š In this blog post weāll share all drone law links & known rules about recreational & commercial drone use in Kuwait (Kuwait City). Give a š at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience in the Kuwait Drone Discussion Group. Keep in mind that the content below is updated to the best of our ability & does not replace official sources & your own research.
Recreational vs Commercial drone use in Kuwait
šØKuwait does not differentiate commercial & recreational drone uses.
ā For the moment, the use of drones is under the responsibility of Kuwaitās Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), they can be contacted via:
Online: dg@dgca.gov.kw or via this online form
Can I travel to Kuwait with my drone?
šØ Drones do not seem allowed in Kuwait without permission & Kuwait City Airport is infamous for their bag checks and it seems hard to go through without being asked to open them. There might be a different outcome based on how you enter Kuwait:
By Air: you should be fine if you're only having a stopover (aka you're not leaving Kuwait City airport). You can check with Kuwait City Airport directly via this link.
By Land: coming from Saudi Arabia or Iran might not help much as drones are also under restricted use.
šØ If you try to enter your drone without permission into the country, you might find it confiscated as for a safety measure. "If you have experienced Kuwait City airport and entered Kuwait with your drone, please share your experience in the comments"
šØ Be aware of the airline you purchase to travel as some main ones will only accept your drone on-board if its batteries are detached & placed in a firecase during travel time. Most airlines will have a battery voltage limit based on the recommendation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can find more info about a specific airline here.
š” Smart! Get your drone batteries' firecase today and make sure you're complying with aviation safety rules.
Where can I fly my drone in Kuwait?
šØ You can only fly your drone with a permission in Kuwait. As each of these are purpose based, safe rules of š & common sense would say nowhere else than where your authorisation specifies.
Recreational & Commercial Drone Use in Kuwait
šØ In both case, you will need to register & obtain a permission to fly your drone. Note that only locals or local entities can obtain a drone permission in Kuwait.
How to register my drone in Kuwait?
ā To register your drone in Kuwait you will need to send to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation the following information / documents:
your full personal information and a copy of your ID
a letter explaining the use & purpose of your drone as well as its technical details & the owner's information (if not yourself). This will help local authorities understand if your drone (& yourself) are legit for a Certificate of Registration & Airworthiness.
šØ Make sure each document you send is signed by hand, stamped & official
ā If all goes well, you will receive an identification mark to stick onto your drone. This is valid for your lifetime (or your drone's lifetime) unless you decide to sell or change ownership of the drone - It is pretty fancy actually š” If you change of address (in Kuwait), you will need to inform the DGCA within 30 days - find a sample letter here.
What do I risk for flying a drone illegally in Kuwait?
The amount & scope of the fine will depend on the nature & severity of your infraction. The judges will also evaluate if you intentionally committed the infraction and/or if you had any commercial purposes to do such. However based on recent event, it seems that fines turn around 8,500ā¬ - Drone used to smuggle medication into Kuwait
ā The excellent news is that if you got an exception, you can start flying above Kuwait's awesome landscapes & create videos like this one:
ā Please leave a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in Kuwait! #kuwait #regulation #rule #rules #law #laws #legislation #illegal
š” You're a local, have a question or want to share a travel experience? Head to our Kuwait Drone Discussion Group
Disclaimer: Although greatĀ care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information researched, we take no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage caused as a direct or indirect consequence of relying on this information. It is your responsibility to seek advice from qualified local & relevant authoritiesĀ for needed information about local drone regulations.
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