Drone filming in Rwanda: rules, permits and good practice

Every drone flight in Rwanda, including aerial filming for a documentary or campaign, falls under the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA). Its drone pages group everything an operator needs: the regulations, registration, the remote pilot certificate, the activity permit and separate approvals for manufacturers, clubs and training organisations.¹

The rules themselves sit in Part 27 of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Regulations, which may be cited as the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations. The version published on the RCAA website states that the Director General established it as Special Regulations No. RSR/01/2026 of 15 February 2026.² Rules change, so download the current text from the RCAA site each time you plan a shoot rather than relying on an old copy.

Most productions in Rwanda start with the photography and video shooting permit on Irembo, which covers filming in public for documentaries and fiction and has a published processing time of four days. Irembo is clear that the permit does not exempt a crew from other formalities requested by local authorities, including authorisations for drones and special equipment.³

In practice this means two parallel tracks: the filming permit for the production, and RCAA approvals for the aircraft and the person flying it. Our guide to filming permits in East Africa covers the first track. This article covers the second, which has its own forms, portal and checks, and no published processing time.

The RCAA FAQ lists what you need before you fly: familiarity with Part 27, a registered drone, a remote pilot licence or certificate, and an activity permit or authorisation.⁴ Each is requested through the RCAA Drone Portal, and registration and the pilot certificate both begin with a letter or email to the Authority.

The regulations do describe a lighter basic category for aircraft up to 1 kg, where pilot certification is not required unless you fly within 10 nautical miles of an international aerodrome, and a specific category, up to 25 kg, that needs a remote pilot licence or certificate.² For professional filming, plan on all three approvals below and confirm with RCAA which category your operation falls into.

• Registration: all drone operators in Rwanda must register their aircraft. You send a formal letter describing the use case, with the RCAA applicant information form, then create a Drone Portal account and register.⁵
• Remote pilot certificate: pilots flying in Rwanda should hold a Rwandan remote pilot certificate. You email RCAA stating the type of drone you are qualified to fly, attach the applicant form, then apply through the portal.⁶
• Activity permit: operators should hold an RCAA activity permit before starting operations. The application goes through the portal with a concept of operations (CONOPS) form.⁷

The RCAA asks everyone arriving with a drone to declare it to Rwanda National Police at the point of entry.¹ According to the RCAA FAQ, police then retain the drone and give the owner a seizure form, and the owner starts registration through the Drone Portal.⁴ Build this into your schedule: the drone you land with is not the drone you fly that afternoon.

The same FAQ lists who may register a drone: Rwandan citizens aged 18 and over, foreigners legally residing in Rwanda, companies in Rwanda and Rwandan government institutions.⁴ A visiting crew that fits none of these should ask RCAA how to proceed before travelling, or plan the aerial work with a company registered in Rwanda.

Part 27 sets operating limits that shape what is possible on location. Read the full text, but these are the points that most often affect a filming plan.² None of the RCAA pages we checked publish a processing time, so start early and confirm with RCAA before you fly.

• Height: no higher than 120 m (400 ft) above ground level, unless the regulations' conditions for higher flight are met.
• Line of sight: keep the drone in visual line of sight, or stay in direct contact with an observer who does.
• People: keep at least 30 m horizontally from anyone not involved in the operation, and do not fly over populated areas under standard conditions.
• Airports: no flying within 10 nautical miles of the centre of an international controlled aerodrome, or 5 nautical miles of a domestic aerodrome, under standard conditions.
• Night: no night flights unless indoors or shielded, or specifically authorised.
• Emergencies: do not fly over a fire, police or other emergency operation without approval from the person in charge.
• Other aircraft: always give way to manned aircraft.

Kigali International Airport is inside the city, so a large part of Kigali falls within the 10 nautical mile radius set out in Part 27, where standard operations are restricted and pilot qualifications apply.² Check every location against that radius early, and confirm with RCAA before you fly whether your site needs extra coordination.

On the day, the RCAA FAQ asks operators to present their activity permit to local police and local authorities before the flight.⁴ Carry printed and digital copies, and brief sector or district officials when you arrive. In our own practice, a short courtesy visit to local leaders before a flight avoids most misunderstandings.

Aerial images can capture people who never agreed to be filmed. Part 27 says that, unless in segregated airspace, you must not fly within 100 m horizontally of a person who has not consented to the drone operating over them, or above property without consent from its occupiers, owner or the appropriate public authority.² Ask permission from landowners, explain the shot to people nearby, and avoid framing homes, schools or clinics in ways that expose individuals.

If something goes wrong, the RCAA activity permit page asks permit holders to report any accident or incident within 24 hours using its form.⁷ Part 27 sets the same 24-hour limit for operations that cause serious injury or damage to property other than the drone.² The RCAA FAQ also tells the public to report unsafe or intrusive flights to local authorities and police, so behave as if someone is watching, because often they are.⁴

• Download the current Part 27 regulations from the RCAA website
• Apply for the Irembo filming permit separately
• Register the drone on the RCAA Drone Portal
• Get a Rwandan remote pilot certificate for each pilot
• Submit the activity permit application with a CONOPS form
• Declare the drone to police on arrival
• Check every location against airport radii
• Show your activity permit to local police and authorities before flying