Drone Laws in Vanuatu

Vanuatu Drone Regulations

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

• All foreign drones and operators must be registered prior to arrival in Vanuatu and will be checked at customs. Learn more about the registration process here on the CAAV’s website.
• Before registering drone pilots must first obtain a RARN (RPAS Aviation Reference Number). The RARN will then be used for all Registrations and communications. After receiving your RARN you can then proceed to register the RPAS and the Operator
• Drone pilots must be 16 years of age or older to register.

If you’d like to contact the CAAV directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: rpas.civav@vanuatu.com.vu / +678 22 819

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Vanuatu

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

• Fly only in daylight and in clear weather conditions (clear enough to see three kilometers / 2 miles or further).
• Give way to all manned aircraft.
• Keep your drone within your line of sight, or use an observer to do so).
• Do not fly higher than 120 meters (393 feet) above ground level.
• Do not fly closer than 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from any aerodrome.
• Do not fly in restricted areas such as military operating areas, without the permission of the administering authority of the area.
• Do not use fly above any people unless you have their consent, or above an area of property without the consent of the property owner or occupants.

For more information on Vanuatu’s drone laws, see this page on the CAAV website.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Vanuatu? 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 Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu? Here you go: