Drone Laws in Turkey

Turkey Drone Regulations

According to Turkey’s national aviation authority, the States Airport Administration of Turkey (SAMA), flying a drone is legal in Turkey, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact SAMA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: iletisimmerkezi@dhmi.gov.tr / +90 0312 204 20 00

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Turkey (Residents and Foreigners)

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

• All drone pilots who wish to fly a drone weighing more than 500 grams must register with the Turkish government prior to flying. Register here.
• Approval is required prior to all commercial drone flights.
• Drones cannot fly above 120 meters (394 feet).
• Drones cannot weigh more than 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) for private/personal flights.
• Drones must stay clear of restricted areas (military zones, government facilities, airports, etc.).

For more information on Turkey’s drone laws, see this document issued by the government of Turkey.

 

Additional Requirements for Foreign Drone Pilots

If you are bringing a drone into Turkey as a visitor, you must follow a special process regardless of your drone’s weight (even for drones under 250g):

• Flight Permit Required: You must apply at least 20 business days in advance via diplomatic channels using the Flight Permit Request Form (Uçuş İzni Talep Formu) available on Turkey’s Civil Aviation Authority (SHGM) website.
• Supporting Documents: Submit original or certified copies of all required documents, including a letter of approval from your home country’s civil aviation authority.
• Civil and Military Approvals Needed: Your request must be approved by both civil and military authorities before you can fly.
• Supervision by a Licensed Turkish Pilot: Your flights must be supervised by a Turkish citizen who holds at least an IHA2 (Advanced UAV Pilot License).
• Special Permissions for Restricted Zones: If flying in restricted (red) or regulated areas, you must complete a risk analysis, even if your flight is recreational.
• Insurance Requirement: You must meet the specific insurance requirements outlined in Article 10 of Turkey’s UAV regulations.

For more information on Turkey’s drone laws, see this document issued by the government of Turkey.

 

Taking a Drone Through Customs in Turkey

Foreign nationality citizens cannot register as a drone pilot in Turkey. Moreover, your drone will be seized by customs unless you have received technical confirmation for your UAVs from the Turkish DGCA.

To apply for technical confirmation, use Form-336 found in the forms section of the Turkish DGCA website. You may also be required to submit your criminal record from your embassy.

Turkish citizens who wish to bring a UAV through customs must apply for a Technical Compliance Certificate. The application form and details of the application can be found here. Once the UAV has passed through customs, the vehicle is added to the General Directorate UAV Registry System.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Turkey? Send us an email at support[at]uavcoach[dot]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 Turkey 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 Turkey? Here you go: