Kenya KE
Kenya regulates all drones, with no exemption for small or toy drones, under the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2020. Tourists must apply to the KCAA for a temporary import/operating permit before travelling, and flying inside any national park or reserve (Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, etc.) needs separate Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Film Commission authorisation on top of the KCAA permit. Bringing a drone without a permit risks confiscation at customs.
Your plan
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2 things to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Kenya
All drones must be registered with KCAA regardless of weight — there is no exemption for drones under 250 g. Secondary sources cite registration fees roughly in the KES 3,000–10,000 (about USD 25–90) range, but this was not confirmed on an official KCAA fee schedule, so the fee is left unset here. Allow about 21 days before your trip.
Open official page - Pass the Remote Pilot Licence (RPL)
Online and in person. An RPL (minimum age 18, medical certificate, theoretical exam, practical flight assessment, English proficiency) is reported to be required for all UAS operators, with processing around 4–6 weeks — but this was only confirmed via secondary sources, not an official KCAA document, so treat the exact scope (e.g. whether very small Category A drones are exempt) as unverified.
- Bringing your drone in
Tourists are expected to obtain a temporary import/operating permit from KCAA before arrival, submitting drone details, travel dates and intended flight areas; processing is commonly cited as roughly 2–4 weeks (one source states up to 30 days). Arriving without an approved permit risks confiscation at customs. Duty/VAT treatment for a temporary tourist import was not confirmed from an official source. Import is tied to the same KCAA registration/permit approval as flying; no separate consumer type-approval scheme was confirmed, though Kenya's telecoms regulator (Communications Authority of Kenya) may also require type approval for radio equipment in general — this was not specifically confirmed for drones. Batteries: Standard international lithium-battery air-travel rules are expected to apply (carry-on only, spare battery Wh limits), though no Kenya-specific drone battery rule was confirmed.
- Before each flight
All UAS are regulated under the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2020; there is no weight-based exemption for small or toy drones · Operations are risk-classified: Category A (up to 25 kg, lower risk) needs notification/registration; Category B (roughly 25–150 kg) needs prior operational authorisation; Category C (above 150 kg) needs full certification · Maximum altitude is 400 ft (about 122 m) AGL
Flying
- All UAS are regulated under the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2020; there is no weight-based exemption for small or toy drones
- Operations are risk-classified: Category A (up to 25 kg, lower risk) needs notification/registration; Category B (roughly 25–150 kg) needs prior operational authorisation; Category C (above 150 kg) needs full certification
- Maximum altitude is 400 ft (about 122 m) AGL
- Minimum distance of 50 m (164 ft) from people, vessels or vehicles not associated with the flight
- No flying within roughly 10 km (6.2 miles) of larger airports (code C–F) or about 7 km (4.3 miles) of smaller aerodromes (code A–B) without authorisation
- Drone ownership/operation is generally limited to citizens, residents, registered businesses and government entities; foreign visitors need a temporary permit
- Drones are prohibited inside all national parks and reserves — including Masai Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo — without prior written Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) authorisation, regardless of whether the flyer holds a valid KCAA permit
Commercial use: Commercial operation requires a Remote Air Operator Certificate (ROC) from KCAA, use of an accredited UAS Training Organisation (UTO) for pilot training, and drone purchase/import through an authorised KCAA reseller/distributor. Aerial filming for reward inside a national park additionally needs a Kenya Film Commission licence and a KWS filming permit.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (all drones) All drones must be registered with KCAA regardless of weight — there is no exemption for drones under 250 g. Secondary sources cite registration fees roughly in the KES 3,000–10,000 (about USD 25–90) range, but this was not confirmed on an official KCAA fee schedule, so the fee is left unset here. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes (mixed) Remote Pilot Licence (RPL). An RPL (minimum age 18, medical certificate, theoretical exam, practical flight assessment, English proficiency) is reported to be required for all UAS operators, with processing around 4–6 weeks — but this was only confirmed via secondary sources, not an official KCAA document, so treat the exact scope (e.g. whether very small Category A drones are exempt) as unverified. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No public Remote ID / broadcast identification requirement was found for Kenya; oversight appears to rely on registration, permits and physical enforcement rather than in-flight broadcast ID. |
