How to register your drone in Thailand
Updated on 4/01/2018 with information that the deadline for registering a radio controlled device with NBTC is 9 January 2018. After that, you face up to five years in prison for non compliance.
If you intend to fly a drone in Thailand, whether as a hobby or for commercial reasons, you have to by law register your drone first. If you don’t you could face a fine of up to 100,000 Baht or even up to five years in prison. They are serious about this, so before you fly, make sure you register your drone with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). In addition, if your drone has a camera (any weight) or weighs over two kilos then you need to obtain insurance and get permission to fly from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). Their fine for not doing this is up to 40,000 Baht and up to one year in prison. Before you ask, if you have a toy drone, for example weighing less than 250g, then the NBTC or CAAT are not interested. However, they have specifically said that the small DJI Spark needs to be registered.
Scroll down for how to register your drone and for links to download the forms.
When I first started flying drones in Thailand I hardly ever saw any other drone pilots. I also didn’t face any problems about where I could fly. Security guards would come over if they saw me flying, not because it was illegal, but because they were curious to see the live pictures from above. Sadly, those days are long gone. Security guards are more likely to chase you away or sometimes you will see signs like the one above which prohibits the flying of drones. This is not necessarily because of any new laws, it is mainly because just about everyone decided to get a drone for Christmas. Now, with so many people flying, it is no longer the novelty and people, sometimes quite rightly, are fed up with the buzzing sound of the drones flying low over their heads.
When I attend an event these days, there are usually four or five drones flying. And quite honestly, some of these pilots are very dangerous. They are not keeping their drones in line of sight. They are just watching their screens. Which means the possibility of a collision is quite high. I have seen them go down before, either crashing into buildings, trees and power lines, or just colliding with another drone. I tend not to fly at events any more. Partly because it is distracting to people who might be watching a show, but also it is quite dangerous if there is a large crowd. The number one rule for drone pilots is to make sure you have a wide and clear area in case of an emergency landing. This kind of thing is why the Ministry of Transport came out with a new law about the use of drones in Thailand.
Scroll down for the law regarding drones in Thailand.
Even after you have registered your drone with the NBTC, bought insurance and have permission to fly from CAAT, you still need to obey the following rules. If not, you will be subject to a fine and maybe imprisonment.
Once you have permission from the land owner to fly, you must obey these rules while flying:
- must not fly in a way that may cause harm to the life, property and peace of others
- must not fly into restricted area, limited area and dangerous area announced in Aeronautical Information Publication – Thailand or AIP-Thailand and also at government buildings and hospitals unless permission is given.
- take-off and landing area must not be obstructed by anything
- must keep the Unmanned Aircraft in line-of-sight at all times and not rely on the monitor or other devices
- must only fly between sunrise and sunset when the Unmanned Aircraft can clearly be seen
- must not fly in or near clouds
- must not fly within 9 km (5 nautical miles) from airport or temporary airfield unless having permission from the airport or airfields operators
- must not fly over 90 meters above the ground
- must not fly over cities, villages, communities or areas where people are gathered
- must not fly near other aircraft that have pilots
- must not violate the privacy rights of others
- must not cause a nuisance to others
- must not deliver or carry dangerous items or lasers on the Unmanned Aircraft
- must not fly horizontally closer than 30 meters (100 feet) to people, vehicles, constructions or buildings
For the full regulations, click here, or visit the CAAT website for the latest up to date information.
Before I continue, I should point out something in the above infographic released by CAAT which is contradictory to the regulations. The infographic says you need to have a licence to fly if your drone has a camera, even if it is less than two kilos. But, the regulations do not say anything about that. From what I, and other people understood, if you have a small drone like a Spark or Mavick that weighs less than two kilos, you do not need to get permission to fly from CAAT. As long as you are not using it for commercial reasons and you obey the above rules. However, officials we have spoken to at CAAT insist that you still have to get permission to fly. We asked specifically about the smallest of drones, DJI Spark, and they said yes, we would need insurance and permission to fly.
Scroll down for how to register your drone with NBTC.
If you intend to fly a drone in Thailand, then by Thai law you must register it first with the NBTC before the 9 January 2018 deadline. If you don’t, you are violating the Communications Radio Act. Apparently, only 350 drones have been registered up to now out of an estimated 50,000 drones in Thailand. Which is why there is now a crackdown on drones. Before, we probably would have gotten away with flying without a license if we were discreet. But, now, thanks to all of the publicity, everyone knows that you must register your drone or you will face up to five years in prison. It was front page news in the Bangkok Post (see the article here) and other national newspapers.
The following is what I did to register my drones with NBTC in Bangkok. They have 17 offices around Thailand, and so you don’t need to do this here. Also, you are apparently allowed to register at your local police station. I know people who have done this, but make sure you download the form in advance as they won’t know anything about it. My advice is to go to your local NBTC officer. In Thai it is “กสทช.”, just search for it on google maps. For the one in Bangkok, it is on Soi Phahonyothin 8. Click here for the map link. When you arrive, you will see the big building in the photo above. You need to go to Building 2, first floor. From the front gate, turn right and walk down a path. Don’t go through security. You will see the building on your right near the road.
Before you go, you should prepare the following. If you do so, then you will be in and out in just five minutes. That is how long it took me to register my two drones.
- Sign a copy of your passport
- Proof of address like house registration, lease, rental contract or work permit (this is new)
- Photos of your drone and the serial number on your drone
- Two copies of the filled in application form
That’s it if you are just flying as a hobby like myself. If you are media or a registered company, then there are more documents that you need.
NOTES:
- You don’t need to take your drone into the office. Though some people did.
- Stick the photos on a piece of A4 paper and then sign the sheet of paper.
- You need a set of documents for each of your drones.
- The serial numbers are on a sticker on the drone box. I took a picture of that.
- Print the application form on both sides of a sheet of paper. Or pick one up at their office.
- The filled in form needs to be photocopied. This is what they stamp and return to you.
This is a link to the page on the NBTC page about the regulations. This is a direct link to download the form. It is only in Thai. I will take you through it step by step below. Scroll down.
The first three fields to fill in are for “Day/Month/Year”
The next section is about the weight of your drone. I ticked the first one as my drones are less than 2 kilos. The others are for between 2 and 25 kilos, and for more than 25 kilos.
Number 5 is your first name and number 6 is your family name. Number 7 is your age. Number 8 and 9 is your nationality. I wrote UK.
Numbers 10-12 is your birthday written as Day/Month/Year. Number 13 is your ID card number. I wrote my passport number.
Number 15-21 is your address. 15 is the house number, 16 the Soi number, 17 the road name, 18 the Tambon or kwang name, 19 the Amphoe or Khet name, 20 the province name, and 21 the post code. Number 22 is your telephone number. I didn’t fill in the rest.
UPDATE: They didn’t ask me for proof of address when I went, but now they apparently are. I’m not sure yet what tourists can do about this.
I didn’t fill in Section 2 as I am a private individual. Continue to page two.
For Number 23, I ticked the first box as I just fly for a hobby. The others are for media, businesses etc.
For Number 24, I wrote the name of my drone. For Number 25 it is asking for the number of drones and rotors. I wrote one drone and four rotors. I was registering a DJI Phantom 3 and a DJI Spark. I did this on two different forms. I guess if you have two of the same then use the same form.
For number 26, I wrote the serial number of the drone. As I said before, it is on a sticker on your box. Number 27 is the weight. Number 28 is for what equipment is fixed. I said camera. Number 29 is the maximum height it can go in meters. Number 30 is the frequency. For mine I wrote 2.400 – 2.483 GHz.
That’s it. Sign your name and then write your name clearly in the brackets below. The other signatures are for the officials. Hand them into the officer at the reception. It took them about five minutes to check everything and stamp it. The registration is free at the moment.
UPDATED: When I went to the NBTC office, the official said that there was no need for me to do anything else. They said they would forward my application to CAAT. But people who went later are reporting that NBTC officials are now saying that you also need to get permission to fly from CAAT. This is because at NBTC you are just registering your radio communications device. I rang CAAT and an official there confirmed this. They also added you need to get insurance first before they would accept your application. The whole process will take about two months. Maybe longer now as over 1,300 drones were registered at NBTC in the first week alone. Some people in the comments below have said that after they registered with CAAT, they were told that they would pass on their registration to NBTC. So, no need to do both.
If you want to do that yourself, then click here for the forms and regulations in English. If you search for Thai drone insurance on Facebook you will find some companies that offer it. If you have experience of registering your drone in Thailand, or you have any questions, then please feel free to post them below in the comments. Please remember, if you do fly your drone in Thailand, please do so responsibly. It only needs one person to fly over the Grand Palace or crash into an aircraft for drones to be banned for everyone.
PLEASE READ THE COMMENTS BELOW FOR SOME USEFUL ADVICE.
shirmon,u say this but read my previous post.i have been through the entire application process and had no response whatsoever
So just a quick response to this post. I too went through the whole process of insurance my drone and applying for registration. My registration never cane through by the time I left for Thailand. 2 full months. I took my drone with anyway. Best desicion I could make. I did not fly it in areas I knew I would not be allowed anyway. The national parks and highly populated areas. It only came out after I left Phuket. I flew it in ao nang, koh lanta and koh Tao. I was very careful. Others did not seem to mind, and asked for permission whenever I did so. In a nutshell, yes I wish I had my registration as I knew every flight I took had risks. I was not asked to ground my drone and seemed like ppl of authority did not even care. In my mind this whole registration process is flawed and I flew knowing I had followed ever process I could. I had copies of every document o hand at all times and offered to show it when I requested permission to fly. I would of had more regrets today if I had not taken it. Yes there was a possibility of me getting arrested but I didnt. My advise is to do everything you can to register your drone and fly it legally. I understand ppl who say that if flown illegally just makes it harder for everyone else and u agree. I came across someone flying there drone in koh samui, not even 6km’s from the airport. When I approached him he just brushed me off which obviously had me pissed, and almost wished he got reprimanded for what he was doing.
You almost wished he got reprimanded for what he was doing?
Yet you yourself are no better than him for flying your drone in Thailand without registration or permission to fly from CAAT.
Hi Richard.
I am a drone photographer working in Korea.
Recently I heard about the strengthened regulations in Thailand and I am glad that I got good information on your blog.
So I wonder if foreigners can register the drone in the same procedure.
And can I introduce this procedure to Korea in Korean translation?
Best Regards,
Lee
Hi Lee, we have this service and can provide all the details you need. Email us at [email protected]. We have experience before with Korean clients as well.
Hey
To be honest, I was thinking of starting the process for approval.
Unfortunately, I understand that it takes 2-3 months and even much more.
I gave up on the process and thought to take the drone and make insurance.
I will go to the police station on the first day to register him, and God will help me.
I hope I can take some pictures and fly according to the rules allowed in Thailand.
Clearly by not seeking permission to fly from CAAT you wont be flying as per the rules in thailand, and god wont prevent a possible jail term
Dear Shimon,
It’s people like you who will stuff it up for the rest of us who are following the rules, regulations and procedures.
If your coming to Thailand without permission to fly from CAAT please do us all a big favor and leave your drone at home!
Hey
To be honest, I was thinking of starting the process for approval.
Unfortunately, I understand that it takes 2-3 months and even much more.
I gave up on the process, and thought to take the drone and make insurance.
I will go to the police station on the first day to register him and God will help me
I hope I can take some pictures and fly according to the rules allowed in Thailand
Well,3 months ago(October 2017) I applied for the caat registration.i just want to take my mavic to Thailand for recreational purposes so I cud record afew videos for personal memories nothing more.i contact caat and exchanged afew emails with them.They required me to fill out the forms and supply passport photo and valid insurance which I have.i sent in all documentation filled out complete,they confirmed they had all the required info and they would be intouch when they would process my application.3 months on and I havnt heard nothing.im off to thai on the 28th jan this year and now in no mans land not sure I can take the drone or not.ive emailed 4 people at caat over the last week to see hwats going on with my application and nothing,no response at all.arghhhhhh
Were did you get the Insurance?
How much?
Thanks
Drone Thai insure and register: http://www.dronethaiinsurance.com/index.html
any good? can someone recommend other service?
Went to NBTC in Bangkok today to register drone, they told me to go to CAAT instead for registration. Went to CAAT in Bangkok and submitted registration. Wait time is 2-3 months, but apparently they’re still accepting new registrations.
Yes, I heard you can still register old drones at CAAT without risk of a fine. It’s not advisable to take old drones to NBTC now.
In contact with CAAT again today. Background checks have been completed and my application has been sent to the ‘Director’ for approval.
Hopefully not too much longer now…
When did you start the process Craig?
End of September.
Did you register your Thai drone on time? If not it’s too late. You will be fined for sure. However, any new drone bought from now onwards can be registered at the shop you bought it on the same day http://www.bangkokpost.com
I am travelling from the UK and will be in Thailand through March as part of a backpacking gap year. I bought my spark back in November but have not registered it. Am I too late? I’m filling the CAAT form out as we speak and I’m going to backdate it, scan it and email it.
You don’t need to backdate it to the day you bought it. But it will take them 2-3 months to process your application. And you cannot fly in the meantime.
That’s fine, I understand if it’s not registered I can’t fly it but does that seriously mean I can’t even bring it into the country without registration? I am going to several surrounding countries with it (which I have permits for) and would be a crying shame if they don’t allow you to bring through customs?
At the moment there is no guidelines about tourists bringing in drones. NBTC will now be strict about import of drones. But will they ask customs to look out for them at the airport?
where do you now email the form to both emails are dead inboxes to me
Thanks
Hi Richard,
I live in Bangkok, i have a mavic which i very rarely use, and unfortunately for me I have just seen this registration deadline, which i missed.
So now i am wondering if it is best to just leave the drone tucked away or should i go register. The problem is that with this deadline saying that failure to register by 9th could result in prison term, i much rather forget i ever owned a drone than risk any sort of penalty for trying to register late.
Would you have any advise?
Thanks!
You can still register now with CAAT but you cannot fly until you do so.
Thanks a lot for your reply Richard!
So i should go to CAAT first and not to NBCT? I’m in no rush to fly it, so waiting until i am legally allowed to fly it isn’t an issue
I know it is a long post, but i understood just to own a drone in Thailand, the biggest issue was to register with NBCT first? Thats what got me worried in the first place for missing the deadline.
Thanks again Richard, and sorry for being a hassle to you with all these questions
Yes, my opinion is that at the very least you should register with NBTC. Particularly if you’re not flying straight away or are just flying on your own private property. Then when you’re ready, get insurance and register with CAAT to be 100% legal. But I have a number of Thai friends who just registered with NBTC and got an official looking form from them. They are gambling that if a policeman stops them that they won’t know the difference between permission from NBTC and CAAT.
Many Thanks Richard!
I will register with NBTC.
My fear of registering late came because it wasn’t very clear from the deadline notice if the penalty for missing the deadline would be applied if you were caught FLYING a drone without registration, or if by simply OWNING a not registered drone in Thailand one would be at fault. Even if the drone was kept in its bag and not flown.
It makes sense that the penalty would be for flying it without registration and not for just owning one, but i couldn’t find any details clarifying that
Thanks again Richard!
Based on my experience I would recommend staying far away from Thailand-insurance.net. They’ve been posting a link to their website in the comments here as Stuart/Amonrat. I contacted Stuart and went through filling out all of the insurance/registration paperwork with them, and asked why they don’t accept credit cards or Paypal, seeing as how lots of places in SE Asia do that (not to mention a bank transfer costs an extra 1,000 to 2,000 Baht). Stuart at Thailand-insurance.net got defensive when I asked that, closed my file and blocked me on WhatsApp. I was just getting ready to wire the money to them, too. I’m not sure if they’re a shady company, or he just has a short fuse. In any case, I would NOT recommend working with them. I filled out all of the forms and they wasted my time. Now I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get registration done in time for my trip. This is a warning for anyone considering them. Can someone recommend a good alternative?
Hi David, as you have made the above petty and vindictive statements in the forum then I must respond.
1. You know that we have been completely helpful and transparent at all times in the info and support requested. I’m happy to post all correspondence if anyone wishes to see it.
2. We are not responsible for the ‘inconvenience’ of the Thai processes or system. Neither do we make the insurance premiums.
3. We are not ‘shifty’ in any way because we nor the Thai insurance market accepts PayPal and you have to do a bank transfer.
4. We are an established , licensed professional insurance broker since 2010 in Thailand with 25+ years experience. We offer a full range of corporate , personal and industrial insurance products and assisted numerous clients with drones. We handle other aviation business as well.
5. Your statements to me and above show that our decision to close your file this morning and move on was the right one and like anyone else we do not appreciate your slander that we are ‘shifty’ or dishonest in any way simply because PayPal is not recognized in the Thai insurance market like Missouri or anywhere else. We don’t need clients that behave in this way. There are others you can contact.
5.
Hi Stuart,
My offer still stands. If you and Thailand-insurance.net are willing to work this out, and provide the service that you advertise, then I will retract all of my statements and proceed with payment (via bank transfer if that’s really necessary).
If you’re NOT willing to work this out, and refuse to do business with me just because I asked a simple question, then I think that speaks volumes about your service, and hopefully others will see this and avoid it like the plague.
Since you mention insurance industry standards, the last time I asked my insurance company why I had to pay by check, they switched and let me pay by credit card. Obviously it saves time and hassle and money. They didn’t blow up on me and cancel my policy just for asking. Very unprofessional. Your bad attitude cost you a customer, and hopefully others see this and don’t fall into the same trap.
P.S. I also have WhatsApp chat screenshots if anyone would like to see them.
All this sound like a teenage girl cat fight, if some one isn’t happy with service of other just move on
For the company owner let me remind you that not even GOD makes every one happy
I did have the impression this is a forum to guide how to register and fly drone!!!
hey guys, if only travel with the spark, and leave the RC at home, my understating is that I only need to register with CATT, is that right? I know it will have limited range because of the wifi, but at least I will save some paperwork
If so, then it is better.
If you register with CAAT, they will apparently pass on your details to NBTC about your radio controlled device. The problem is, CAAT takes 2-3 months to process your application and you need to get insurance first (about 3,500 Baht per year).
If you click on the CAAT link the form is in English.
For proof of address when register drone is a British driving license acceptabl?
Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to get insurance and registration for a drone fly
https://www.phantomthailand.com/product/Drone-Insurance
the site is only in Thai, but seems to be a certified retailer of DJI, have you used this service? do you know how much time it takes to get the registration?
Hey
If I am a tourist, what do I register at the current address?
Do I need to fill in Section 2 if I photograph as a hobby
What is Article 3 talking about?
Great appreciation
Hi Jan, the insurance ‘should’ be ok but without Thai registration and license from the CAAT you can’t fly and the process is now taking up to 70 days due to their workload. I say ‘should be ok’ about the insurance because actually it’s not clear if they will accept a foreign insurance policy in another language or a foreign policy even in English as they don’t understand anything about insurance and usually Thai authorities want to see something from a local insurance company that they know can be claimed on here.
I got my Mavic in December and got the insurance papers (worldwide insurance from a German insurance company) mid December. I’m going to Thailand on January 12th an I have not yet sent in any registration papers.
Is there any chance I will be able to fly my drone legally?
Should I send the registration papers by email and have them with me to present if asked or should I go to the Bangkok CAAT office first thing on arrival?
I was hoping I could take the drone with me but chances seem really low to be able to fly it legally.
Heads-up, we just got to Koh Larn and asked the resort owner if he’d heard of any drone incidents or problems. Interestingly he knew about the new law coming into effect and said ‘he didn’t see why we should have any problems on the island, but… If an officer decides to question our activities, we may have some problem to negotiate’. I thought it interesting that word is spreading quickly about the new law. Guess I’ll be registering my MAVIC on our next trip to visit family and friends in the land of smiles.
Thanks for the updates
I just returned from Thailand and had no problem at airports with my Mavic in my carry on. I went through BKK, DMK, CNX and KBV. The only time I was questioned was regarding what the battery was for going through security in Chiang Mai. A camera battery seemed to be an acceptable answer.
Hi Richard thanks for an informative article.
Do you have a link to the memo that came out about not being able to fly drones in Thai National Parks? – I have Googled but been unable to find anything apart from references to individual National Parks.
The link to download the registration form on the NBTC website is not working – do you have a copy of the form that you could upload or email to me? – I am not in Thailand at the moment and would like to register my drone before I arrive in Thailand in a few weeks time.
I have closely read the Announcement of the Ministry of Transport on the rules for flying and registering drones https://www.caat.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Announcement-of-the-Ministry-of-Transport.pdf and whether the drone is required to be registered with CAAT depends on:
1- the weight of the drone and
2 – what purpose you are using the drone for
As I read the Announcement, If the drone is less than 2kg and you are using the drone for the purpose of hobby, entertainment, or sport (recreation), excluding photographing, filming or TV programs and the other purposes listed under Article 4(2), then under Article 5, even if a camera is fitted, there is no requirement to register the drone with CAAT or have insurance.
If the drone is used for the purpose of hobby, entertainment, or sport (recreation) and weighs more than 2kg but does not exceed 25kg then, under article 6, the drone needs to be registered with CAAT and have insurance.
If the drone is used for any of the purposes specified in article 4(2), which includes photographing, filming or TV programs, and does not exceed 25kg, including drones less than 2kg, then, under article 10, the drone needs to have insurance and be registered with CAAT.
So, if you are flying a drone fitted with a camera and the drone weighs less than 2kg and you are using the drone for the purpose of hobby, entertainment, or sport (recreation) and not filming or taking photographs then my reading of the Announcement is that the drone would not need to be registered with CAAT or have insurance.
For example, if I was flying a drone fitted with a camera and weighing less than 2kg for the purposes of practice flying and not using the camera to take video or photos then I don’t believe, based on the wording of the Announcement, that CAAT registration or insurance would be required. Even if the camera was being used to provide video to your remote controller screen then, providing it was not being recorded, you would not be photographing or filming (photographing or filming only occurs if the images from the camera are being recorded or stored).
My drone is a DJI Mavik whihc is under 2kg but as I mainly use my drone for taking photos and videos I intend to register my drone.
Sorry for the delay in replying. I only just noticed your question. I haven’t seen a memo about the ban on drones in national parks. But I was told by both park rangers and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Do these regulations also apply to flying radio controlled model aircraft from a flying club field?
I presume so. As far as NBTC is concerned anyway.
I asked the guys at my local flying club which includes Thailand’s champion flier and they all said “no”, which is strange. I see very little difference between a R/C model helicopter and a drone except that the helicopters seem to spend a lot of time hoveing or flying inverted.
Thanks Richard,
Great article and information.
Thanks for sharing as I am about to buy one.
Now I know the law, I will comply.
Also, have been following you for quite some time now. Always a great read and very informative.
Congrats.
Thanks Ernie. I noticed that some shops offer a service to help you register the drone. So make sure you take advantage of that.
Wow — the insurance rates are really high — the best I can find is 3,500 baht…insurance only (no registration services)! Has anyone found cheaper?
That’s pretty steep considering I fly the drone less than a 6 times a year, and almost always on private property! in other words, each time I fly the drone it costs me almost 600 baht.
I’m not sure why the companies are setting their rates so high. Is it that much of a risk? Perhaps because it’s a new type of insurance and they don’t know what costs they might incur?
It’s not worth it. I’ll wait a year or two and see if prices drop.
Is possession of a drone illegal too? If planning not to fly in Thailand at all? Any news on airport confiscations?
Yes, illegal after 9 January to own a non-registered radio controlled device. What we don’t know yet is how serious they will be and whether they will check at the airports etc.
Wow, interesting, so what will be a procedure if you want to bring a drone to Thailand? (of course, you are planning to register it at NBTC and did a CAAT registration).
Is it possible to register it remotely at NBTC before the travel?
1. If my drone is registered with NBTC… Do I have to notify them if I sell it?
Or is keeping a receipt between buyer and myself enough?
2. If drone is not registered with NBTC. Is it ok to sell before 9 January?
This registration (NBTC) and insurance (CAAT) seems too much hassle for something I planned to use on special occasions only.
If I don’t register the drone and (obviously) don’t fly it – because I want to sell it.
Would that be legal?
I have a Dji Mavic Pro + fly combo (2 extra batteries, shoulder bag, car charger)
Anyone interested?
Just got new info from Thai friend. He said that if you don’t use (fly with your drone).
You can register after 9 January.
He’s been in contact with NBTC today on my behalf.
I was frustrated because I couldn’t get clear answers speaking English with staff. So I asked hm to help me. Now I can breath again 😉
It was in the news today that the 90 days is nearly up. If you haven’t registered your drone with NBTC by 9 January you will face up to 5 years in prison and/or 100,000 Baht fine.
Does this mean possession of a drone is illegal too? If you plan not to fly it in Thailand? Any news on confiscations at airports etc?
I’m travelling in SE Asia region in Jan-May 2018 and have a drone with me.
So far no-one reporting problems at the airport. But I don’t know what they will do after this 9 January deadline. NBTC are not interested in whether you’re flying or not. They just want you to register a radio controlled device. If you want to fly too, you need to register with CAAT. Maximum prison term for failure to do that is “only” one year. Some people say that if you register with CAAT that they will tell NBTC on your behalf. Hopefully they do as that prison sentence is a maximum of five years.
Hi All and a happy new year
I have a old phantom 2 and I have taken out the camera as the camera is broken
So now my drone do not have a camera attached to the drone
Can I fly my drone before I register it
Thank you
Can I fly my drone without the camera attached before I register with NBTC and CAAT
I’m really confused, I own a spark and traveling to Thailand for 3 weeks. I don’t want to use it in crowded places and my batt only lasts 15 min. Will it really cost me over £100 to insure and register my drone.
That is what the good people at CAAT say. And don’t forget it will take them two months to process your application. Which means most tourists won’t be able to fly legally. Anyway, there are many places where you cannot fly now. I’ve seen signs up at temples, beaches, tourist attractions, national parks and more.
Bought a used Phantom 2 from Facebook Marketplace. Im not planning to fly it here in Thailand. Should I still get it registered, get insurance and obtain a license? Will they question/inspect/confiscate my drone at the airport when I leave Thailand going to my home country?
I have heard no reports of drones being confiscated at the airports in Thailand. But you should be aware that you might need to pay tax at the airport in your home country.
Someone said drones are banned in the Thai national parks.
