Drones take some amazing pictures and video footage but did you know, you cannot fly a drone in some parts of South Africa? Here is a helpful guide for safe fly zones
South Africa – Everyone has watched a beautifully filmed drone video, we share them here all the time but there are some places in South Africa where you cannot fly a drone.
For obvious reasons, Airports are a no fly zone. Remember how they shut down the entire Gatwick airport after a drone appeared on the runway? That was absolute chaos. Other obvious places include Military bases, prisons and any governement buildings. We also discussed the use of drones during wildfires recently, if spotted, life-saving helicopters are grounded.
Most drone use can be done without a licence however, if you are using the drone for commercial reasons, you need to apply for a licence and do the required training. This licence is obtained from the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s (SACAA).
Below is a detailed map of where you can and can’t fly a drone in South Africa as well as a list.
- a nuclear power plant
- a prison
- a police station
- a crime scene
- a court of law
- national key points
- military zones;
- aerodromes;
- airports;
- helipads;
- a nuclear power plant;
- a prison;
- a police station;
- a crime scene;
- a court of law;
- national key points;
- national parks and protected/conservation areas.
The safest option in the end is to call ahead and find out if you can fly a drone or not. It is better to get a no than to get in trouble with the law.
PS: the map is interactive so you can check the no-fly zones located all over the world if you are planning to travel.
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