Bosnia and Herzegovina BA
Bosnia and Herzegovina runs its own national drone rulebook modelled on the EU's OPEN/SPECIFIC/CERTIFIED structure but is not an EASA member state, so EU-issued certificates are not automatically valid. Any drone from 249 g up to 25 kg must be registered with the Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA) before flying — including drones brought in by tourists — with processing taking around 30 days and a small administrative fee. Recreational (OPEN-category) flight is capped at 30 m altitude, daylight-only, and drones over 1 kg need third-party liability insurance valid in Bosnia. A tourist can realistically fly a small drone, but only after completing BHDCA registration well before the trip.
Your plan
Choose your home country (top right) to see steps tailored to you.
1 thing to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Applies to drones between roughly 249 g and 25 kg; heavier drones need separate special BHDCA approval. Required documents reportedly include identity verification, proof of residence, ownership documentation and proof of insurance — foreign visitors should contact BHDCA (dron@bhdca.gov.ba) directly to confirm exactly what a non-resident applicant must submit. Fee: 5 BAM (Administrative registration fee; approx. EUR conversion). Allow about 30 days before your trip.
Open official page - Bringing your drone in
No drone-specific customs ban or personal-import allowance was found on an official page; ordinary personal-effects customs rules are expected to apply. Bringing a drone into Bosnia does not by itself authorise flying it — BHDCA registration is a separate required step, and near-border flights additionally need Border Police consent. Batteries: No Bosnia-specific rule found; standard international air-travel lithium-battery limits (carry-on only, spare batteries under the usual 100/160 Wh airline thresholds) are expected to apply.
- Before each flight
Any drone weighing 249 g or more (up to 25 kg) must be registered with BHDCA before it is flown in Bosnian airspace; drones over 25 kg need special BHDCA approval · Non-commercial (OPEN category) recreational flights are capped at 30 m above ground level, must stay within visual line of sight, and are daylight-only · Commercial/aerial-work (SPECIFIC/CERTIFIED category) operations can fly up to about 120 m (or 50 m above obstacles) and, with prior approval, at night if the drone carries light-signalling equipment and stays within line of sight of a nearby landing site
Flying
- Any drone weighing 249 g or more (up to 25 kg) must be registered with BHDCA before it is flown in Bosnian airspace; drones over 25 kg need special BHDCA approval
- Non-commercial (OPEN category) recreational flights are capped at 30 m above ground level, must stay within visual line of sight, and are daylight-only
- Commercial/aerial-work (SPECIFIC/CERTIFIED category) operations can fly up to about 120 m (or 50 m above obstacles) and, with prior approval, at night if the drone carries light-signalling equipment and stays within line of sight of a nearby landing site
- Keep at least 30 m laterally from people, buildings and infrastructure not involved in the flight; 50 m from public assemblies; and 100 m from embassies and state facilities
- Border areas require prior Border Police consent and a roughly 300 m buffer — relevant near the borders with Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro
- Drones flown under the responsibility of a foreign army, police, customs or similar organisation need prior approval from the competent Bosnian institution before any operation
- Restricted/controlled airspace around Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka airports and military zones is shown on BHDCA's drone map — check it before flying
- Capturing images or recordings that infringe individuals' privacy rights is prohibited under Bosnian law
Commercial use: Commercial (SPECIFIC) and aerial-work (CERTIFIED) operators must contact BHDCA in advance (dron@bhdca.gov.ba) for special approval, carry third-party liability insurance regardless of drone weight, and may operate under an extended altitude ceiling (~120 m) and, with extra conditions, at night.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 249 g) Applies to drones between roughly 249 g and 25 kg; heavier drones need separate special BHDCA approval. Required documents reportedly include identity verification, proof of residence, ownership documentation and proof of insurance — foreign visitors should contact BHDCA (dron@bhdca.gov.ba) directly to confirm exactly what a non-resident applicant must submit. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Unknown No verified public pilot-test requirement. No official BHDCA page describing a mandatory recreational pilot exam (equivalent to the EASA A1/A3 online test) was confirmed in available sources; Bosnia is not an EASA member state, so foreign A1/A3/A2 certificates should not be assumed valid. Confirm directly with BHDCA before travelling. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No public Remote ID broadcast requirement was confirmed from official BHDCA sources. |
