Jan 15, 20194 min
Updated: Apr 22, 2019
🖐 In this blog post we’ll share all law links and known rules about recreational and commercial drone use in Macau. Give a 👍 at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience in The Forum. Keep in mind that the content below is updated to the best of our ability & does not replace official sources & your own research.
Macau does not seem to differentiate commercial & recreational drone use - see our post to differentiate recreational vs commercial drone usage. However, both are subject to restrictions & a strict code of conduct. Additionally, depending on your drone's weigh, different rules may apply.
✅ In Macau, drone laws falls under the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) & they can be contacted anytime via:
Email: aacm@aacm.gov.mo
Phone: (+853) 2851 1213
Mail: 18/F, Cheng Feng Commercial Centre, 336-342, Alameda Dr. Carlos D’Assumpção, Macao 🕔 Mon - Thu 9 am - 5.45 pm (Friday until 5.30 pm).
✅ Currently, there doesn't seem to be any restrictions on bringing drones within Macau 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.
✅ The Civil Aviation Authority of Macau provided a sweet online map showing where you should ask for permission prior taking off. The map's legend is divided in 2 colors:
red: protection area for flight path
blue: protection area for aerodrome
🚨 You should not fly above or near military installations & strategic infrastructure. Fly away from Macau airport, the Amizade Bridge & avoid flying above sea.
🚨 The Civil Aviation Authority of Macau specifies to fly 50 m away from the:
Macao Government headquarters
Legislative Assembly Building
Court of Final Appeal Building
Official residences of the Chief Executive & principal officials of Macao
Central People’s Government institutions in Macao
Macao Prison & Youth Correctional Institution
Ka Ho power station & electrical power substations
Macao Water Supply Company headquarters
Ka -Ho Fuel farm
✅ Good things first, if you fly a drone weighting less than 7 kg outside of the protected airspace, you won't need to ask for permission to fly your drone.
With this in mind & in any circumstances, you must:
mark your drone with your personal information (if heavier than 250 g).
fly at a maximum altitude of 30 m above the ground, or 100 m away from you.
fly away from people & respect individuals' privacy.
fly 100 m away from crowds (defined as 100+ people).
fly a drone weighting less than 7 kg during daytime only & within sight at all times.
after a full check of your drone's capacity of flying (make sure nothing is wrong on it).
fly at least 1 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.
fly away from areas where its use could interfere with police or first responders.
avoid sensitive areas including government (50 m) or military facilities.
without carry, towing or dropping anything from your drone during flight.
Macau CAA even made a cool little video about local drone rules 👌
✅ If you want to fly outside any of the drone rules defined above or within a restricted airspace, you would need to apply for a permission prior taking off. This can be done via a simple online form to return to aacm@aacm.gov.mo To complete it, you will need:
your personal details & identification
explain your motivations & provide the full flight information
provide your drone's technical information
🕔 You should provide this form at least 10 working days in advance to give time to local authorities to process your query.
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. With this in mind, the CAA specified that your fine could range from 200€ to about 2,000€ depending on the severity of your infraction.
Once you've got everything in order, you can start flying above Macau's awesome landscapes and create videos like this one:
✅ Please leave a comment or update the Forum when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in the Macau! Have fun and safe flight!
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 regulations.
Other resources
Application form for unmanned aircraft activities in Macau
Sources
Restrictions on unmanned aircraft operations in Macau
Macau Civil Aviation Authority (CAA website).