Summary of Drone Laws in Oman
Hobbyist Drone Laws For Residents of Oman
Drone Operations in Oman are currently regulated.
- Hobbyist drone flights are allowed in Oman
- Hobbyist Oman drone pilot license is required for drones over 25kg
- Hobbyist Drone registration is required in Oman for hobbyists
- Drone Remote ID is not required in Oman for hobbyists
- Drone Insurance is not required but recommended for hobbyists’ drone operations in Oman
Read below for more details on Hobbyist Drone Laws in Oman and to find links to regulators and other credible sources!
Commercial Drone Laws For Residents of Oman
Drone Operations in Oman are currently regulated.
- Commercial drone flights are allowed in Oman
- Commercial Oman drone pilot license is required for drones over 25kg
- Commercial Drone registration is required in Oman for commercial drone operators
- Drone Remote ID is not required in Oman for Commercial Drone Operators
- Drone Insurance may be required for commercial drone operations in Oman
Read below for more details on Commercial Drone Laws in Oman and to find links to regulators and other credible sources!
Drone Regulations For Visitors To Oman
Drone Operations in Oman are currently regulated.
- Foreign visitor drone flights are allowed in Oman for commercial operations only
- Foreign visitor drone pilot license is required
- Drone registration is required in Oman for visitors/tourists
- Drone Remote ID is not required in Oman for tourists
- Drone Insurance is not required but recommended for tourist drone operations in OmanOman
Read below for more details on Drone Laws in Oman for Visitors (Tourists) and to find links to regulators and other credible sources!
Drone Rules For Government Drone Operators in Oman
Drone Operations in Oman are currently regulated.
- Government drone flights are allowed in Oman
- Government drone pilot license is required
- Drone registration is required in Oman for Government operations
- Drone Remote ID is not required in Oman for Government operations
- Drone Insurance is not required for Government drone operations in Oman
Read below for more details on Drone Laws in Oman for Government Drone Operations and to find links to regulators and other credible sources!
Agencies Responsible for regulating drones in the Sultanate of Oman
Drone Regulator in Oman: Oman Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
Link to Oman Drone Laws: Oman CAR-102 Civil Aviation Regulation Remote Piloted Aircraft (Drones) Effective: 30th December 2021
The 2023 Oman Drone Laws Update (Arabic)
Contact Information
If you need additional details we have not covered or specific case assistance, you can contact the Oman Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) directly at:
- Address: P.O. Box 1, P.C. 111, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
- Phone: +968 24354433/24354435/24354436/24354437
- Email: customerservice@caa.gov.om, info@caa.gov.om or media@caa.gov.om
Please continue reading for more details on Oman Drone Laws.
UAS Laws – General rules for flying drones in Oman
The Oman agency responsible for drone safety, CAA, has provided several internet-accessible details on flying drones for fun or work. The highlights are enumerated below. For more details, click on the link above.
Are drones allowed in Oman?
Here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Oman:
Here is a summary table provided by the CAA of prerequisites for using an unmanned aircraft in Oman:
An RPA is operated in standard RPA operating conditions providing adherence to the following:
- Except for a MicroRPA (less than 250 gm), all RPAs must be registered with the CAA before their use within the Sultanate of Oman (see paragraph (h)); and
- The RPA is operated within the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the person using the RPA; and
- the RPA is operated at or below 400 ft AGL by day; and
- the RPA is not operated within 30 m of a person who is not directly associated with the operation of the RPA; and
- the RPA is not used:
- in a prohibited area; or
- in a restricted area; or
- in a dangerous area; or
- over a populous area; or
- within three nautical miles (5.5km) of the movement area of a controlled aerodrome; and
- clear of all landing and takeoff paths to all runways of all aerodromes.
- The RPA is not operated over a place where a fire, police, or other public safety or emergency operation is being conducted without the approval of a person in charge of the operation and
- the person operating the RPA operates only one RPA.
- Drones shall be registered by the first owner of that drone, who will then advise the CAA when one of the following occurs:
- The drone is sold, or ownership is transferred to another person, or
- The drone is destroyed through a crash where no injuries were incurred by third parties or buildings, or
- The drone is no longer being flown due to unserviceability.
Note: Registration of drones can be carried out through the CAA website www.caa.gov.om, where the owner must register the drone upon the first arrival in Oman or after the ownership of that drone to another person.
Excluded RPA can be operated without a certain license and permissions.
- A micro RPA is an excluded RPA.
- A very small RPA is an excluded RPA if it is being operated:
- by or on behalf of the owner of the RPA and
- by a person who holds a remote pilot license that authorizes the person to use the RPA and
- A small RPA is an excluded RPA if it is being operated:
- over land owned or occupied by the owner of the RPA and
- in standard RPA operating conditions and
- for the purposes of one or more of the following:
- aerial spotting;
- aerial photography;
- agricultural operations;
- aerial communications retransmission;
- the carriage of cargo;
- any other activity similar to an activity mentioned in the subparagraphs above. No remuneration is received by the operator or owner of the RPA, the owner or occupier of the land, or any person on whose behalf the activity is being conducted.
