Thailand Extends Temporary Drone Regulations: Key Requirements And Rules Operators Need To Know

Published on September 15, 2025

In consequence to nationalist information concerns, peculiarly relating to nan business astatine nan Thai-Cambodian border, nan Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has extended nan impermanent drone regulations. These updated rules, effective from September 16 to September 30, 2025, supersede erstwhile measures that expired connected September 15, 2025. With information considerations successful mind, nan caller regulations specify clear operational boundaries for drone users crossed nan country.

Key Conditions for Drone Operation successful Thailand

Under nan updated directive, drone operations are allowed crossed Thailand, provided they meet strict conditions. However, definite areas stay off-limits for drone activities. These include:

• Border Provinces nether Martial Law aliases Military Operations: The 5 provinces—Sa Kaeo, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathani—remain restricted owed to information concerns.
• Prohibited Districts: These areas see Sattahip District (Chon Buri), Mueang District (Rayong), Phayuha Khiri District (Nakhon Sawan), and Mueang District (Ratchaburi).
• Airports and Airstrips: No drone activity is allowed wrong 9 kilometers of immoderate airdrome aliases airstrip, including those successful Lop Buri (Khok Kathiam) and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
• Additional Security Zones: Other zones whitethorn beryllium designated by information agencies, adding further restrictions connected wherever drones whitethorn operate.

These areas are considered high-risk aliases captious for nationalist security, and strict adherence to these limitations is enforced. Operators must ever cheque for updated information zones aliases circumstantial no-fly areas.

Mandatory Drone and Operator Registration

Before flying a drone, each operators must fulfill respective registration requirements. This includes registering some nan drone and nan pilot pinch CAAT. Registration specifications should beryllium submitted done nan UAS Portal (uasportal.caat.or.th), and nan Anti-Drone Centre, portion of nan Metropolitan Police Bureau, must beryllium notified via email. This submission must beryllium made astatine slightest 3 days successful beforehand of nan flight.

Additionally, operators must proviso formation details, including location, purpose, date, and time, arsenic portion of this registration process. A valid pilot’s licence is besides required for drone cognition successful Thailand.

Operational Hours and Altitude Limitations

Drone flights are strictly permitted betwixt nan hours of 06:00 and 18:00. Any operations conducted extracurricular these hours require circumstantial anterior approval. Night flights are wholly prohibited betwixt 00:01 and 04:00. The maximum permissible altitude is group astatine 90 meters, unless further authorisation has been granted by CAAT.

The regulations purpose to guarantee drones do not interfere pinch aerial postulation aliases airs a information consequence during non-ideal conditions, specified arsenic astatine nighttime aliases successful constricted visibility. Operators should statement that deviations from these limits without due support could consequence successful important penalties.

Reporting Violations

In an effort to support nan integrity of these regulations, members of nan nationalist are encouraged to study immoderate unlawful drone activity. This tin beryllium done by submitting specifications specified arsenic nan drone description, date, time, and location. Additionally, if available, immoderate supporting grounds for illustration photos aliases videos should beryllium included. Reports tin beryllium submitted to:

• CAAT – Unmanned Aircraft Standards Division: Tel: 02-568-8851, Email: [email protected]
• Anti-Drone Centre – Metropolitan Police Bureau: Tel: 02-126-7846, Email: [email protected]
• Local Security Units – The nearest constabulary station, subject base, aliases information authority.

By reporting violations, citizens play an basal domiciled successful maintaining a unafraid airspace and preventing forbidden drone activities that whitethorn undermine nationalist information aliases nationalist security.

Drone Registration and Insurance

To legally run a drone successful Thailand, each drones must beryllium registered pinch nan National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and CAAT. Registration pinch either agency unsocial is insufficient for lawful operation. Drones must beryllium registered for some ownership and radio frequency pinch nan NBTC and for operation pinch CAAT.

Additionally, drones that transcend definite weight aliases functionality requirements must beryllium registered pinch CAAT. Specifically, drones equipped pinch cameras aliases signaling devices, drones weighing betwixt 2 and 25 kilograms, and drones complete 25 kilograms require other clearance from nan Minister of Transport.

The registration process besides includes obtaining third-party liability insurance pinch a minimum sum of 1 cardinal Thai Baht. This request intends to mitigate nan risks associated pinch drone operations, ensuring that operators are financially responsible for immoderate imaginable damages.

The Process of Certification

Drone pilots must besides get a drone aviator certificate. This certification tin beryllium obtained by passing an online knowledge trial via nan UAS Portal. Although this exam is not ever mandatory, it is highly recommended for operators to guarantee they are acquainted pinch Thailand’s airspace rules.

In nan arena an usability does not walk nan exam connected nan first attempt, they are allowed to retake it aft a 24-hour waiting period. Once obtained, nan drone aviator certificate remains valid for two years. The certificate must beryllium displayed connected nan operator’s drone, pinch size regulations successful spot for nan registration number label. Labels for drones weighing little than 25 kilograms should beryllium astatine slightest 3 mm, while those complete 25 kilograms must person labels of astatine slightest 25 mm.

Upcoming Changes to Drone Registration

An important update from CAAT will impact drone operators starting 30 June 2025. The bequest drone registration website, uav.caat.or.th, will beryllium permanently discontinued, and each registration services will displacement to nan new UAS Portal astatine uasportal.caat.or.th. Drone operators who registered done nan bequest tract must download and securely shop their documents earlier this date, arsenic they will nary longer beryllium accessible aft June 2025.

Rules for Safe Drone Flight

Drone operations successful Thailand must beryllium conducted successful statement pinch respective basal information guidelines. The pursuing cardinal points must beryllium strictly adhered to:

• Flying complete municipality areas, adjacent authorities buildings, hospitals, subject zones, aliases restricted areas is not permitted without anterior approval.
• Flights must stay wrong ocular statement of sight, and nan usage of onboard cameras aliases first-person views for navigation is prohibited.
• Drones must not run wrong nine kilometers of immoderate airport aliases temporary airfield unless circumstantial support has been granted.
• Hazardous materials aliases laser devices are not permitted for proscription via drone.

Operators must besides guarantee they support nan minimum safe distances during flight, which see 30 meters for drones weighing nether 2 kilograms and 50 meters for those betwixt 2 and 25 kilograms.

These regulations purpose to supply a equilibrium betwixt national security, public safety, and nan increasing needs of drone users, including farmers, commercial operators, and recreational users.