Drone Laws In Bali [April 2023] [Rules & How To Register]

Now that’s it’s been a few years since drones have become mainstream, we see people take pictures of everything and anything regardless of whether there would be an advantage for the shot. It makes us question whether or not there are drone laws in Bali. Before you travel (or live) in Bali, you should learn about these drone laws in Bali.

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Summary of Bari Drone laws

Drones are not allowed at airports or in their airspace.
You must register your drone with the Indonesian government before flying it in Bali.
Drones can only be flown in daylight and must be kept within your visual line of sight at all times.
The maximum altitude to fly a drone is 100 meters above ground level.
Follow instructions given by air traffic controllers and avoid flying in “no drone zones”.

Drone Laws In Bali

No Drones Are Allowed At Airports

As is the case anywhere, flying drones in airports is strictly prohibited. They are not allowed to be operated by anyone in the airport or airspace.

The airport and its airspace are considered a no-fly zone. You’ll need to obtain permission from the relevant authorities to fly your drone in any other areas of Bali outside of this zone, including national parks and temples.

Register Your Drone Before Flying It In Bali

To fly a drone in Bali, you must register your drone with the Indonesian government. You can do this at any post office in Indonesia and it’s free of charge. If you don’t register, then you could face a fine of up to 100 million IDR (around 7,000 USD).

When you register your drone, they will issue you a card with your drone’s serial number and the registration number printed on it. We recommend adding this to the outside of your drone case so that it’s easily accessible when you’re flying.

Only Fly Your Drone In Daylight

Only Fly Your Drone In Daylight. This one is pretty straightforward, but it’s still good to go over it. Drones are not allowed to fly at night, through clouds or other bad weather conditions, and they are also generally not allowed to fly in rain (if you’re going on a particularly rainy holiday, you might want to check the local laws before going). When in doubt, just don’t fly.

You Must Not Fly Higher Than 100 Meters Above Ground Level

The maximum altitude at which you can fly your drone depends on whether you are in uncontrolled or controlled airspace. If you are in uncontrolled airspace, you must not fly higher than 100 meters above ground level.

If your drone is operated within controlled airspace, the maximum height limits will be detailed in the associated NOTAMs. You should contact the relevant air traffic control unit for more information about these restrictions and limitations.

Always Keep Your Drone In Sight

You must keep your drone within your visual line of sight at all times. If you can’t see your drone, then it is not safe to fly.

You must be able to see and avoid other objects and people while flying.

If you lose sight of your drone for any reason, you must land it straight away. This is because if you can’t see the drone, you won’t be able to tell if there are obstacles in the way or people around who could get hurt by it.

You Must Not Fly Closer Than 9 Km From A Military Base Or Airport

In Bali, you must not fly closer than 9 km from a military base or airport and 50 km from an international border.

Avoid To Fly In All “no Drone Zones”

In general, you will want to avoid all “no drone zones” including crowded areas like tourist beaches. Don’t fly over people, parks or sport events and stadiums. These rules are not strictly enforced but if you fly in a restricted zone you may be detained and fined or your drone could be confiscated.

If you have any further questions about where to fly in Bali, it’s best to call local tourism offices directly for advice on specific restrictions and safety procedures when flying drones in this area.

Follow Instructions Given By Air Traffic Controllers

You must follow instructions given by air traffic controllers if you are flying near an airport or a densely populated area.

In Indonesia, airspace is managed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. You Must Not Fly Closer Than 9 Km From A Military Base Or Airport and 50 km from an international border. There are also restrictions on flying over certain areas, including National Parks, military bases and powerplants.

The maximum permissible height for your drone to fly is 100 meters above ground level.

Follow The Drone Laws In Each Country

It is crucial to follow the drone laws in each country, so do proper research before you travel with your drone!

Read local laws. Every country has its own rules and regulations for aerial vehicles, including drones. Before you head to the airport, make sure that you have familiarized yourself with these rules on your destination country’s website or at a consulate.
Ask at the airport. Once you get to the airport in your destination country, ask an official about their particular policies regarding drones—they should be able to point you in the right direction. In some countries (like China) bringing a drone into the country might not be allowed at all!
Ask at your hotel reception desk. If you are unable to acquire information about local drone laws from an airport official, check with someone at your hotel reception desk when you arrive; they should be able to either tell you directly or advise where else you can go for more helpful information.
The UAV Forecast also provides good up-to-date information on local regulations and recommendations for flying zones in most countries around the world.
Check with the local tourism office or chamber of commerce if necessary. You may wish to contact other organizations such as tourism offices or chambers of commerce if no one else seems able to assist you—someone there may know where you can find this type of guidance.

