Falkland Islands FK
The Falkland Islands is a UK Overseas Territory with its own aviation law (the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013, not the UK's domestic Air Navigation Order), administered locally by the Falkland Islands Civil Aviation Department (FICAD). A UK CAA Flyer/Operator ID does not apply here and there is no drone registration system at all. Recreational flying needs no permit, but since November 2025 every operator must call Stanley or Mount Pleasant airport by phone before every single flight, anywhere on the islands, under a mandatory Direction — skipping this call is an offence.
Your plan
Choose your home country (top right) to see steps tailored to you.
You're good to go, just follow the local rules
- No registration needed
A 249 g drone with camera doesn't need to be registered in Falkland Islands.
- Bringing your drone in
There is no VAT in the Falkland Islands. General import duty on consumer electronics (cameras, accessories, etc.) is commonly cited around 20% of CIF value for commercial imports/shipments, but personal effects carried in luggage for the traveller's own use are typically not assessed duty or tax in practice — this is not a guaranteed legal exemption, so declare the drone if asked. Batteries: Standard international air-transport lithium battery rules are expected (carry-on only; spares under 100 Wh freely, 100-160 Wh with airline approval), but no Falklands-specific confirmation was found; flights typically route via the UK MoD air bridge or Chile, so check with your carrier.
- Before each flight
Maximum height 400 ft above the surface without a specific Permission · Stay at least 150 ft from any person (other than the operator/accompanying persons), and 150 ft from any vehicle, vessel or structure not under the operator's control · Stay at least 400 ft from an open-air assembly of more than 400 people
Flying
- Maximum height 400 ft above the surface without a specific Permission
- Stay at least 150 ft from any person (other than the operator/accompanying persons), and 150 ft from any vehicle, vessel or structure not under the operator's control
- Stay at least 400 ft from an open-air assembly of more than 400 people
- Do not fly within the boundary of an aerodrome
- Maintain direct, unaided visual line of sight with the aircraft at all times
- Mandatory since November 2025 (Direction 25_OTO_D1225): call Stanley Airport (+500 27301) and Mount Pleasant Airport (+500 73661) before launching, wherever you plan to fly, and delay/cancel if asked to
- The Stanley Airport Air Traffic Zone extends 4 nautical miles around the airport, covering the town of Stanley itself
- Land immediately, or avoid the area, if you see or hear another aircraft nearby
- Outside Stanley, almost all land is privately owned — get landowner permission before flying over it
- Follow the Falkland Islands Countryside Code around wildlife
Commercial use: "Aerial work" (any flight where valuable consideration is given for the flight or its footage/output — e.g. paid filming, photography sold on, paid survey/inspection work) requires an Aerial Work Permission from the Director of Civil Aviation. A separate Permission can also be sought to operate outside the standard Article 73 limits (height, distances, aerodrome boundary) if justified. Fees are GBP 56.50 per 3-month period or GBP 162.30 for 12 months (as of February 2026).
Registration & classes
| Registration | No There is no registration scheme for drones or operators in the Falkland Islands, recreational or commercial. UK CAA registration (Flyer ID/Operator ID) is a separate system for the UK itself and does not apply here. Only 'aerial work' or non-standard operations need a Permission (see flying.commercial), not registration. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | No None — no knowledge test or licence exists for recreational or standard flying. No pilot test is required. An Aerial Work Permission application is assessed by FICAD case-by-case rather than through a standard exam. |
| Remote ID | No No Remote ID broadcast requirement was found; the framework relies on the mandatory pre-flight ATC phone call instead. |
| Insurance | No Liability insurance is explicitly stated as not mandatory, but FICAD's own guidance calls it best practice, noting a Permission does not remove the operator's responsibility to carry adequate valid liability cover. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No There is no registration system at all, so a UK, EU or other national drone registration/Operator ID does not transfer and is not required. The one hard requirement for every visitor is the pre-flight phone call to Stanley and Mount Pleasant airports before each flight, introduced in November 2025 — save both numbers before you arrive. If your trip includes any paid photography, filming or survey work, apply for an Aerial Work Permission from FICAD in advance (civilaviation@sec.gov.fk). Almost all land outside Stanley is privately owned — arrange landowner permission ahead of time, especially for farm/settlement land you plan to fly over. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| All small unmanned aircraft (SUA) | any weight | No weight-based tiering exists under Article 73 of the AN(OT)O 2013 — the same distance/height limits, mandatory pre-flight ATC call, and Permission-for-aerial-work rules apply regardless of drone size. |
Import & export
- There is no VAT in the Falkland Islands. General import duty on consumer electronics (cameras, accessories, etc.) is commonly cited around 20% of CIF value for commercial imports/shipments, but personal effects carried in luggage for the traveller's own use are typically not assessed duty or tax in practice — this is not a guaranteed legal exemption, so declare the drone if asked.
- No drone-specific radio/type-approval certification scheme was found.
- Batteries: Standard international air-transport lithium battery rules are expected (carry-on only; spares under 100 Wh freely, 100-160 Wh with airline approval), but no Falklands-specific confirmation was found; flights typically route via the UK MoD air bridge or Chile, so check with your carrier.
- No drone-specific import ban or licence requirement was found beyond the general Falkland Islands customs duty regime.
- The commonly cited ~20% duty figure applies to general electronics imports/shipments and its application to a personal travel drone was not separately confirmed — verify with Falkland Islands Customs (customs.gov.fk) if importing a drone as freight rather than personal luggage.
Export
- No drone-specific export controls were found; ordinary consumer/prosumer drones are not expected to be restricted on departure.
Costs
| Operator registration | Not needed Validity: N/A — no drone/operator registration system exists |
|---|---|
| None — no knowledge test or licence exists for recreational or standard flying | Not needed |
| Import taxes | 20 % duty + 0 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying a drone in the Falkland Islands as a tourist Visitors
- Save the airport phone numbers
Stanley Airport +500 27301 and Mount Pleasant Airport +500 73661 — you must call before every flight, wherever you are on the islands. Open
- Check if you need an Aerial Work Permission
Required if any footage or service will be sold, published commercially, or done for payment. Apply to civilaviation@sec.gov.fk ahead of your trip; fees are GBP 56.50 (3 months) or GBP 162.30 (12 months).
- Keep within the standard limits
400 ft height ceiling, 150 ft from people/vehicles/vessels/structures, 400 ft from crowds over 400 people, never inside an aerodrome boundary, and stay clear of the 4 nm Stanley Air Traffic Zone unless cleared.
- Get landowner permission
Outside Stanley almost all land is privately owned; arrange permission before flying over farms or settlements.
- Consider liability insurance
Not legally required, but FICAD explicitly recommends it since a Permission alone doesn't cover your liability.
Sources
- Falkland Islands Civil Aviation Department — Drones in the Falklands · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- FICAD — SUA_02_V3.8 Operation of a SUA Information Sheet (February 2026) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- MercoPress — Falklands: Strict regulations regarding Drone Usage (10 Nov 2025) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Night flight unknown−3
- Duty + VAT ≈ 20 %−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works