Plan

Drone rules: Ethiopia

Last checked: October 5, 2026

Permit required

You may only fly here with a permit issued by the authorities in advance.

Import and use only with prior approval from the security authorities (INSA); without it, customs will confiscate the drone. Since 30 September 2026, an indefinite ban on all drone flights has applied in Addis Ababa and the surrounding area.

Travel check for EthiopiaChecklist for your trip: registration, insurance, drone and batteries on the plane.

Maximum altitude

Unknown

Registration

Required

Since 2020, the aviation authority ECAA has registered all drones together with INSA.

Insurance

Not clearly documented

For tourists

The German Embassy strongly advises against bringing a drone, as it is often confiscated at the airport. Anyone who still wants to fly must obtain approval from the security agency INSA before travelling; it only applies to the locations named.

Further rules

Important note: Since September 2020, Ethiopia has had a registration programme run by the aviation authority ECAA together with the intelligence service INSA, which formally also applies to foreign visitors – including a kind of pilot certificate covering basic knowledge.
Since 30 September 2026, an indefinite ban on all drone flights has applied in Addis Ababa and the surrounding areas; according to the German Federal Foreign Office, violations are prosecuted under criminal law.
The security agency INSA lists drones in its technology lists of July 2026: with a take-off weight of 50 grams to under 1 kilogram they are classed as restricted, under 50 grams and from 1 kilogram as prohibited. The lists concern the devices themselves and do not replace a flight permit.
In practice, however, travellers report confiscations at the airport even when the known rules were followed, pointing to an overall uncertain and inconsistent legal situation.
No official information on the maximum flight altitude could be found. No-fly zones include the areas around parliament and the palace, bridges, dams and fuel facilities.
On top of that, there's the security situation: several regions of Ethiopia were recently subject to an explicit travel warning, where normal drone operations are out of the question anyway.
So for a trip to Ethiopia: even outside the crisis regions, the legal situation is too uncertain and the risk of confiscation too high to recommend bringing a drone in good conscience.

Sources

This overview is not legal advice and not an official statement — laws change, and we cannot guarantee that every entry is fully up to date. Before your flight, please also check the official source or the local civil aviation authority.