Thinking of bringing your drone to Bali? The good news is that drone laws here aren’t particularly onerous and you should have no problem with ordinary drone use.
However, you still need to be familiar with the drone rules here and make sure that you’re in compliance with the requirements of the Indonesian authorities or you could be facing a very stiff fine.
So, here’s everything you need to know about flying drones and unmanned aerial vehicles in Bali.
How To Get Your Drone To Bali
Before you can start considering your own drone flights, you need to consider how you will get your drone to Bali in the first place.
Civil aviation authorities around the world differ dramatically on this and the best advice you can get is to contact your airline before you fly and see what the rules are for bringing a drone.
While most airlines now allow drones to be brought on the plane, there are normally stiff rules regarding drone batteries.
At a minimum, you will be asked:
To ensure that the drone’s batteries are not in the drone when you fly
To ensure that the batteries are only in your carry-on luggage and not in the checked baggage
To ensure that the batteries have been fully discharged before you fly
You may also be asked to ensure that the batteries are in a “burn-proof bag”, these bags aren’t expensive and will normally hold 2-3 batteries
You may be limited in the number of batteries that you may bring on board (many airlines rules allow only two batteries)
However, some airlines ban all Lithium Ion batteries from being transported and this includes some of Indonesia’s internal carriers such as CityLink.
So, you really must check regarding the rules before you fly as you don’t want to get in trouble under civil aviation regulations.
It’s also worth noting that airlines have generally come to terms with mass-produced drones and a drone pilot toting a standard DJI drone is likely to have far fewer problems getting their drone onto a flight than somebody with a custom drone and custom batteries.
However, Bali and Indonesian rules have no restrictions on importing or exporting a drone for personal use.
So, if your airline is OK with the drone, you shouldn’t have any problems after you land in Bali.
The Rules For Flying A Drone In Bali
Good news! The vast majority of drone pilots will not need any kind of license to fly in Bali and drone use on the island is only lightly regulated (as it is in the rest of Indonesia too).
The law applies to any “unmanned aerial vehicle” which is just a phrase for drone.
You do not need a license if:
The drone weighs less than 2 Kg which covers most non-commercial drones
You keep your flights below 150 meters (500 feet) of the ground
You are, at least, 18 years old
You keep 30 meters from crowds and vehicles
You keep, at least, 500 meters away from any forbidden areas
You keep, at least, 15 kilometres away from the airport as dictated by the civil aviation authority (note: this means that much of the main beach towns and the capital city Denpasar are no-fly zones)
You do not operate more than one drone at one time
You do not operate any drone under the influence of either drugs or alcohol
Your drone does not exceed a speed of 161 km/h
You only operate your drone from a fixed point (so, you can’t operate it from a car in motion, for example)
You only fly during daylight hours and do not fly at night
You keep the drone within line of sight (that means you need a copilot for FPV drones)
If you wish to conduct drone operations that stray outside the drone laws, you will need to apply for a permit/license to conduct drone flights in Bali. (We’ve got details on that coming up soon).
Forbidden Areas For Drones In Bali
There are several forbidden areas for drone operations in Bali and you can only use your drone in these areas if you have permission to do so from the Directorate General Of Air Transportation (DGTA).
These include:
Prohibited Areas – these are areas that are clearly marked as closed for any form of activity in the sky. These are usually police stations and military bases.
Restricted Areas – any other areas that are formally restricted that don’t fall into any other category on this list.
Airport Areas – drones present a threat to aircraft and are not allowed near airports pretty much globally
Controlled Airspace – this is airspace in which control services are provided by aircraft control
Uncontrolled airspace above 150 meters above ground level – drones that fly too high may be a risk to aircraft even away from airports
If you wish to fly in any of these areas, you are going to need a permit from the DGTA.
Are The Rules The Same For FPV Drones?
Yes. As we go to press, Indonesian law does not have any additional provisions for FPV drone users.
However, we would recommend that for your safety and the safety of others, you have a companion who can visually track the location of the drone while it is in use as this ensures your drone is always within line of sight.
How To Apply For A Drone License (If You Need One)
You will need to contact the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Airnav to apply for your licenses and undergo drone registration.
They will evaluate your use case and then either offer or decline to offer a permit. This permit may cost money and again, the exact fee will depend on the drone use case.
You can contact the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at:
[email protected] or (+62) 8 111 004 222
You can contact Airnav at:
[email protected] or (+62) 21 559 15 000
If you need to apply for a permit, be aware that you will be expected to provide proof of insurance before the authorities can issue a permit.
Do You Need Drone Insurance In Bali?
If you intend to seek a permit under Indonesia’s drone laws then you will be required to have insurance.
