RWANDA DRONE FILMING RULES AND REGULATIONS
Rwanda Drone Filming Rules & regulations – should be the first thing every film crew looks out for before importing your Drone into Rwanda For filming – ensure to understand all the regulations regarding operation to an RPA (remote Piloted Aircraft) in Rwanda.
Filming in Rwanda with a Drone requires special Drone filming permits & permissions from Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority – RCAA, Rwanda Defence Force and or the Rwanda Police – prior to Importing your drone into Rwanda.
Even after all Rwanda Drone Filming permits & permissions have been acquired, a set of Rwanda Drone filming Rules and Regulations still await you to abid.
The following Rwanda Drone Filming Rules and Regulation will guide your Rwanda Filming experience:
All drones intended for filming In Rwanda must be registered prior to flight using form RCAA-Form-UAS001. Citizens of Rwanda can only make this registration with a minimum age of 21 years. The registration fee is 110,000 RWF (about USD130). According to reports, the processing of the registration takes about three (03) months.
All Film crew planning to Film in Rwanda Using Drone(s) need a local contact on whose behalf the drone will be registered for filming in Rwanda. All other terms are very transparently explained on the website of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA).
Maximum Altitude: The maximum altitude allowed is 100 meters (328 feet) above ground.
Maximum horizontal distance: The constraints include the maximum distance between pilot and drone of 300 meters, as long as direct visual contact is ensured.
Compulsory insurance for your Drone: A Rwanda Drone filming permit from the RCAA for drone flights can only be obtained in Rwanda if your drone is insured.
Maximum take-off weight (MTOW): Drones in Rwanda can weigh up to 25 kilograms.
Distance to airports: Without airspace clearance, flights within a radius of 10 kilometers (6 miles) around an airport are not allowed.
Other safety distances: It is not permitted to have a side flight of less than 50 meters to persons, buildings, vehicles, ships, and animals unless they are directly involved in your filming project. For flights over uninvolved persons, you need a special permit from the RCAA.
Hours of Drone Operation(s) in Rwanda: Drone flights at night are not allowed in Rwanda.
Special legislation: Drones must not fly faster than 100 kilometers per hour (87 knots). Drones must be marked with a number assigned to you by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority. The label may, e.g., via a permanent marker, a sticker or engraving.
Regulations for commercial pilots: no distinction between private and commercial use
Good to know: The airports in Rwanda state that drones must be registered.
Helpful Links: Info page of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority.
We have researched the listed Rwanda drone Filming Rules and regulations to the best of our knowledge but still can’t the correctness of the information as this is likely to change at the full discretion of the Rwandese government.