How To Register Drone In Bali

Drone Registration Safety Tips

If you’re traveling to Indonesia with your drone, it’s important that you know the rules and regulations around operating it. These are the most important things to keep in mind when flying a drone in Indonesia:

Flying drones is legal in Bali and throughout Indonesia, however you do need a permit to fly them. Most other countries don’t require permits to fly drones if they’re under a certain weight, however there are no such allowances in Bali or Indonesia.
You can’t use your drone unless you have obtained an official permit. Flying drones without one is illegal.
The process of acquiring a permit can be difficult since the language used on the application is Indonesian only. We recommend using Google Translate or asking someone who speaks the language for help filling out your application form.
You must be at least 18 years old to apply for a permit. Anyone younger will need their parent’s or guardian’s signature on the application form as well as their presence when filling out and submitting paperwork for approval.

Getting A Drone Permit In Bali

Fill Out The Form At Dronebali.com

Getting the permit is fairly simple. Once you’ve logged into dronebali.com, select the “Settings” option from the menu. Then, tap on your name to access your profile information.
You’ll need to provide some personal information in order to fill out the form: your full name, date of birth, passport number, address, and phone number are all required fields. If you don’t have a passport yet but will be applying for one soon, you can use your ID card as proof of identity instead.
If you don’t have either one of these documents (and are not visiting Bali with someone who does), you’ll need to go to an immigration office at one of Bali’s ports or airports and get a visa before going online to complete this form.*

Pay The Fee, Wait A Few Days

Pay The Fee, Wait A Few Days. The application is pretty straightforward. They’ll ask you for some basic personal information, contact information, and your drone info (name/type of drone, serial number).

There’s also an administrative fee that you have to pay before they give you the permit. For a sub-2kg drone this is IDR 25k or about $1.75 (at time of writing). Larger drones require larger fees: up to IDR 100k for a sub-25kg drone ($7).

Once everything is processed, your permit will be emailed to you within 3 working days. After that point you can start flying immediately.

Get Your Permit

You need to have a permit to fly your drone in Bali. The permit will come by email as a PDF document and you must have it printed for use at the time of flight.

The permit includes much of the information that you filled out in your application, including the name of the drone operator, the name of your drone, and its serial number. It also contains information on where and when you are allowed to fly, including how high and how heavy (in kilograms) your drone is permitted to be.

Getting A Drone Permit In Bali Is Not Too Difficult

Getting A Drone Permit In Bali Is Not Too Difficult. You simply need to fill out a form and pay the fee (the cost depends on the size of your drone), then wait for about three days for approval. For example, if you submit the paperwork on a Monday, it should be approved by Wednesday.

Then you can pick up your permit from the airport that’s closest to where you’ll be flying your drone. So if you are staying in Canggu, but want to fly your drone in Ubud, then you should pick it up from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS).

Locations To Fly A Drone In Bali

Once you’ve finished registering your drone, you can take it to the following locations for a flight:

Nusa Dua: This place is a resort area. If you want to fly around here, make sure that your drone isn’t flying over or too close to people. Stay out of the no-fly zones (for example, if your drone is in an airport’s no-fly zone and there’s a plane landing or taking off).
Mount Batur: This volcano is one of the most popular spots in Bali. You can use this location for some cool footage. However, make sure that you register before flying at this location.
Bali Safari and Marine Park: At this park, there are plenty of animals that you can fly your drone near without disturbing them. It’s best to check with workers at the park first just to be safe. Also make sure that your drone doesn’t disturb other tourists who are visiting the park and participating in activities like riding elephants or watching shows starring tigers and bears.
Jimbaran Beach: This beach has very few tourists so it’s a great place to get some good shots! The only thing you have to worry about here is not flying too high because planes often land nearby at Denpasar Airport (which also allows drones).
Ubud Monkey Forest Sanctuary: The monkeys here are used to people so it might be interesting for them if they see something new like a flying object above their heads–be careful not to startle any of them!

What Happens If You Fail To Register Your Drone?

Failing to register your drone can result in hefty fines and even a prison sentence. Civil penalties for flying without registration can result in fines of up to $27,500.

Criminal penalties for intentionally failing to register a drone can result in fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years, depending on the circumstances.

Registration is important because it helps educate operators about laws and regulations and increases accountability if drones are used improperly or recklessly.

You Must Be Careful About How You Use Your Drone In Bali

You Must Be Careful About How You Use Your Drone In Bali. The regulations are strict to protect the privacy of locals and visitors.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for overseeing drone use in Bali. Drone use is regulated under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 2018, which outlines simple guidelines for safe drone use.

Before flying your drone, you will have to register it with CAA and pay a small registration fee. You can do this online or at an airport in Bali where the registration process can be completed immediately.

Are Drones Allowed In Bali?

Drones May Not Be Brought Within 5km Of The Airport

The only restriction that might affect you, as a traveler, is that drones may not be flown within 5 kilometers of the airport (Denpasar, Bali). This is to avoid causing any disruption to air traffic. If you are planning on flying your drone around the airport area, you will need to get permission from the airport in advance.

Drones May Not Be Brought Within A Certain Distance Of Any Cultural Or Sacred Sites

If you are caught flying your drone within 5km of any cultural or sacred sites, a fine will be immediately imposed. Examples of cultural or sacred sites include temples, tombs and cemeteries, mosques and churches.

Drones May Not Be Flown Without Prior Permission From Indonesian Customs Officials

Citizens are allowed to bring their personal drones into the country with them. However, if you plan on using your drone for commercial purposes, you’ll have to jump through a few hoops first.

In order to use your drone commercially in Bali, you’ll have to fill out an online form and attach a copy of your passport as well as a flight plan. This form can take up to seven days to process, so make sure you get it submitted as far in advance of your trip as possible.

Additionally, there’s no charge for obtaining this permit; however, that’s true only for the one-time permit available for each drone owned by a citizen. If the same drone is brought back into Indonesia more than once within the span of one year from its initial entry into the country, additional permits will be required and may come at a cost.

Drones May Not Be Flown Between Sunset And Sunrise

The following are important rules to keep in mind when operating a drone in Bali:

You may not fly a drone between sunset and sunrise, or from dusk until dawn.
You must get permission from Indonesian Customs before flying a drone.
You may not fly a drone within nine kilometers of an airport, unless you have permission from the Director General of Civil Aviation.

Please note that there may be more specific rules regarding drones in certain areas. This is especially true for protected parks and reserves, such as the Uluwatu Temple area on the Bukit Peninsula, which has banned drones completely because they can disturb monkeys at the temple.

The general rules above are the most important ones to follow when operating any type of aircraft in public places; however, additional research into local laws is recommended if you are planning to fly outside large cities or near protected areas and sites of cultural significance.

Regulations Must Be Followed

Drones are allowed in Bali, but there are many rules that must be followed. For example:

Drones may not be brought within 5km (3.1 miles) of the airport
Drones may not be brought within 9km (5.6 miles) of any cultural or sacred sites without prior permission from Indonesian customs officials
Drones May Not Be Flown Between Sunset And Sunrise

Though these rules may seem strict, they exist for a reason—to keep both you, your drone, and other visitors and residents safe! Though if you are looking to bring a drone with you to Bali, here is some advice about where to buy one.

Frequently Asked Question (drone Laws In Bali)

Is It Legal To Fly A Drone In Bali?

The answer is yes.

The drone laws in Bali are the same as Indonesia, so if you’re flying a drone in Indonesia, it should be legal to fly your drone anywhere in Bali and vice versa. There are no restrictions on where you can fly your drone, as long as it doesn’t interfere with other people or cause harm to others or property.

Do I Need A License To Fly A Drone In Bali?

No, you don’t need a license to fly a drone in Bali. However, you do need to register your drone with the local authorities and follow all rules of the air and land.

Can I Travel With A Drone To Bali?

Yes, you can travel with your drone via luggage. However, as we’ve mentioned above, you must ensure that it is in your checked baggage and not on board as carry-on luggage. If you are flying to Bali with a drone then please check with the airline first before they allow you to take the drone on board.

Conclusion

This article is to inform you about drone regulations in Bali. This information is based on the main articles from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Indonesian government, but this is not an official translation. Before using your drone in Bali and anywhere else in Indonesia you should always check for yourself by referencing the local laws and contacting the local authorities.

Numerous other countries have strict guidelines for using drones as well, so if you intend to fly in any country other than Indonesia, please ensure you are fully aware of their laws and restrictions.

As always, respect the cultures of the countries you visit no matter what your intentions might be, as this will avoid you from putting yourself into a difficult or dangerous situation that could result in legal consequences or negative media publicity.