Otherwise, drone insurance is not a legal requirement in Bali but we would strongly recommend that every drone pilot gets insurance for their gear.
Not only will this help with replacing your gear if something goes wrong on one of your drone flights, but it will also provide third-party liability protection if your drone operations cause injury to person(s) and/or property.
The drone laws here are guidance for the drone pilot but they do not cover all eventualities for your drone flights and anyone who flies drones here in Indonesia would be wise to insure themselves against potential liabilities.
The Unwritten Rules For Flying Drones In Bali
In addition to the drone laws, there are a bunch of unofficial drone laws that will keep you out of trouble when you fly in Bali.
You don’t want your recreational drone use to become a problem for you on your holiday and thus, it’s best to fly drones here on the island with local cultural mores in mind as well as the official drone laws.
Stay Away From Temples
Yes, we know, Bali’s temples are beautiful and they are oh-so-tempting when it comes to getting great aerial shots, but it’s a bad idea.
You are allowed to fly your drone over a temple only when you have permission from the temple itself and this usually requires a fairly substantial “donation” (Tanah Lot for example charges 500,000 IDR).
If you don’t get permission to fly over a temple, you’re going to get in a lot of trouble.
Always Respect People’s Privacy
It’s best not to fly over private property, particularly hotel and villa complexes, here in Bali.
People come here to relax and get away from things, not to be spied on by drone enthusiasts and you can get into trouble with the police if you don’t have permission for a flight over private places.
You should also remember to keep an eye out for other drones in operation when you fly in busy places like the rice terraces – you can hurt people if you knock a drone out of the sky onto them.
Keep A Careful Eye On Your Batteries In The Heat
Batteries don’t like getting hot. And in Bali, it’s hot nearly all of the time. While your bag may never get hotter than 32-34 degrees Celsius, if you leave it in a parked car, it can quickly get to 50 degrees and in an hour it can hit 80 degrees!
It’s possible that the batteries might explode in these circumstances and even if they don’t, the gas inside can expand and deform the case. You can’t use a bulging battery safely. It needs to be disposed of and replaced – and that can be very expensive.
Consider A Screen Hood
One of the many reasons that people come to Bali is that it’s bright and sunny here. Sadly, that can mean it’s very hard to use a drone outdoors after about 10 a.m. and before 3 p.m. as the sun tends to reflect off your screen and leave you flying blind.
The good news is that you can buy a screen hood (DJI have their own brand, but you can find clones on AliExpress that are every bit as good, after all they’re only molded plastic) that cuts out the glare and leaves you fee to fly all day long.
However, we would note that you’ll get the most stunning views when flying during golden hour (the hour around sunrise and sunset).
If you do fly during the main part of the day, we’ve found that using DLOG or opting for low contrast style settings can help you keep the most details in your shots in bright sun.
Make A Visual Check Of The Sky Before You Fly (Watch Out For Kites)
Before you take off, we strongly recommend doing a visual inspection of the air around you.
The two things to look out for are a.) other drones and b.) Balinese kites.
Other drones can cause collisions and potentially damage not just your drone but also anyone standing nearby.
Kites are a big thing in Bali and, in particular, in June-August where competitive kite flying is taking place.
The ropes on the kites won’t be damaged by your drones, but the drones can be brought down by the ropes.
Use A Landing Pad
This is a volcanic island and that means magnetic particles in the sand and soil.
The best way to avoid any magnetic damage to your drone is to buy a landing pad (they’re super cheap and light) and then use that for all your takeoff and landings while you’re here.
If you don’t have a landing pad and you’re a skilled pilot, you might consider taking off and landing in your hand, but be warned, if you get this wrong, you can hurt yourself (possibly even seriously hurt yourself).
We’ve found that the DJI Mavic Air series, in particular, really attracts magnetic dust and draws it into the motor and the fan.
Do A Pre-Flight Check
We know several drone users who’ve lost a drone on its first flight because they didn’t do a pre-flight check.
Make sure all the equipment is in good condition and replace anything that looks in poor condition.
Then, check all the settings and, in particular, your return to home settings before you take off.
If you update your firmware before take-off, make sure it hasn’t deleted your usual settings as part of the “update”.
The Best Places To Fly A Drone In Bali
If you’re wondering where you could fly your drone here in Bali, we’ve got some great ideas of places where you should have no problem getting some amazing aerial shots.
Amed, East Bali
Amed is a top spot for scuba diving and snorkelling and it’s most famous for its wreck diving but it’s also a great place for drone operations and you’ll find that it’s much less busy than some of the more popular locations on the island.
Jatiluwih Rice Terrace
This rice terrace is harder to get to than the Tegallalang Rice Terraces and that’s a good thing for drone pilots because it means less competition for the airspace.
