Drone Laws in Tanzania

Tanzania Drone Regulations

According to Tanzania’s national aviation authority, Tanzania’s Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), flying a drone is legal in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania and want to bring your drone, the TCAA lists these special considerations for foreigners who want to fly drones:

• Only drones weighing 7 kilograms (15.5 pounds) or less may be flown in Tanzania.
• To fly a drone in Tanzania you must first obtain permission from the TCAA. The form to submit can be found here.
• To fly a drone in Tanzania for any purpose (i.e., recreational or commercial) you must hold a certificate authenticating your ability to fly a drone issued by your country of origin.
• In addition to obtain a permit from the TCAA, to fly a drone in Tanzania as a foreigner you must obtain permission from the Ministry of Defense and National Service.

If you’d like to contact the TCAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: tcaa@tcaa.go.tz / +255 22 211 5079

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Tanzania

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

• Drones weighing under 7 kilograms (15.5 pounds) do not require a permit. To fly a drone weighing over 7 kilograms (15.5 pounds) you must obtain a special permit from the Ministry of Defense.
• Drones may not be flown within 3 kilometers (2 miles) of any domestic airport, or 5 kilometers (3 miles) of any international airport.
• Drones cannot be flown higher than 121 meters (400 feet).
• Drone pilots must maintain direct visual line of sight with their drone while flying.
• Drone insurance is required for all drone operations in Tanzania.
• Drones may not be flown at night.
• Drones may not be flown over national parks.
• Drones may not be flown over crowds without special permission from the TCAA.

For more information on Tanzania’s drone laws, see this document issued by the TCAA.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Tanzania? 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 Tanzania can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Permit Requirements for Flying a Drone in Tanzania

Tanzania requires special permits issued by the TCAA for:

• Flying a drone that weighs over 7 kilograms (15.5 pounds).
• Flying a drone for commercial purposes.

Learn more about permit requirements in this document issued by the TCAA.

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