- A small RPA or a medium RPA is an excluded RPA if it is operated for sport or recreation.
- A small RPA, or a medium RPA, is an excluded RPA if it is being used in standard RPA operating conditions by:
- A person for the sole purpose of meeting the experience requirement mentioned in CAR- 102.255(2)(c) for the grant of a remote pilot license or
- The holder of a remote pilot license for the sole purpose of getting practical experience and gaining competency in the operation of an RPA, including a kind of RPA that is not specified in the holder’s remote pilot license.
- A medium RPA is an excluded RPA if it is being operated:
- by or on behalf of the owner of the RPA and
- by a person who holds a remote pilot license that authorizes the person to operate the RPA and
- over land owned or occupied by the owner of the RPA and
- in standard RPA operating conditions and
- for the purposes of one or more of the following:
- aerial spotting.
- aerial photography.
- agricultural operations.
- aerial communications retransmission.
- the carriage of cargo.
- Any other activity like the activity mentioned in the subparagraphs above. No remuneration is received by the operator or owner of the RPA, the owner or occupier of the land, or any person on whose behalf the activity is being conducted.
- An RPA is an excluded RPA if it is being operated:
- By a person solely for the person receiving training from an RPA operator who holds a certificate under this regulation that authorizes the operator to conduct operations using the RPA and
- per the operator’s documented training procedures.
Note for foreign operators
If you’re traveling to Oman and want to bring your drone, CAA lists these special considerations for foreigners who wish to fly drones:
- Oman currently permits only commercial drone flights.
- Permits are required for all commercial flights. Before entering the country, a permit must be obtained.
- If Drone operations involve using foreign remote-piloted civil aircraft, the operator shall be required to obtain an RPA Operator Permit before conducting any commercial air operations.
1. Service name and description
- Issuance of approval to operate Drone in Oman Airspace
- Service is requested by Government, companies, and individuals (in the future)
- The drone operator shall be 18 years old and above (Passport /ID copy).
2. Service stages brief description
- Fill in AWR application form 033
- Submit all documents required
- Make sure that the request complies with CAA requirements.
- Aware of Civil Aviation Low/Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR107) and executive regulation
- Paying the imposed fees before approving.
3. Service provider
Department of Flight Safety – Airworthiness Section
4. Service-related information
- The average required time to provide the service depends on receiving the complete application and receiving no objection letters from ROP, NSA, RAFO, and Ministry of Information in case of filming production.
5. Service-required documents
- Sponsor/contractor covering letter
- Applicant covering letter
- Certificate of Insurance (in future)
- Operation Manual/Drone Specifications
- Operational Site coordinates/flight level required
- Prove Remote pilot; License/Training (in the future)
Permit Requirements for Flying a Drone in Oman
Before flying, a permit is required.
The permit must be obtained at least 15 days before the anticipated flight date and must be received before entering the country (even if you do not intend to fly that day).
Permits may be obtained by submitting the following information to Oman’s National Survey Authority (NSA):
- The drone pilot’s name and the names of any other individuals involved in the planned photography/videography shoot.
- The primary contact’s information.
- The shoot’s objective.
- Specifics of the flight (i.e., location, coordinates, takeoff and landing locations, and time span for the planned flight).
- A description of the drone(s) that will be used, as well as photographs.
Drone authorization
The minimum age requirement for obtaining a drone license is 18 years.
Drones should also be insured against “civil liability” for the duration of the license’s validity period.
Licenses will be valid for one year and will be renewable.
Documents required to apply for a drone license include the following:
- A description of the drone’s technical specifications
- A statement of the drone’s mission
- Determine the time and location of the drone’s flight, with the area determined using coordinates, a digital map, or an illustration.
- Identify the individuals who wish to operate the drone
Notes for recreational drone pilots flying for fun in Oman
See the general rules above.
Notes for operating Commercial Drone Services in Oman
See the general rules above.
Useful published information on flying drones in Oman
Here is a sample of what you might expect if you follow the drone laws and fly in Oman…
Authoritative Sources of Information on Oman Drone Laws
We will attempt to keep an updated list of online authoritative links to regulators and other official websites here:
- Drone Regulator Website: Oman Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
- Link To SUAS Laws: Oman CAR-102 Civil Aviation Regulation Remote Piloted Aircraft (Drones) Effective: 30th December 2021
- No Fly Zone Maps/Locations: N/A
- UAV Registration Site: N/A
- Drone Operator Licensing Site: N/A
- Others: N/A
NOTE: This page is about the Regulation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS), Small UAS, Remote Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), and drone are interchangeable terms unless specified. Model Aircraft, toy, remote-controlled, and RC aircraft may be covered by the same regulations unless specified.
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