Can anyone confirm? I was under the impression some of the parks allow them, and some don’t.
That would be a real shame, because the parks look amazing and some of them seem like they have a lot of room to fly around without annoying people.
You are not allowed to fly in any national park. A memo went out last year.
So is there a comprehensive list of where people are not allowed to fly in Thailand? Because the national parks aren’t mentioned in the CAAT regulations. I also searched for a memo about the Thai parks and didn’t find anything. Are there any other beaches or islands where they have these ridiculous knee jerk rules? Sounds like the whole country is a no drone zone, at this point.
Surely it is up to individual landowners to set their own no fly zone rules or not? Nothing to do with CAAT. Some owners I spoke to said they were worried about safety if they let anyone fly. Others said they didn’t want their visitors disturbed by a loud buzzing sound. National
Parks include some beaches and islands (like Phi Phi, Koh Chang and Koh Samut).
Sure, they have a right to set whatever rules they want. Doesn’t mean I have to agree with them. If they’re worried about noise or safety, then they could just make it illegal to fly near people, instead of being ridiculous and banning everything completely.
There are lots of wide open spaces in the national parks where you could fly a drone for days without bothering anyone.
No argument from me there. But someone in Bangkok decided to do a blanket ban. I guess too many people were trying to fly drones. Back in the old days it was all so much easier. Security guards would come over as they were interested to see the views from above.
If you guys read the CAAT infographic and registration rules, it says you can be fined 40,000 baht or imprisoned for 1 year if you violate ANY of the CAAT rules.
In other words, even if you go through the hassle of getting insurance and registration, they can still technically fine you or imprison you if someone is annoyed by your drone, or you fly higher than 90 meters, or you fly within 30 meters of a building, etc.
There’s also a CAAT rule (Article 9f) that apparently applies to all drone pilots and it says you’re required to carry a fire extinguisher with you for every flight. That is ridiculous and laughable. No one will ever do that, which means ALL drone pilots in Thailand are still vulnerable to being fined or imprisoned for violating that rule even if they are 100% registered and insured.
Sounds like it’s impossible to win with these stupid laws. The fact that CAAT asks about your salary on the registration is especially disgusting, and not at all ambiguous.
The reason that salary is asked is because CAAT want to know what ability the operator has to compensate anyone hurt or property damaged. Silly and many people leave it blank anyway or make up a number. If you have the insurance they are happy anyway.
All, I have found a company in Pattaya who are doing full registration including Insurance and everything you require to legally fly your drone. They are quoting 2-3 months though, and the price they quoted me was 5500 baht, I’m not affiliated in any way but am sharing the number if anyone needs this full service, it is 0915455136. Merry Christmas.
That’s not cheap!
Thanks a lot for the info and work on this Richard. Sounds like the original article really needs to be updated or completely rewritten with new info at this point, though.
These are the biggest problems:
1. Is NBTC registration required if you register with CAAT? One of the comments indicated it’s not. If that’s true, most of the original blog post could be discarded or rewritten since only CAAT registration would be required. Can anyone confirm?
2. Where can people get insurance? It sounds like CAAT registration is completely impossible without insurance, so this is important. Are there any stipulations about what type of insurance it needs to be? Why not just get drone liability insurance in America (or your home country), for example, and use that? Would CAAT accept that? As long as it’s international coverage, I don’t see why not.
3. Does CAAT have an English phone line that can answer these and other questions? If so, I’d be happy to check with them and report back.
P.S. These new drone rules are ridiculous and I’m sure they will hurt tourism to Thailand. Not just drone pilots, but also people who would’ve watched the videos and decided to visit. I was hoping to visit in March or April, but I may have to reconsider if I can’t get these rules figured out. It’s despicable when people write laws that are impossible to follow.
Dave,
1) CAAT is the authority in this subject, once you registered with them is all set
2)There are many companies offering the service
3)CAAT do have English line
Hope thy helps and good luck hunting
Hi Richard
Can I bring my DJI phantom 2 to thailand from Singapore First n after I have arrived in bangkok I will start the application for the licensing n insurance
I have read that I can not or should not bring in my drone to thailand before i get my insurance n approved license or I may have my drone confiscated at the airport custom
Many thanks n best regards
I haven’t heard anyone having their drone confiscated at the airport. Not so far, anyway.
Thank you so much
Hi. What year are you in Thailand? Had your drone confiscated at the airport without the proper permissions?
It is the year 2561 in Thailand. What year are you in?
Thank you for this info!
I searched CAAT on the internet and called the number on their webpage. They confirmed that they had received my application.
Which e-mail did you use to send application?
I used this email address – [email protected]
Hi,
can anybody help – how to confirm that CAAT received my e-mail with registration application in is proceeding documents? I have sent it to [email protected], but they do not answer 🙁
Hi Richard – have you at any time been asked for a background check from CAAT – I think it’s some kind of disclosure form we are asked to fill in? I’ve been living here in Thailand 8 years have work permit etc. I have called CAAT and there appears to be different answers for foreign guys and Thais. Can you tell me of your experience and have you got your licences from CAAT? As of today I have my insurance and my Mavic was registered last month. Do I have sufficient documents now to apply to the CAAT?
Dear All, FYI as various people have asked, the drone registration lasts for 2 years after approval. They will not send a reminder when the 2 years expires so you need to put the expiry date in your diary and re-apply then. We offer the registration + insurance service. Contact : [email protected]. All documents in English. We are safe and licensed.
