Belarus BY
Private individuals in Belarus have been banned outright from buying, importing, storing or operating civilian drones since a September 2023 decree — only organisations and registered entrepreneurs may legally do so, after obtaining an Aviation Department import permit and registering the drone. There is no tourist or hobbyist exception, and the border regions with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia see additional security-driven restrictions.
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Visitors can't fly drones in Belarus
- Private drone ownership and flying banned; heightened border security
Since Decree No. 297 (25 September 2023), private citizens — including foreign visitors — may not buy, import, store or fly civilian drones in Belarus; only organisations and individual entrepreneurs with an Aviation Department import permit and state registration may do so. Border areas with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia are subject to extra security measures and drone-related incidents; foreign nationals have been fined or detained at the border for attempting to bring drones into the country.
- Flying not allowed for visitors
Private individuals in Belarus have been banned outright from buying, importing, storing or operating civilian drones since a September 2023 decree — only organisations and registered entrepreneurs may legally do so, after obtaining an Aviation Department import permit and registering the drone. There is no tourist or hobbyist exception, and the border regions with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia see additional security-driven restrictions.
Flying
- Private individuals, including foreign tourists, may not buy, import, store or operate civilian drones — this has been banned outright since Decree No. 297 of 25 September 2023
- Only organisations and registered individual entrepreneurs may legally operate drones, after obtaining an Aviation Department import permit before entry and registering the drone in the state electronic UAV register (fully electronic from 2026)
- Drones must stay clear of airports and other sensitive/no-fly zones nationwide
- Border zones with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia carry additional security restrictions and heightened enforcement given cross-border drone incidents
- Foreign nationals have been fined or detained for attempting to bring undeclared or unauthorised drones across the border
Commercial use: Only organisations and registered individual entrepreneurs can operate drones commercially. This requires an import permit from the Aviation Department obtained before the drone enters Belarus, plus registration in the state UAV register; as of April 2026 the previous requirement for a separate military-industrial-committee dual-use certificate was removed, simplifying (but not opening to individuals) the process.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (all drones) Registration exists only for organisations and registered individual entrepreneurs — private individuals, including tourists, cannot register a drone because private ownership/use itself is banned. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Unknown No publicly documented civilian pilot test. No public pilot-certification scheme for civilian drone operators was found; operators are organisations/entrepreneurs vetted through the import-permit and registration process rather than a published personal exam. |
| Remote ID | Yes Registered drones are reported to require identification markings/badges. Exact technical Remote ID broadcast requirements were not confirmed from official sources; treat weight threshold as unverified. |
| Insurance | No Drone insurance is reported as not mandatory, though this applies to the small pool of authorised organisational operators rather than individuals, who cannot legally operate drones at all. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No There is no registration or permit route available to individual foreign tourists — private drone ownership and use is banned outright, not merely restricted, since September 2023. Visitors needing aerial footage would need to work through a Belarusian organisation or registered entrepreneur that already holds an Aviation Department import permit and state registration. Border regions with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia carry extra security risk; avoid carrying drone equipment there given documented fines/detentions of foreigners. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Private/individual use, any weight | any weight | Banned outright since September 2023 — private individuals, including tourists, may not buy, import, store or fly a civilian drone regardless of size. |
| Organisations & registered entrepreneurs | any weight | May import and operate drones after obtaining an Aviation Department import permit before entry and registering in the state UAV register. |
Import & export
- None. Private individuals, including tourists, may not import a civilian drone for personal use. Only organisations and registered individual entrepreneurs may import one, and only after obtaining an Aviation Department import permit before entering Belarus.
- Organisational/entrepreneur imports require an Aviation Department import permit obtained in advance. Since April 2026 the additional dual-use verification document from the military-industrial committee is no longer required, simplifying the process for authorised entities, but individuals still have no legal import route.
- Batteries: No Belarus-specific battery rules were found; general international air-transport lithium-battery limits would apply only to an authorised organisational shipment, since personal import is banned.
- Private ownership, import, storage and operation of civilian drones has been banned since Decree No. 297 (25 September 2023); residents were given a window to sell or hand over existing drones to authorised organisations.
- Foreign nationals have been fined or detained at the border for attempting to bring drones into Belarus without authorisation.
- A fully electronic state civilian-UAV registration system for authorised organisations took effect in 2026.
Export
- Drones and related components are treated as sensitive/dual-use given the security situation and Belarus's role in the region; cross-border movement of drone hardware or technology should be assumed to be tightly controlled and is beyond ordinary personal travel.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Not published for individuals since private registration is not available at all. Organisations/entrepreneurs register in the state electronic civilian-UAV register, fully electronic since 2026 (about 1,500 drones were registered as of October 2025); no public validity period found. |
|---|---|
| No publicly documented civilian pilot test | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Why you cannot bring a drone to Belarus as a tourist Visitors
- Do not pack a personal drone
Private ownership, import and operation of civilian drones has been banned outright in Belarus since Decree No. 297 (25 September 2023) — there is no tourist exception.
- Understand the legal basis
Only organisations and registered individual entrepreneurs may legally hold or fly a drone, and only after obtaining an Aviation Department import permit before entry and registering it in the state UAV register.
- Need aerial footage? Hire an authorised local operator
Work with a Belarusian production company or entrepreneur who already holds the required import permit and registration, rather than attempting to bring your own equipment.
- Avoid border regions with drone-like equipment
The borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia see heightened security and drone-related incidents; foreign nationals have been fined or detained there for undeclared or unauthorised drones.
- Check current travel advisories before you go
Given the broader political and security situation, consult your government's travel advisory and, if in doubt, your embassy before traveling with any drone-like device.
Sources
- Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus — Air transport · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Nasha Niva — Rules for importing civilian drones changed in Belarus · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Drone Traveller — Drone Rules and Laws in Belarus · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Drone flying banned for visitors−95
- Drone import banned−95
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works