Drone Laws in Afghanistan

Agencies Responsible for regulating drones in Afghanistan

Civil Aviation Authority of Afghanistan

The CAA does not have a website related to drones. Regulations related to drones or Remote Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) are covered in the general aviation regulations found here: Afghanistan Aviation Rules including Drone Laws

UAS Laws – General rules for flying drones in Afghanistan

Drone use is allowed in Afghanistan, however drone regulations are not mature and may be subject to local interpretation.

There are several drone laws that need to be followed when flying a drone in Afghanistan:

• Drone pilots must obtain authorization issued by the state within which they plan to fly. The process for submitting a request for authorization to fly are described in the legal document linked above.
• Once authorization has been obtained, a flight plan with the local aviation authority must be filed prior to an actual flight.
• Drones cannot fly over the high seas without prior coordination with the appropriate ATS Authority, which shall be obtained prior to take-off if there is reasonable expectation, when planning the operations, that the aircraft may enter the airspace concerned.
• UAVs cannot be operated in a manner that would cause a hazard to persons, property, or other aircraft.
• Do not fly your drone over people or large crowds
• Do not fly your drone over airports or in areas where aircraft are operating
• You must fly during daylight hours and only fly in good weather conditions
• Do not fly your drone in sensitive areas including government or military facilities. Use of drones or camera drones in these areas are prohibited.

The Afghanistan Interior Ministry in 2016 specifically restricted the Media from flying drone cameras in sensitive areas like government and military facilities.

Notes For Drone Hobbyists flying for fun in Afghanistan

Please see the general rules above. The Civil Aviation Authority has not created a separate framework of regulations for hobbyists versus commercial providers. Indeed, it appears that the regulations are aviation based, commercially oriented and applied to all, at the current time.

Notes for Commercial Drone Services operations in Afghanistan

Please see the general rules above. The Civil Aviation Authority has not created a separate framework of regulations for hobbyists versus commercial providers. Indeed, it appears that the regulations are aviation based, commercially oriented and applied to all, at the current time.

Useful published information on flying drones in Afghanistan

Not much public information is available about the use of drones in Afghanistan. We recommend connecting directly with the ACAA or using a licensed legal representative in Afghanistan for more details.

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