Zambia ZM
Zambia requires a Remote Pilot Aircraft Letter of Approval (RLA), a Certificate of Registration and an RPAS Pilot's Licence (RPL) before any drone can legally fly, all overseen by the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority (ZCAA). Foreign visitors must apply in advance for temporary import and operating authorisation, including a formal letter to ZCAA and a physical inspection fee; the whole process is reported to take up to two months. All drones must be declared to Zambia Revenue Authority customs on arrival — without ZCAA clearance in hand, customs may confiscate the drone and only return it on departure. National parks (including areas near Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya) additionally need ZCAA and National Heritage Commission approval.
Your plan
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2 things to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Zambia
Registration requires proof of identity (passport for foreigners), drone make/model/serial number, and a physical ZCAA inspection. For foreign visitors, this is bundled into the temporary import and operating permit process rather than a standalone registration. Fee: 1260 ZMW (Reported Certificate of Registration fee per aircraft; a separate ZMW 4,150 inspection fee for foreign-registered aircraft was also reported for temporary import processing. Neither figure was confirmed against an official current ZCAA fee schedule.). Allow about 60 days before your trip.
Open official page - Pass the RPAS Pilot's Licence (RPL)
Format not confirmed. An RPL is described as required alongside the RLA and Certificate of Registration for all drone operation, but the exact examination format, minimum age and fee were not confirmed from an official ZCAA source.
- Bringing your drone in
Foreign visitors must write a formal letter to ZCAA requesting temporary import and operating authorisation before travelling; a reported ZMW 4,150 inspection fee applies per foreign-registered aircraft, and the whole approval process can reportedly take up to two months. Duty/VAT treatment of an approved temporary tourist import was not confirmed from an official source. Batteries: Standard international lithium-battery air-travel rules are expected to apply (carry-on only, spare battery Wh limits); no Zambia-specific drone battery rule was confirmed.
- Before each flight
Every drone needs three things before flying: a Remote Pilot Aircraft Letter of Approval (RLA), a Certificate of Registration, and an RPAS Pilot's Licence (RPL), regulated under Zambia Civil Aviation Regulations Part 18 (ZCARs Part 18) · A ZCAA officer must physically examine/inspect the drone as part of registration · Standard visual-line-of-sight and altitude limits apply (approx. 120 m / 400 ft AGL is the commonly cited ceiling, consistent with regional norms), though this was not confirmed against an official ZCAA numeric limit
Flying
- Every drone needs three things before flying: a Remote Pilot Aircraft Letter of Approval (RLA), a Certificate of Registration, and an RPAS Pilot's Licence (RPL), regulated under Zambia Civil Aviation Regulations Part 18 (ZCARs Part 18)
- A ZCAA officer must physically examine/inspect the drone as part of registration
- Standard visual-line-of-sight and altitude limits apply (approx. 120 m / 400 ft AGL is the commonly cited ceiling, consistent with regional norms), though this was not confirmed against an official ZCAA numeric limit
- Flying in or near national parks and heritage sites — including areas around Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya — additionally requires National Heritage Commission approval on top of ZCAA clearance
- Drones must be declared to Zambia Revenue Authority customs on arrival
Commercial use: Commercial drone photography/aerial survey businesses register the same way (RLA, Certificate of Registration, RPL) but with additional business-registration and, for filming, National Heritage Commission/park-specific permitting requirements.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (all drones) Registration requires proof of identity (passport for foreigners), drone make/model/serial number, and a physical ZCAA inspection. For foreign visitors, this is bundled into the temporary import and operating permit process rather than a standalone registration. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes RPAS Pilot's Licence (RPL). An RPL is described as required alongside the RLA and Certificate of Registration for all drone operation, but the exact examination format, minimum age and fee were not confirmed from an official ZCAA source. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No public Remote ID / broadcast identification requirement was found; oversight relies on registration, licensing and the temporary import approval/inspection process. |
| Insurance | Unknown No confirmed insurance requirement was found for personal/tourist drone use in the sources reviewed; not verified either way from an official source. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No Foreign visitors must apply directly to ZCAA in writing for temporary import and operating authorisation, well before travel — the process is reported to take up to about two months. Without ZCAA clearance in hand, Zambia Revenue Authority customs may confiscate the drone at entry and only return it on departure. Flying near Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya or other national parks and heritage sites needs additional National Heritage Commission approval alongside the ZCAA permit. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| All drones | any weight, in practice | RLA, Certificate of Registration and RPL are required regardless of size; no confirmed weight-based exemption was found. |
Import & export
- Foreign visitors must write a formal letter to ZCAA requesting temporary import and operating authorisation before travelling; a reported ZMW 4,150 inspection fee applies per foreign-registered aircraft, and the whole approval process can reportedly take up to two months. Duty/VAT treatment of an approved temporary tourist import was not confirmed from an official source.
- No drone-specific radio type-approval scheme was confirmed for the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA); not verified from an official source.
- Batteries: Standard international lithium-battery air-travel rules are expected to apply (carry-on only, spare battery Wh limits); no Zambia-specific drone battery rule was confirmed.
- Declare the drone to Zambia Revenue Authority customs on arrival; without ZCAA temporary import/operating clearance already in hand, customs may confiscate it and only release it when you leave the country.
- Start the ZCAA application well ahead of travel — the process is reported to take up to roughly two months, so this is not something to arrange last-minute for a Victoria Falls trip.
- Fee figures (ZMW 1,260 registration, ZMW 4,150 inspection) come from secondary sources and were not confirmed against an official current ZCAA fee schedule.
Export
- No drone-specific export ban was found; general Zambian export-control rules would apply to any dual-use or restricted UAV technology.
Costs
| Operator registration | 1260 ZMW (≈ €46) · Reported Certificate of Registration fee per aircraft; a separate ZMW 4,150 inspection fee for foreign-registered aircraft was also reported for temporary import processing. Neither figure was confirmed against an official current ZCAA fee schedule. Validity: Not confirmed from an official source; treat as requiring renewal/re-verification, especially for temporary/foreign-registered aircraft. |
|---|---|
| RPAS Pilot's Licence (RPL) | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying a drone in Zambia as a visitor Visitors
- Write to ZCAA well before your trip
Request temporary import and operating authorisation, providing your drone's make, model, serial number and passport details; budget up to two months for approval. Open
- Pay the inspection/registration fee and keep proof
A per-aircraft inspection fee (reported around ZMW 4,150) applies to foreign-registered drones; keep your receipt and approval letter.
- Declare the drone at customs on arrival
Present your ZCAA approval to Zambia Revenue Authority customs; arriving without it risks the drone being held until you leave the country.
- Get separate clearance for Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya and other parks
National Heritage Commission approval is needed on top of your ZCAA permit for flying in or near heritage and park areas.
- Keep all paperwork together for the whole trip
Carry your RLA, registration and any RPL documentation with you in case of checks near the falls or at departure.
Sources
- drone-laws.com — Zambia Drone Laws 2026 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Zambia Fixer — Drone Filming in Zambia: Permits and Regulations · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- M&J Consultants — Registering a Drone Photography and Aerial Survey Business in Zambia · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (unknown)−10
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−2
- Night flight unknown−3
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−10
- Long lead time (60 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