You can get incredible images from this UNESCO world heritage spot.
Suwat Waterfall
We love drones and waterfalls but many of Bali’s waterfalls are packed out with influencers all trying for the same shots, but Suwat is much less busy and that means you get more time to create outstanding images!
West Bali National Park
The national park is the perfect place for some drone work, of course, you may need a photography permit to use your drone but this can easily be arranged at the entrance and it’s not very expensive.
Balangan Beach
This stretch of beach is stunning and the clifftops make it the ideal environment for some drone photography.
Just watch out for wedding photographers as it’s very popular with those about to be wed.
Binging Beach
With coral poking through the waves, this area is an amazing place to get some stunning overhead images.
Hanging Gardens Of Bali
You’ll need to ask the hotel manager for permission to fly here, but if you can get permission, it’s so worth it.
The jungles of Bali have never looked so good!
Can You Rent A Drone In Bali?
Yes! Bali Film Gear Rental has a reasonable range of DJI drones that youc can rent.
You’ll need to leave a deposit and then pay a daily fee.
Can You Buy A Drone In Bali?
Yes. There are several places where you can buy drones in Bali, however, please don’t take this as an endorsement of any individual retailer – we’re in the beach club business, not the drone sales business.
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DJI Online Store – this can be found in Shopee, Tokopedia and other apps. If you spend less than $1,500 it’s a very easy process but if you spend more than $1,500 you have to fill in a bunch of paperwork to keep Indonesian customs happy (though it doesn’t change how much you pay).
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Tutbayur Store, Denpasar – this store is an unofficial dealer (there are no official dealers in Bali) and can provide a decent range of Dji models
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Digital 3 Store – another camera store in Denpasar with a small range of drones
Can You Get A Drone Repaired In Bali
Yes, there are two repair shops that we know of:
Is There A Drone Club In Bali?
Yes, there are three clubs that we know of, in fact:
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Bali Drone Club (English)
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Drone Bali Club (English)
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Bali Drone Community (Indonesian)
FAQs
Are Drones Allowed In Bali?
Yes! In fact, local laws regarding drone use in most of Indonesia are very relaxed and as long as you stay out of restricted areas and avoid flying super heavy drones or going above maximum altitude restrictions, you should be fine to fly in Bali. Night flights, however, are forbidden – so don’t do that.
The local regulations don’t normally require you to get a license or permit for regular recreational drone use and that means as long as your airline will allow you to take a drone onboard, drone operations in Bali are very straightforward.
Are Drones Allowed In Komodo Island?
Komodo National Park is one of the few parts of Indonesia where you require a permit to fly. This can be obtained in advance from the park authorities and covers the vast majority of the Komodo National Park.
However, even with a permit, there are certain parts of the park in which drones are forbidden and there are no exceptions to these rules.
The permits are quite complex in Komodo and you also need a permit for regular photography, recent reports suggest that your total permit cost may be around 1.5 million IDR/day that’s about $100 USD or $150 AUD.
How Much Can A Drone Weigh In Bali?
There is no official weight limit for a drone in Bali and if the Department of Transport is willing to license a heavy drone, you can fly it here.
However, if you want to fly a drone in Bali without a license, you may not fly anything heavier than 2 Kg. This is a strict limit and includes all the weight at the point of take-off (so including batteries, propellors, lights, camera, etc.)
Given that the fine for flying a drone in Indonesia without a license is nearly $100,000 AUD. It’s best to ensure that you meet the unlicensed weight limit or get a license.
Can I Carry A Drone In Flight?
That depends on your airline. For the vast majority of airlines in 2024, you can fly with a drone in your carry-on luggage and you will be allowed to bring the batteries with you too (usually in a burn bag).
However, the exact regulations vary from airline to airline and you should always check with an airline before you arrive at the airport with a drone.
Make sure to get all the details with respect to how the drone and batteries should be packed and carried and make sure to comply with any requirements of the airline.
They can and will confiscate equipment or deny boarding if your drone doesn’t meet their standards.
Final Thoughts On Drone Laws And Drone Operations In Bali
Bali’s drone laws are very minimal when compared to other popular holiday destinations in Southeast Asia such as Thailand or Vietnam.
As long as a drone pilot is aware of the drone laws and is in compliance with them, they won’t normally need a license for an ordinary DJI-style drone.
That means you’re free to record amazing footage of your time in Bali.
One great place to get some drone footage is just offshore by FINNS Beach Club on Berawa Beach, it’s the best beach club in the world and the action is fierce.
By the way, we also have a guide to Bali’s other popular unmanned vehicles – kites in Bali – and they’re way cheaper than drones and nearly as much fun.