| Insurance | Depends Third-party liability insurance is reported to be expected for commercial (ROC) operators; no confirmed requirement was found for personal/tourist use, though a permitted visitor should expect it may be asked for. Only secondary sources were found on this point. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No Foreign visitors must apply to KCAA for a temporary permit before travelling; drone ownership/operation is otherwise limited to citizens, residents, and registered local entities. Flying anywhere inside a national park or reserve — including Masai Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo — additionally requires a KWS filming/flying authorisation and, for anything beyond strictly personal use, a Kenya Film Commission licence; the combined process is commonly cited as taking 2–4 weeks. Unauthorised flying, especially in parks, risks confiscation, fines reported up to KES 500,000, and in serious cases criminal charges or deportation. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Category A (low risk) | up to 25 kg | Notification/registration with KCAA; still needs a temporary import permit and (reportedly) an RPL for foreign visitors. |
| Category B (medium risk) | roughly 25–150 kg | Requires prior operational authorisation from KCAA before flight. |
| Category C (high risk) | above 150 kg | Requires full certification and licensing; not realistic for tourists. |
Import & export
- Tourists are expected to obtain a temporary import/operating permit from KCAA before arrival, submitting drone details, travel dates and intended flight areas; processing is commonly cited as roughly 2–4 weeks (one source states up to 30 days). Arriving without an approved permit risks confiscation at customs. Duty/VAT treatment for a temporary tourist import was not confirmed from an official source.
- Import is tied to the same KCAA registration/permit approval as flying; no separate consumer type-approval scheme was confirmed, though Kenya's telecoms regulator (Communications Authority of Kenya) may also require type approval for radio equipment in general — this was not specifically confirmed for drones.
- Batteries: Standard international lithium-battery air-travel rules are expected to apply (carry-on only, spare battery Wh limits), though no Kenya-specific drone battery rule was confirmed.
- Apply for the KCAA temporary import/operating permit well before travel — this is not available on arrival.
- Without an approved permit, customs may confiscate the drone at the border.
- Fees reported for registration, permits and RPL vary between secondary sources (roughly USD 25–100+ per item) and were not confirmed against an official current KCAA fee schedule.
Export
- No drone-specific export ban was found; general Kenyan export-control rules would apply to any dual-use or restricted UAV technology.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Registration is issued as a Certificate of Registration by KCAA; validity period not confirmed from official sources. |
|---|---|
| Remote Pilot Licence (RPL) | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying a drone in Kenya as a visitor Visitors
- Apply for a KCAA temporary permit before you travel
Submit your drone's details, travel dates and intended flight areas to KCAA well in advance — this is not something you can arrange on arrival. Open
- Carry your approval documents through customs
Without an approved permit, customs officers can and do confiscate drones at the airport.
- Register the drone and expect to need an RPL
KCAA registration is required regardless of weight; a Remote Pilot Licence is reported to be required even for personal use, so budget weeks for this before your trip.
- Stay well clear of national parks and reserves unless separately authorised
Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo and other parks ban drones outright without a KWS filming permit (and, for anything beyond personal use, a Kenya Film Commission licence) in addition to your KCAA permit.
- No time or budget for permits? Fly it at home, not on safari
A hot-air balloon safari is a commonly cited legal alternative for aerial views over the parks, since the operator already holds the necessary aviation approvals.
Sources
- KCAA — Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- drone-laws.com — Kenya Drone Laws 2026 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Hilmuks — Masai Mara Drone Permits 2026: KCAA Rules & Real Costs · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−15
- Pilot test (mixed)−15
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Night flight unknown−3
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−10
- Long lead time (21 days)−8
- Import permit−40
- Duty + VAT ≈ 15 %−9
- Radio / type certification−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works