Plan
Drone rules: DR Congo
Last checked: October 5, 2026
Permit required
You may only fly here with a permit issued by the authorities in advance.
Drone flights are only possible with permission from the aviation authority AAC; because of armed conflicts and drone attacks there is a travel warning for large parts of the country.
According to secondary sources you must register the drone with the AAC and have a flight permit; the German registration does not replace this.
Several sources state liability insurance as mandatory; this could not be retrieved officially.
For tourists
The German Foreign Office warns against travel to numerous provinces and calls on Germans in North and South Kivu to leave; Kisangani airport has been attacked with drones several times. Photographing airports, military and strategic sites, roads and public places is prohibited – leave the drone at home.
Further rules
- Important note: In the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (especially North Kivu and the Goma region), there has been an ongoing armed conflict for years. For 2026, GPS interference around Goma and drone attacks on military and airport infrastructure have been documented, among other things; several countries now explicitly advise against flying over certain parts of the country.
- Even in the calmer west of the country (Kinshasa and surroundings), civilian drone operation requires permission from the aviation authority AAC; the procedure needs lead time and is hardly practicable for short trips. Whether, and from what weight, registration and insurance are also required is not available from official sources.
- No officially confirmed maximum altitude or fixed no-fly-zone radii are known; keep away from airports, military sites, government buildings and national parks.
- Given the security situation in the east and the high level of bureaucracy even in the west: best not to bring a drone to the Democratic Republic of the Congo at all.
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.