| Insurance | Depends A valid third-party liability insurance policy covering Bosnian territory is required for recreational drones over 1 kg; commercial (SPECIFIC/CERTIFIED) operators need coverage regardless of drone mass. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No Foreign visitors must register their drone directly with BHDCA before flying; foreign registrations or EASA-style certificates are not treated as automatically valid, since Bosnia is not an EASA member state. Registration reportedly takes around 30 days to process, so it cannot be arranged on arrival — apply well before travelling. Near the borders with Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, flights additionally require Border Police consent and a roughly 300 m buffer from the border line. For questions specific to a visitor's situation, BHDCA can be contacted at dron@bhdca.gov.ba. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 249 g – 1 kg | Registration required; recreational OPEN-category limits (30 m altitude, VLOS, daylight) apply; insurance not mandatory below 1 kg for recreational use. |
| A2 | 1 kg – 2 kg | Registration and third-party liability insurance required; OPEN-category recreational limits apply. |
| A3 | 2 kg – 5 kg | Registration and insurance required; typically flown farther from people under OPEN-category rules. |
| A4 | 5 kg – 25 kg | Registration and insurance required; higher-risk operations may fall under SPECIFIC/CERTIFIED category with BHDCA approval. |
| Over 25 kg | > 25 kg | Requires special BHDCA approval beyond standard registration. |
Import & export
- No drone-specific customs ban or personal-import allowance was found on an official page; ordinary personal-effects customs rules are expected to apply. Bringing a drone into Bosnia does not by itself authorise flying it — BHDCA registration is a separate required step, and near-border flights additionally need Border Police consent.
- No drone-specific radio/type-approval certification requirement was confirmed from official sources.
- Batteries: No Bosnia-specific rule found; standard international air-travel lithium-battery limits (carry-on only, spare batteries under the usual 100/160 Wh airline thresholds) are expected to apply.
- Drones operated under the responsibility of a foreign army, police, customs or similar organisation need prior approval from the competent Bosnian institution before any operation — relevant for anyone travelling with an official/institutional drone.
Export
- No Bosnia-specific drone export restriction was found; treat cross-border movement of drone equipment as subject to ordinary Bosnian customs rules.
Costs
| Operator registration | 5 BAM (≈ €2.6) · Administrative registration fee; approx. EUR conversion Validity: Not publicly confirmed; BHDCA reportedly processes registration certificates within about 30 days of a complete application. |
|---|---|
| No verified public pilot-test requirement | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying a drone in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a visitor Visitors
- Register your drone with BHDCA before you travel
Any drone from about 249 g upward must be registered; processing reportedly takes around 30 days and a small administrative fee (about 5 BAM) applies. Contact dron@bhdca.gov.ba for the visitor process. Open
- Arrange third-party liability insurance if your drone is over 1 kg
Insurance valid on Bosnian territory is required for recreational drones over 1 kg, and for any commercial operation regardless of weight.
- Fly within OPEN-category limits
Stay at or below 30 m altitude, within visual line of sight, and only during daylight unless you have specific SPECIFIC-category night approval.
- Check the BHDCA drone map for restricted zones
Avoid airspace around Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka airports, military zones, and keep back from embassies, state facilities, public assemblies and border areas.
- Skip the border zones or get Border Police consent
Flights near the borders with Croatia, Serbia or Montenegro need prior Border Police consent and roughly a 300 m buffer.
Sources
- BHDCA — Drone (official drone regulation page) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- BHDCA — Aviation regulation / drone rulebook overview · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Drone Traveller — Drone laws in Bosnia-Herzegovina · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- BHANSA — Drones in BiH: amendments to the Law on BHANSA · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−15
- Pilot test (unknown)−3
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Night flight banned−8
- Low ceiling (30 m)−5
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−10
- Long lead time (30 days)−8
- Duty + VAT ≈ 15 %−9
- Radio / type certification−4
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works