Drone Laws in the Maldives

Maldives Drone Regulations

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

If you’d like to contact the MCAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: civav@caa.gov.mv / +960 332 4983

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone in the Maldives

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

• To fly a drone in the Maldives you must obtain approval from the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and a permit from the MCAA. See the section below for more information on the approval process.
• Fly only during daylight hours and in good weather conditions
• Do not fly above 400 feet above ground level.
• Do not fly over people.
• Do not fly near military installations, power plants, or any other area that could cause concern among local authorities.
• Do not fly near airports or in areas where aircraft are operating.

*Note: Areas where drones can be flown are very limited in the Maldives, as much of the country consists of islands with sea-plane ports, restricting the use of drones.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in the Maldives? Send us an email at support@horizonap.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 the Maldives 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 the Maldives

The approval process is somewhat long in the Maldives.  Due to the multiple floating platforms and simultaneous seaplane operations, the request for drone operations must be submitted at least 3-4 weeks ahead.

The first step in obtaining approval is to submit a request for approval to fly a drone to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF). In the request you have to specify the exact time and coordinates for the intended drone operation. The approval form can be found here.

After obtaining approval from the MNDF, you can apply for a permit to fly your drone in the Maldives. The permit form can be found here, and must be submitted to the MCAA by emailing ans@caa.gov.mv.

Once you’ve obtained your permit, keep in mind that you still need to obtain permission from property owners before flying over private property.

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