Bringing a Drone to Uganda? Here's What to Arrange First
What can happen at Entebbe
At Entebbe, your drone gets checked. If you are flying without authorisation from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, the Uganda People's Defence Force and the Chief of Defence Forces, it does not enter the country. Most crews find this out when the shoot is already planned and the drone is already packed. Then begins a paperwork process that can take months.
Remote Pilot Licence: this is not something you arrange yourself
Anyone who wants to fly a drone in Uganda needs a Remote Pilot Licence from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA). No exceptions. Not for one shot, not for a drone you have used for years, not even for a drone that weighs less than 249 grams.
But this is not a permit a European film crew simply applies for. It is a full training programme of at least three weeks, with exams, paperwork, practical hours and an approval process that then takes weeks to months on top of that. I spent months on it myself and have now finally received definitive approval of all documents. That makes me a UCAA-certified drone pilot in Uganda. Most productions do not have that kind of time, which is exactly why you need a locally certified pilot so everything is properly arranged and you are not caught off guard.
Importing your own drone
Want to bring your own drone? Then alongside the Remote Pilot Licence there is also an import process. Temporary import is possible for a maximum of 30 days, extendable once by another 30 days. For this you need a locally UCAA-certified pilot who takes responsibility for the flights, local drone insurance, and a separate import permit including clearance from the UPDF, SFC and UCAA to operate the drone in Uganda.
How long does this take in practice? It can take months. Trust us, we know from experience.
No-fly zones: even with all your paperwork
There are areas where flying is simply not permitted. The obvious ones: the area around Entebbe Airport and the airspace above central Kampala. But there are also less predictable restricted zones. Embassies, the American embassy is a good example. And government buildings that do not always announce themselves clearly on a location. Even with all your permits in order, a restricted zone on the ground can block everything.
Always check the map before you leave and ask your local partner to confirm the location. Filming in a national park? Then on top of your UCAA authorisation you also need a separate permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. [LINK: Location permits in Uganda: what you need for each type of location]
Yes, you will be checked
The controls are real. Both at Entebbe on arrival and out in the field. Papers that are incomplete or missing mean at best a delay, at worst a drone that is no longer in your possession. You can take it back out of Uganda on departure, but that does not help your shoot.
Insurance When temporarily importing your own drone, local insurance is required. This covers the material value of the drone and liability for damage to third parties.
Yuri handles it
We can help. We have a DJI Mavic 4 Pro, which shoots up to 6K 60FPS, as well as a DJI Mavic Pro. I am a UCAA-certified drone pilot and co-owner of Story To Video. I know the application process, the no-fly zones and the import procedure from the inside, because I went through all of it myself.
Want drone shots in your production? He arranges the authorisation, the local insurance and, if you are bringing your own drone, the full import process. You do not need to figure this out yourself.
📍Based in Uganda and the Netherlands
Information current as of September 2026. Regulations can change. Get in touch for the most up-to-date requirements.
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