Nov 27, 20185 min
Updated: Apr 26, 2023
🖐 In this blog post we’ll share all drone law links & known rules about recreational & commercial drone use in Indonesia (Denpasar, Bali, Jakarta & Lombok Island). Give a 👍 at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience in Indonesia Drone Discussion Group. Keep in mind that the content below is updated to the best of our ability & does not replace official sources & your own research.
💡 This article is also available in French
Indonesia differentiates recreational (category 1) & commercial (category 2) drone uses. Drone regulations in Indonesia are pretty favourable to pilots but they will vary a little according to your drone's weight & if your drone is fitter with a camera or not.
✅ In Indonesia, the use of drone for any purpose falls under the permission of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (which depends on the Ministry of Transportation) and you can contact them by:
Email: hubud@dephub.go.id
Phone: (+62) 8 111 004 222 anytime
✅ Currently, there doesn't seem to be any restrictions on bringing drones within Indonesia (Bali) as long as your import is considered as legitimate (generally one drone per person).
🚨 Be aware of the airline you purchase to travel as some main ones will only accept your drone on-board if its batteries are detached & placed in a firecase during travel time. Most airlines will have a battery voltage limit based on the recommendation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can find more info about a specific airline here.
💡 Smart! Get your drone batteries' firecase today and make sure you're complying with aviation safety rules.
✅ We did not find an official fly zone map for drones in Indonesia (Bali) "If you have more information about this, please share it in the Indonesia Drone Discussion Group". Thankfully in the meantime, app.airmap.io has listed all flight zones in a convenient way organised in a 3 colour legend.
✅ Indonesia Ministry of Transportation specified that some areas are entirely prohibited for drone flights (referred to as "Forbidden Areas") including but not limited:
Areas that entirely prohibits flight activities (referred to as “Prohibited Areas”)
Areas that are fully designated for government aviation, which may be opened for civil aviation from time to time (referred to as "Restricted Areas").
15 km from any aircraft runway & higher than 150 m altitude flights.
Controlled airspace, where air traffic control, flight info & alert services are provided.
🚨 If your drone is equipped with a camera, you will need to keep an extra safety distance of 500 m from any forbidden flight areas.
💡 Smart! Pack some spare drone batteries, you never know how close is the next power plug overseas. Also make sure you have a travel adaptor for Indonesia.
✅ You do not need to register or obtain a permit for drone recreational use in Indonesia. However, when using your drone for recreational purposes, you must fly:
at a maximum altitude of 150 m above the ground.
away from vehicles in movement, people or large crowds.
a drone weighting less than 2 kg, such as the Mavic pro 2.
you need to be at least 18 years old.
from a fix point, do not fly from a moving vehicle.
have a minimum flight visibility of 4.8 km
15 km away from airports (any airport, seaplane base or area where aircraft or helicopter take off & land) & give way to all other type of aircraft.
only during day time (no night flight tolerance) & within your sight at all times.
maintain a safe distance from any cloud (150 m below & 600 m distance).
only one drone at the time.
(😂) slower than 161 km/h & non under the influence of any drugs or alcohol types.
🚨 If you want to fly outside the above defined country's rules, you will need to seek an authorisation from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The delay to obtain it is about two weeks but be aware that these are granted usually only in the government's interest, such as State border patrols, State marine territory patrols, weather monitoring, monitoring of animal activities and vegetation in national parks, surveys and mapping.
🚨 If your drone weights between 2 & 25 kg, you will need to be at least 20 years old.
You will have to follow all the steps and code of conduct of the recreational drone use practices. In addition for any flight with a commercial purpose, you will systematically need:
an authorisation from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
an insurance covering your commercial activities
💡 Smart! Water glare is a killer when flying above Indonesian coastal waters, make sure you have a lens filter before heading to these Indonesian islands.
The amount & scope of the fine will depend on the nature & severity of your infraction. The judges will also evaluate if you intentionally committed the infraction and/or if you had any commercial purposes to do such. Failing to comply to local regulation could expose you to a fine of up to IDR 5,000,000 & up to 3 years of jail.
✅ The excellent news is that once you've passed all this admin work, you can start flying above Indonesia's awesome landscapes & create videos like this one:
🎬 INSPIRING! Follow our aerial videos around the world on Youtube!
✅ Please leave a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in Indonesia! Have fun and safe flight! #indonesia #indonesian #bali #regulation #rule #rules #law #laws #legislation
💡 You're a local, have a question or want to share a travel experience? Head to our Indonesia Drone Discussion Group
Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information researched, we take no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage caused as a direct or indirect consequence of relying on this information. It is your responsibility to seek advice from qualified local & relevant authorities for needed information about local drone rules and regulations.
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Sources
Andy Aditya Rahman Law Firm
Other resources
Legal Provisions in Operating Drones in Indonesia - Mondaq