Uganda UG
Uganda allows drone flying in principle but through a slow, multi-agency process: a ministry 'no objection' letter, Chief of Defence Forces security clearance, and a Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) import/operating permit, all normally arranged 2-3 months before travel. Arriving without an approved permit means the drone is seized at Entebbe Airport and held until departure. Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks ban drones outright to protect the gorillas, so this is not realistic for a spontaneous gorilla-trekking trip.
Your plan
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2 things to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Uganda
Registration/authorisation is handled via UCAA's Director of Safety, Security and Economic Regulation as part of the same process as the flight permit; there is no separate self-service weight-based registration threshold confirmed for visitors. Fee: 200000 UGX (Reported UCAA authorisation fee, plus 18% VAT; paid at the CAA office, Entebbe International Airport. Not confirmed against a current official fee schedule.). Allow about 75 days before your trip.
Open official page - Carry liability insurance
Required. Check that your policy covers flights in Uganda.
- Bringing your drone in
There is no simple personal-effects allowance for drones. Visitors need an approved UCAA import/operating permit — obtained only after a ministry no-objection letter and Chief of Defence Forces security clearance — before arrival; without it, Uganda Revenue Authority customs at Entebbe typically seizes the drone and holds it until the traveller's departure. Batteries: Standard international lithium-battery air-travel rules are expected to apply; no Uganda-specific drone battery rule was confirmed.
- Before each flight
All drones are regulated under the CAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Regulations, 2022; visitors need a UCAA authorisation obtained through a multi-agency process before flying · Operators must generally be under 25 kg total weight, fly no higher than 400 ft (about 120 m) AGL in daytime visual conditions, stay at least 30 m from people, and keep at least 5.5 km from an aerodrome · Foreign visitors must first get a 'no objection' letter from the relevant Ugandan ministry (commonly Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities for photographers), then security clearance from the Chief of Defence Forces, before applying to UCAA for the import/operating permit
Flying
- All drones are regulated under the CAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Regulations, 2022; visitors need a UCAA authorisation obtained through a multi-agency process before flying
- Operators must generally be under 25 kg total weight, fly no higher than 400 ft (about 120 m) AGL in daytime visual conditions, stay at least 30 m from people, and keep at least 5.5 km from an aerodrome
- Foreign visitors must first get a 'no objection' letter from the relevant Ugandan ministry (commonly Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities for photographers), then security clearance from the Chief of Defence Forces, before applying to UCAA for the import/operating permit
- A drone arriving without an approved UCAA permit is liable to be seized by Uganda Revenue Authority customs at Entebbe International Airport and held until the visitor departs
- Drones are completely banned in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to avoid disturbing the mountain gorillas — this applies regardless of any national UCAA permit
- Filming with a drone additionally requires Uganda Media Council accreditation (reported around USD 175 for 30 days) and, inside national parks, a separate Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) filming permit
Commercial use: Commercial/filming operators go through the same ministry no-objection, defence clearance and UCAA authorisation chain, plus UCAA registration (application to the Director of Safety, Security and Economic Regulation), a drone operations manual, third-party liability insurance, and — for filming — Uganda Media Council and UWA permits. Total cost is reported by tour operators at roughly USD 2,500 including facilitation, though the official UCAA authorisation fee itself is reported as UGX 200,000 plus 18% VAT.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (all drones) Registration/authorisation is handled via UCAA's Director of Safety, Security and Economic Regulation as part of the same process as the flight permit; there is no separate self-service weight-based registration threshold confirmed for visitors. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Sometimes Pilot's training certificate / licence submitted as part of UCAA authorisation. The UCAA application reportedly requires submitting a pilot's training certificate or licence and a Class III medical certificate as supporting documents; it is not confirmed from an official source whether a foreign-issued pilot certificate is accepted or whether a separate Ugandan test is required. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No public Remote ID / broadcast identification requirement was found for Uganda. |
| Insurance | Yes A copy of third-party liability insurance is reported as a required document in the UCAA authorisation application; specific minimum cover amounts were not confirmed from an official source. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No Foreign visitors must go through the full ministry no-objection, Chief of Defence Forces and UCAA authorisation chain before travelling; there is no lighter-touch tourist track. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park ban drones outright to protect the mountain gorillas, regardless of any national permit held. Sources differ on how absolute the restriction is: some describe foreign tourist drone flights as effectively 'prohibited' in practice given the cost and timeline involved, while tour operators describe a (slow, expensive) approved pathway — treat this as realistically out of reach for short-notice travel either way. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| All drones | under 25 kg | Subject to the full multi-agency authorisation process (ministry no-objection letter, defence clearance, UCAA permit); 400 ft/120 m altitude cap, 30 m from people, 5.5 km from aerodromes. |
Import & export
- There is no simple personal-effects allowance for drones. Visitors need an approved UCAA import/operating permit — obtained only after a ministry no-objection letter and Chief of Defence Forces security clearance — before arrival; without it, Uganda Revenue Authority customs at Entebbe typically seizes the drone and holds it until the traveller's departure.
- No separate consumer radio-equipment type-approval scheme specific to drones was confirmed from an official source; Uganda Communications Commission regulates radio equipment generally.
- Batteries: Standard international lithium-battery air-travel rules are expected to apply; no Uganda-specific drone battery rule was confirmed.
- Start the ministry no-objection, defence clearance and UCAA permit process at least 2-3 months before travel — this is not something that can be arranged on arrival.
- A drone without an approved permit is routinely seized at Entebbe International Airport and held until departure, per multiple tour-operator sources.
- Reported total cost including facilitation is around USD 2,500, well above the UCAA's own stated authorisation fee, reflecting the number of agencies and (often paid) local facilitators typically involved.
Export
- No drone-specific export ban was found; general Ugandan export-control and the same defence-clearance apparatus would apply to any dual-use or restricted UAV technology leaving the country.
Costs
| Operator registration | 200000 UGX (≈ €49) · Reported UCAA authorisation fee, plus 18% VAT; paid at the CAA office, Entebbe International Airport. Not confirmed against a current official fee schedule. Validity: Not confirmed from an official source. |
|---|---|
| Pilot's training certificate / licence submitted as part of UCAA authorisation | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying a drone in Uganda as a visitor Visitors
- Start at least 2-3 months before travel
Identify the relevant ministry for a 'no objection' letter (Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities for most photographers), then apply for Chief of Defence Forces security clearance before you can even approach UCAA.
- Apply to UCAA for the import/operating permit
Submit drone specifications, a pilot certificate/licence, Class III medical certificate, operational area map and proof of third-party insurance to UCAA's Director of Safety, Security and Economic Regulation. Open
- Carry the approved permit through Entebbe customs
Without it, Uganda Revenue Authority routinely seizes drones at the airport and holds them until you leave the country.
- Never plan to fly near the gorilla parks
Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks ban drones outright — don't bring one on a gorilla-trekking itinerary expecting to fly it there.
- Consider a local fixer or tour operator
Given the multi-agency process and reported ~USD 2,500 all-in cost, most visiting photographers use a local operator experienced with UCAA/defence facilitation rather than applying solo.
Sources
- UCAA - Unmanned Aircraft Systems / Drones · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Eco Adventure Safaris - Guidelines on importation and operation of Drones in Uganda · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- drone-laws.com - Uganda Drone Laws 2026 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (unknown)−5
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−6
- Night flight unknown−3
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−10
- Long lead time (75 days)−8
- Import permit−40
- Duty + VAT ≈ 15 %−9
- Radio / type certification−4
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works