Drone Laws in Namibia

Namibia Drone Regulations

According to Namibia’s national aviation authority, Namibia’s Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), flying a drone is legal in Namibia, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

Special Travel Considerations

If you’re traveling to Namibia and want to bring your drone, the DCA lists these special considerations for foreigners who want to fly drones:

• To fly a drone in Namibia as a foreigner for recreational purposes, you must obtain approval from the DCA. Foreigners must submit applications for approval to fly recreationally must be submitted at least 60 calendar days prior to the planned flight. Learn more about how to seek approval on the DCA website.
• To fly a drone in Namibia as a foreigner for commercial purposes, you must obtain approval from the DCA. Foreigners must submit applications for approval to fly commercially at least 120 calendar days prior to the planned flight. Learn more about how to seek approval on the DCA website.

If you’d like to contact the DCA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: simpaulo@mweb.com.na / +264 61 234 100

Why fly a drone in Namibia? To get great aerial shots like these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Namibia

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Namibia.

• Drones may not be operated in Namibia without the prior express approval of the DCA. For personal or recreational use, Namibian citizens must submit applications at least 30 calendar days prior to the planned flight. For commercial use, Namibian citizens must submit applications at least 90 calendar days prior to the planned flight.
• Do not fly drones higher than 150 feet.
• Do not fly drones within a published controlled zone, air traffic zone, or air traffic area.
• Do not fly drones closer than five nautical miles from the boundary of an aerodrome.
• Liability insurances is required before operating a drone in Namibia.
• Unaided visual sight must be maintained with the drone.
• Drones may not be operated in any weather that impairs vision.
• Do not operate within 5 nautical miles of restricted areas.
• Do not fly over assembled groups of people.
• Do not fly within 50 meters (164 feet) of any persons, vehicles, vessels, structures, or roads.
• Do not use public roads as a place of landing or takeoff without proper authorization.
• Do not fly in a negligent or reckless manner.
• Drones may not be used to release, dispense, drop, deliver, or deploy items.
• Do not fly within 5 nautical miles of National Parks or Game Reserves unless prior approval has been obtained by the Director of the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority.

For more information on Namibia’s drone laws, see this page on the DCA’s website.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Namibia? Send us an email at support@uavcoach.com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Namibia can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Namibia? Here you go: