Plan
Drone rules: Malaysia
Last checked: October 1, 2026
Permit required
You may only fly here with a permit issued by the authorities in advance.
Under the civil aviation regulation (CAR 2016, reg. 140) you may not fly in any airspace class – not even uncontrolled airspace – without CAAM authorisation. In practice every flight needs an Authorisation to Fly; allow around 14 working days.
The regulation does not provide for separate registration of small drones; the flight authorisation is what matters.
Proof of liability insurance is sometimes required for the permit application.
For tourists
Keep 150 m from residential, commercial and recreational areas, 50 m from people and vehicles, and do not fly over crowds of 1,000 or more. Violations cost up to 50,000 ringgit.
Further rules
- The permitted flight height nationwide is 120 metres (400 feet) above ground; higher flights require separate clearance from air traffic control.
- Drones up to 20 kilograms are classed as “Small UAS”; heavier systems need additional approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
- Practically every flight, including recreational tourist flights, requires a so-called Standard Authorisation to Fly (ATF) from the CAAM, which must be applied for at least 14 working days before the planned flight; for tourists on short stays, this lead time is the biggest hurdle in practice, as it rules out spontaneous flights.
- There is no legal insurance requirement, but the CAAM expressly recommends third-party liability insurance.
- Restricted zones include a radius of around 9.3 kilometres around airports, within 150 metres of residential, commercial and recreational areas, and over gatherings of 1,000 people or more; night flights and flights beyond visual line of sight are prohibited without special permission.
- Breaches can be punished with fines of up to 50,000 ringgit for individuals and up to 100,000 ringgit for companies, as well as prison sentences of more than three years.
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.