And how much is it cost for dji pro3?
Hi Pavel, you can contact at the email in the above message
Hi Stuart, I sent you a mail on this last week but you don’t reply, so do you offer the service mentioned above or not?
this could be a business opportunity, but is there any local page or company that can manage the registration for drone travelers? (safe and recommended of course)
Hi Fernando , we can do that for you , we are licensed. Contact : [email protected]
lovely, I will contact you soon
Does anyone know an email address where you can register your drone?
hi There, You can submit the registration form to their email address directly – [email protected]
CAAT required this following document to registration;
• Registration form
• Copy of passport
• Insurance policy
• Address in Thailand (if any)
good luck!
I have sent e-mail to this address: [email protected] and had information from mail delivery system that there is no domain [email protected]
Are you sure that it is caat.ot.th, not caat.or.th?
I think it must be [email protected]
Thanks, I’m going to try. This is the fourth email address of CAAT that I am going to send an email to. Maybe I’m lucky now. I never received an answer on the other mails.
Anyone know if there is an NBTC office in Chiang Mai, and if there is, what’s the address?
Thanks.
Hi,
Can a registered French drone pilot for a documentary, on a Film Office work permit, simply bring his/her drone into Thailand and start working (given they get permission from the land owner/s) ? Or do they need to go through the 2 month process?
HI
Once you had registered the Drone and got proper permission not problems at all
hi everyone, I’m insurance broker in Thailand who can service Drone Insurance for people who has Drone which registered in Thailand and needs to submit the compulsory insurance to CAAT. I can assist you all.
if you are interested, please send me the detail to my email. [email protected]
Hi there, can you assist in the whole process, not only insurance, also registration?
I’m a spark owner if the answer is yes, please email me [email protected]
What if you can’t wait the 40-60 days as stipulated? If the application process has already been started and you 30+ days in, with insurance and all the other paperwork and I fly the drone, can the fact that I correctly gone through every process but the registration is just taking too long enough for me to go about flying the drone. We try to follow the laws to the tee, but the lack of communication and response from caat is unacceptable. Not even an acknowledgement of receiving the application. How are we supposed to follow a process with so many flaws?
Hi Steven, it’s a government process the same as any other around the world. Fill out the papers and wait for a result. It’s been made clear that the drone can’t fly until approved.
I agree. Recklessly flying a drone without the required permission to fly (license) is only going to possibly endanger the privilege we have of flying our drones in Thailand.
The government could easily change their minds and totally ban the use of all drones nationwide.
Yes from start to finish the whole process of getting ourselves and our drones legal to fly is slow, annoying and may even seem ridiculous but let’s face it we are all guests here in the Kingdom of Thailand and we should all follow the procedures that have be laid out for us.
You wouldn’t eat a half baked cake you need to wait, same applies to flying without a license. Just wait. It will be worth it in the long run.
When registratin drone in CAAT, should I attach any other documents, like ID card copy, insurance copy or any other documents?
Yes !
CATT will block your application if you do not provide Drone insurance billing
The list of document is clearly indicated in the form N°1 and N°2
ID card is for Alien is the ID Card pink color 13 Digit
House registration is Ta bian ban ( Thai house Book certification adresse) il you do not have Immigration can issue for you
I will be in Chiang Mai from January to March and would love to fly my drone.
What is the fastest way to register/license my drone?
A) Start now through an insurance / service, or
B) Wait until I land in CM and go to the local offices for CAAT & NBTC?
Any help or info is much appreciated.
Be an early bird, send all documents by email
OK, but what is the email address where to send to?
Hi Freek , you can send to our address: [email protected], if you want to sort insurance and registration. We’ll assist with registration as well as insurance now.
TO UPDATE everyone following CAAT visit yesterday on some points people have asked in this forum:
Re home made drones, the CAAT is not interested to allow these to fly even if you have it registered by NBTC. CAAT has concerns whether they are safe to fly. Some people with a home made drone may have been lucky earlier and gotten permission to fly but CAAT’s position on these seems to have hardened.
Re ‘hobby’ activity, the CAAT processing staff have asked management for a meaning of that but no luck so far. I asked about kids getting drone type toys for Christmas and they had no answer to that other than what the issued regulations say for all drones.
Re flying on your own property, CAAT staff did not see an issue but same registration rules apply and they reminded about complying with the mandated minimum distances from property and people and not invading privacy of e.g. neighbors with or without a camera.
Re CAAT, as stated by others here, we confirmed that CAAT is acting as a one stop shop and there’s no need for a separate trip to the NBTC.
Re collection of approved license: there are 2 CAAT staff handling 1000+ applications so things won’t get done any quicker than 45-60 days. If you get it sooner you’re just lucky. On completion they will phone locally or email to let you know. They will scan you a copy if you don’t want to collect from their office near Don Muang airport and can post the original within Thailand at no charge.
For people from overseas and those who aren’t going to Bkk but other parts of Thailand , they will scan you a copy to print and carry with you when operating the drone.
For people using a service agent like ourselves, the CAAT will let us know when completed and send all documents to our office and we’ll then get in touch with you about collection.
Hi Stuart, what is the cost for using your service to register and get insurance?
Seeking Clarification: I have a DJI Spark and I plan to follow the rules, (do not plan to fly it around the cities, around crowds or near airports etc). First, it seems that these drones under 2kg are in a grey zone… small but they do have a camera. If I’m careful and fly this only for personal use (birds eye pictures/video of waterfalls with nobody around for example) I can’t see there being a problem. What is the worst that can happen? I get questioned by a random guard/police and have to pay them off?
