Drone Laws in Kenya

Kenya Drone Regulations

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

If you’d like to contact the KCAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: dca@insightkenya.com / +254 20 824 4722

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Kenya

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

• A Kenyan citizen or resident must be at least 18 years old in order to own and operate a drone (Applicants should have a company registered in Kenya).
• Importing or exporting drones is only allowed with the approval of the KCAA.
• A person shall not transfer ownership of a drone without the approval of the KCAA.
• Operators must register their drone with the Authority and be issued with a certificate of registration.
• All drone operations must be conducted under a specific operational category based on risk factors.
• Commercial drone operations require a pilot to obtain a Remote Aircraft Operators Certificate (ROC) from the Authority.
• Drones shall not fly above 400 feet AGL or within 164 feet (50 meters) of any person, vessel, or vehicle that is not apart of the operation.
• A pilot shall not fly a drone in non-Visual Meteorological Conditions or at night unless authorized by the Authority.
• No person shall operate an Unmanned Aircraft System over a public road or along the public road of at a distance of less than 164 feet (50 meters).
• A public roadway shall not be used as a place of landing or take-off of a drone.
• Operating a drone within 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) of an airport from the airport reference point for code C, D, E, and F airports is prohibited without authorization
• Operating a drone within 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) of an airport from the airport reference point for code A and B airports is prohibited without authorization.

For more information on Kenya’s drone laws, see this page on the KCAAA website.

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