Prove that you have not committed any offenses in Thailand. To do so, you need a confirmation of the National Intelligence Agency, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the Immigration Bureau.”
Yes, I agree, I have the same experience. Since the soldiers have the power, police are more carefull with solutions beside the law. Prison in Thailand is not so funny.
Hi Adam, did you able to get through the registration? i was looking into this to registered my drone, as i frequently travel to BKK now days.
Where did you get your Insurance from ? Thanks.
I insure through Coverdrone, covers Thailand
like so many other blurry laws in Thailand, specially new ones, this will probably be over looked to start with and your be safe taking your drone without registration, but as drones get more popular and more media coverage some airport/government official will realise there is some easy money to be exploited from tourist, by handing out heavy fines or by confiscation for not having the correct paper work, these laws will be enforced then forgotten then enforced then forgotten………. the registration will change constantly and become more of a ball ache every time……… I really wouldn’t be surprised if there was a “registration fee” applied before the end of the year another little way for some high up official to fleece your hard earned cash and line his pockets…… this isn’t the land of the free nor is it the land of smiles…….but I still love it,…..I just cant help returning to the land of smoke and mirrors
Many things are about to change!!
I’m Thai and I’m a professional drone VDO/photographer in Thailand. A lot of things happen in the past few months and its seem like the government official (police, etc.) are about to take things more seriously. So be careful when you are flying in Thailand, use your good judgment before flying especially around Bangkok area.
The regulations above are correct and up to date, but anyone would take it seriously!! It’s up to you. I’m just recently started take action to get all the necessary action towards the legal regulations to fly in Thailand.
Fly safe and have a great time drone photographing here.
Any idea if the DJI Spark does not apply to some of these rules? It’s extremely small and only weighs 300g (0.2 kg).
I flew my Mavic recently without any issues, found your site after my visit (good in that I probably would not have bought the Mavic!) other sites I read said not to worry about it. No one seemed to care or even notice, even at airports (HKT and BKK). The weather was poor most of the time (July) so I really didn’t get it out much. I would recommend being smart and don’t assume, ask, and be safe.
I contacted the Thai government last week to have more information. They told me that because my Mavic Pro has a drone and even if the weight is less than 2Kgs I need to get a permit and must have a third party liability insurance.
They sent me all the forms in english. I filled all of them and attached a proof of insurance.
I submitted everything this morning.
For now the process seems pretty simple.
The most difficult part was to get an insurance.
According to them it’s going to take 2 months so I will keep you posted to let you know how it goes.
Correction : because my Mavic Pro has a camera…
And not a drone 😉
What are the documents you submitted?
How did you get the insurance?
Where am I suppose to submit it? Unable to find any pointers at the CAAT website.
1. Application form at https://www.caat.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/UAV-Registration-Application-Form.pdf
2. Consent form at https://www.caat.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Consent-to-the-Disclosure-of-Personal-Information.pdf
Where did you get insurance? I’m finding it difficult to find insurance that will cover 3rd party for non-commercial users, for such a high amount.
Hey Christopher,
Can you send me the info on this? I need those forms in English as well and don’t know where to start with this. I have a DJI Spark and will be heading to Thailand in about 3 months (November). Would like to have all the proper documents ready by then. Thanks!
Christopher, any way you can send me the forms in English? And any updates on the process thus far?
Nick send me an email to : [email protected]. I will forward you the forms in english.
No update so far. They told me it would take up to 2 months so I don’t expect any news anytime soon
How did your registration go? How long did it take?
Thanks
Hi Chris, I just sent you an email. Would you be able to forward me the forms in english also?
Thanks
Thanks for your information!
Btw could you please share your experiences about getting an isurance?
That was a nightmare. I checked my homeowner policy to see if my personal liability insurance would cover the use of a drone but they don’t.
Most of them have an exclusion for drones so don’t count on it unless you are lucky.
Then I contacted private insurance companies. (around 8). All of them only offer insurances for commercial use of a drone. But not for recreational use.
Then I contacted MAAC (The Model Aeronautics Association of Canada) as I know they have an insurance for their members.
They sent me the insurance policy but the thailand government refused it because they are very strict. For a certificate to be valid they need on the certificate:
– Your full name
– Make, model and weight of the drone
– The worlwide coverage MUST be specified clearly
– The amount covered by the insurance MUST be specified clearly
I finally ended up registering to IDRA (The International Drone Racing Association).
Since recently they offers a full worlwide insurance with all the requirements needed for the thai government.
This one was accepted. It costs 165$ / year for 2 drones.
Thank you so much, Christopher!! 🙂
I have been trying to get a response for IDRA for months. I payed for the Insurance. I have tried to email them for months with no response. How did you get a hold of them?
Im get today info directly from this CAAT/civil Aviation Authority of Thainland/ institution too. My request was about permission fly for model of Drone Dji Spark with camera. But general problém with insurance company in Thainland is, that they cannot make insurace for foreigners,only for local people. Insurance ammount for damaged third party, from owner of Drone, have to be minimum on 1.000.000 THB Their form permission, exist in English language too 🙂
What is needed for UAV registration:
1. Form of Consent to the Disclosure of Personal Information
2. UAV Registration Application Form
(I have attached those 2 forms below.)
3. You need to have the insurance paperwork which covers damages caused to the body, life and properties of the third parties. The minimum sum insured is not less than 1 Million bath per time.
What should be mentioned on insurance paperwork are:
– UAV Brand
– UAV Model
– **UAV Serial Number**
– UAV Weight
– Your name as an insured on the paperwork as well
– Please also mention if this insurance policy will be covered in Thailand or Worldwide
Ps. If you cant really find insurance for UAV registration, you can search the one in Thailand as there are some companies that support for UAV registration at the moment.
4. Copy of your passport
**It will be helpful if you can provide insurance paperwork in English to reduce approval wait times**.
For your information, you should plan ahead before you bring your UAV to Thailand. When you register for UAV, I will send your personal information to National Intelligence Agency, Immigration Bureau and Office of Narcotics Control. It will take approximately up to 60 days to get the result before I can process the approval.
Hi Christopher,
Can you send me the English version of the forms as well to my email address? [email protected]
Thanks a million
I live in Thailand and have a Mavic pro. I can tell you no one here knows what the rules are for drones. If you are polite about what you are doing you will have no problem. They have dealers in Bangkok so just ask them and they will tell you what I said.
Marc, you said well on July. we are in middle October
Just returned from Thailand and I had no issues at all. Not at customs, not anywhere. I did not register my Phantom 4 Pro+. I took some shots in Bangkok http://youtu.be/gBcKLry23jg and Phuket http://youtu.be/Jh9jQbTrY40 and people were mostly interested and very friendly. Of course you should take good notice of were you are flying. But if you don’t disturb anybody I did not encounter any problems. Good luck to you all
For sure you can always ignore the laws but that’s a risk to screw up your vacations if you get caught.
Personnally I don’t want to take that risk just for a drone.
I did everything they told me to get this permit but of course if they refuse it for some bad reasons I will probably use it anyway.
Did you pack your drone in your check-in luggage, or as part of your carry-on? I’m more worried about getting past security with my DJI Spark.
Any suggestions on how you packed your drone would be appreciated!
Mee to I have spark but Now with this strange laws.. don’t know
Does someone know what “Request for Certificate of registration for customs clearance” in the UAV Registration Application Form means?
Is this related to commercial dealers who want to import drones into the country?
Or is this the type of registration necessary so that your drone does not get confiscated at airport customs, even if you are just in “transit” and do not even intend to fly in Thailand?
I want to take my DJI Spark to Asia this year and we will land and stay in Thailand for some time.
Now I am wondering if I also need a registration for Thailand, as I could waive flying in Thailand but do not want to risk losing my drone for the rest of my trip.
As I understand all the regulations are only referring to “control and launch” of the aircraft, not having in your luggage. But good luck trying to explain this to a Thai customs officer…
It’s for actually importing a drone via a shipping agent like DHL.. You need an import permit.. hence the reason we don’t have DJI care here. No problem hand carry as a tourist.
Hi everyone I just want to contribute a new data point. I flew into a secondary city in Thailand and almost had my mavic confiscated at customs when they put my (and every single arriving passenger) bag into xray. They asked me if I had registration and I said no im going to apply for it after I get to hotel and we went back and forth for a good 5 minutes and they claim I need registration before I bring a done in. Probably an overreaching agent that misinterpreted the rule but contributing a data point regardless. I’ve been to Thailand many times with the drone no issues and I’m familiar with the general don’t know / don’t understand of most enforcement.
Does anyone know, if removing the props and battery from drone does it alter the profile enough in xray so that it doesn’t look like anything special?
Did the agent mention if you also need a registration if you do not plan to fly in Thailand and only have the drone with you for transit?
Which airport have you landed at?
It just felt they were both clueless and overreaching on the rules and almost implying that it’s not even allowed to be carried if you didn’t register. To be honest in smaller cities and in a country when rules are selectively applied and enforced its always going to be somewhat of a crap shoot unless you have something that’s basically bulletproof. I mean what can you do if they insist on taking it? Nothing much.. Maybe argue and argue but there are limits to it.
I’m guessing PHUKET.. correct?
Last month when I came back to Bkk airport I asked about drones. They showed me only some rules about big batteries and said no problems for drones to pass. Only if you realy fly you must have the CAAT permission. I think most police dont know about this law. If they would, they could earn a lot of money from tourists with drones. But some day they will know.