Worst case scenario is four years in prison. But that’s unlikely unless you seriously hurt someone or fly over military base or Palace. BTW, you are not allowed to fly in national parks.
Thanks Richard… lol I meant worst case if I’m flying it discreetly, not around people and following the rules… meaning not around palaces, airports, parks, people etc
If I happen to be questioned by a police or guard and have no license or paperwork.
I’ve been to Thailand, driven without a valid license (not on purpose) and when they stop you, all they want is a few hundred baht and you’re on your way.
If you are flying a drone recklessly in the city, near an airport, over a palace during a ceremony without license… you definitely deserve the fine and prison time.
Chuck if you are lucky and paid off a few hundreds that was great but you might end up paying few thousand if not more, all of ya who want to take the risk, better have a good cash on hand just in case, but won’t be wise to do that, good luck
Ok so let’s not get into the whole bribing subject, although it’s a daily occurrence everywhere in Thailand…
I’m still confused and would like to know if the DJI Spark needs to be registered.
Richard, your header post says you specifically asked about the spark (and showed them pictures to clarify)?
Thanks for all your help and feedback btw I’m not looking to break the law here but I’m not happy with paying 5,500 baht for insurance and registration if I do not need it.
Obviously I cannot comment on whether it’s alright to bribe a government official. I also cannot advise you to fly illegally. But I can say that if you are discreet you will probably get away with it. Plenty of unlicensed people still flying. And yes, apparently you need to get license/insurance for the Spark though I disagree with their interpretation of the law.
Read the article!!
Was in CM for NYE. Naturally I wouldn’t try flying at an event but in any case I decided not to fly anywhere in the city just b/c I didn’t want to risk the exposure and implications not just for me but other drone pilots.
I have not registered or paid insurance and will be in Thailand until mid month and will limit flight to the jungle, unpopulated areas and finally one last island we have on our schedule.
My original intention was to fly as much as possible on this trip but in reality I’ve only been up 2-3 times. It’s a big disappointment but I preferred to air on the side of caution for the reasons I mentioned above however, interestingly 100% of my Thai realitves and police friends knew nothing about drone laws.
Final tip; flying in the Royal Park Rajapruek in Chiang Mai is permitted, it’s free to register when you pay your entrance fee, you will be given a receipt with the date of flight registration. I was very surprised when my wife asked the guard, especially with so many ppl around…. Enjoy the opportunity if you go, there’s no telling how long they will allow it.
Thanks for the feedback. Interesting to note that they actually allow you to fly at the park. I’m very surprised about that. Most say no these days as they say dangerous above big crowds.
Thank you Tim! I am heading to CM this week and will also restrict my flying to a minimum and be smart about it. Did you get any “evil eyes” or hassles anywhere? How about in the islands as I’m sure there were more opportunities to capture great footage. Any issues at airports.
Thanks in advance!
Carlos
Many islands are owned by national parks and they won’t let you fly. You will run the risk of fine/confiscation. Though some people said they were only told to delete EVERYTHING on the memory card. If flying in CM, just do from a location where there are not many people and don’t fly low as they are very noisy. I’ve had no problem flying domestic. And I fly often.
well spark is less than 250 grams so…. for what I understood, you don’t have to register your drone Mitch
” Before you ask, if you have a toy drone, for example weighing less than 250g, then the NBTC or CAAT are not interested.”
so I guess this is more applicable to a Mavic or Phantom
SOrry pals, all drones must be licensed, don’t take my words ask authorities otherwise you might end up paying a fine, cheers
Yes, people have asked CAAT this specific question and they said that you need insurance and permission to fly for the Spark. My opinion is that it is a toy as it is palm sized.
The main issues with all toys drone as well professionals one is the hazard they pose to the environment (people, properly and animals)
If any toy hit you in the face (not just drone) won’t be pretty
” In addition, if your drone has a camera (any weight) or weighs over two kilos then you need to obtain insurance and get permission to fly from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)”
The spark has a camera, so you will need permission and insurance for sure.
Spark weights 300 grams.
The Spark has a camera fitted, so it must be registered
Well, I was hoping to take my DJI Spark with me to Thailand in January for holiday.. Looks like with the wait there is no point in trying now, darn.
Jan2018 me too😫
Hello. How quickly can I get all papers done. Somebody knows ?
Thanks for the answer 🙏🏻
Has any one had any luck lately with getting Faster Registration of there drone?
This sucks as my friend in CM had no problem with this but it was in October he got his registered in a local office.
Hope there is a way to do this faster. I am going on vacation in Jan.
Let me know how your process is going or any ideas.
When you say local office, do you mean NBTC (permission to own a radio controlled device) or CAAT (permission to fly a drone)? If he did with NBTC, then yes that is quick and easy. Took me ten minutes. But that doesn’t allow you to fly. You have to register with CAAT and that is taking 2-3 months to process. And you need to get insurance first.
Hey dude have you had any luck with this? I am leaving for Thailand on January 21st and just saw that my drone needs to be registered today. Am I screwed?
Yes, you are screwed.
I am afraid – yes you are screwed 🙁 I heard that you can take a risk and fly in secluded places, because they give a sh… about drones (heard from dude living in Thailand), but… its a risk and your choice.
I applied in July – got my permit 6 months later:/