2025: Instructions for Drone Registration Thailand in 3 Steps

So now I have one of these toys too. After I was made an irresistible offer, I simply couldn’t resist. Now I fly my drone in Thailand.

The photos and videos on the internet are usually spectacular. The unusual perspective alone, which is difficult for people to achieve, makes the shots extraordinary. The fact that Thailand offers more than enough motifs also makes it very tempting.

I considered registering the drone right from the start to avoid any difficulties. However, my Thai environment also surprised me with admonitions to obtain an official permit for a drone in Thailand.

Contrary to what some people claim, drone registration Thailand is actually necessary – even small drones. Only if it weighs less than 2 kg and does NOT have a camera is it not required to be registered with the CAAT. Even then, a permit must be obtained from the NBTC. Maybe you think you can get away without it, maybe you won’t get caught. I wouldn’t want to take that risk.

There is also a clear warning from the Federal Foreign Office about drones in Thailand:

• Importing drones for private use into Thailand is generally allowed. However, for operation in Thailand, it is mandatory to register drones with either the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) or the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
  Failure to comply with the drone registration requirement may result in imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 100,000 THB (Baht).

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IMPORTANT: Contrary to older articles on various websites, both permits can be applied for online. The entire process is therefore possible from your desk. However, you should go outside to fly.

TIP 1: For translations from Thailand to English, I use AI like Gemini or ChatGPT. These are free and even better than Google Translator.

TIP 2: I use Adobe Acrobat Reader DC to fill out forms on my computer and the Adobe Fill&Sign app on my smartphone. You can also fill in the forms by hand and take a photo.

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Drone Registration Thailand – 3 steps

There are 2 authorities where your drone must be registered in Thailand: CAAT and NBTC.

At the CAAT (Civil Aviation Authority Thailand), you obtain permission to fly, i.e., the use of airspace. For this, you need drone insurance.

At the NBTC (National Broadcast and Telecommunication Commission), you obtain permission for radio control.

So, 3 steps: Insurance – CAAT – NBTC

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Key Information for Drones in Thailand in Advance

• Registration required by law for drones with a camera.
• Drone insurance is required.
• Foreign drone insurance can be used if it meets the legal requirements (see below). We recommend taking out Thai insurance, as this means that the CAAT permit can be issued more quickly.
• You will need a SIM card with a Thai telephone number for registration.
• Drone identification is mandatory (see CAAT).
• Drone pilots must be at least 20 years old.
• To register a drone in Thailand, it must have a serial number.

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UPDATE December 2024 – CAAT

The most important changes:

• The CAAT permit is only issued after entering the country.
• A Thai SIM card is required for this. This is a Thai telephone number to which the one-time password is sent.
• You have to answer 40 questions correctly in a multiple-choice test. If you make more than 25% mistakes, you can repeat the test 24 hours later.

Drone Insurance Thailand

To register with the CAAT, a drone in Thailand needs insurance. This must meet the legal requirements:

• Liability coverage of at least 1 million THB – that’s currently just under 28,000 euros

For a foreign drone insurance for Thailand, the following is also required:

• English-language confirmation
• A validity period that covers the travel time
• The validity for Thailand (e.g., worldwide) must be mentioned

I recommend taking out Thai drone insurance because the CAAT permit is issued faster with it.

I found the insurances from AA Insure and FEIC during my research in Thailand. But there are also cheaper ones. Currently, I have one with Thai Pattana. However, this was via LINE, so it’s not an option for many vacationers (unless you use our drone registration service).

The price comparison portal Masii also offers drone insurance, but not all models are available in the selection list.

You have to spend between 599 and 1599 THB per year, depending on the size, for one year’s insurance without damage to the drone. So, a pure liability with a cover of 1 million baht.

For the drone insurance, the following is requested:

• Name of the insured
• Address of the insured (in Germany)
• Details of the drone: make and model + year of manufacture + serial number
• Names of operators/pilots
• Photo of the policyholder’s passport
• Drone photos (all sides and photo with serial number)
• Weight of the drone

TIP: If you want to transfer money from abroad to Thailand, I recommend Wise (formerly Transferwise). The transfer is then transparent, cheap, and fast. Check it out here.

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CAAT

At the CAAT (Civil Aviation Authority Thailand), the registration process completely changed in December 2024. Here is the new procedure:

1. After entry, purchase of a Thai SIM card with phone number
2. Create a CAAT account with this phone number
3. Enter user details
4. Take the test
5. Obtain pilot license
6. Register drone
7. Receive drone ID

You must first register as a user in the UAS portal before you can apply for the license for your drone and for yourself as a pilot. The CAAT licenses are free of charge.

Creating an account in the UAS portal is only possible after entry, because you need a Thai phone number for it.

1. There are 3 major telephone companies: AIS (green), TrueMove (red), and dtac (blue). The AIS and TrueMove networks are roughly equally well developed. Only rarely is one or the other mobile network better on a beach or on a mountain.
   You can already buy a SIM card at the airport. It is important that a phone number is included. A data-only SIM is not sufficient.

Open the UAS portal in your internet browser. To create a CAAT account, click on “create a new account.”

The following documents are required by CAAT:

• Photo of passport
• Proof of ownership of the drone
• Insurance policy
• Photos of the drone (entire view)
• Photo of the QR code with the drone’s serial number (in the battery compartment)

The drone ID must be visibly attached to the drone.

The CAAT pilot license is valid for 2 years.
The drone ID is valid as long as you will fly the drone.
A Thai insurance automatically expires after one year.
The NBTC approval is valid as long as the residence permit in the passport.

TIP: The CAAT provides the phone number 06 32 05 88 16 for inquiries. The staff there are very helpful and speak English.

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NBTC

The NBTC (National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission) requires a few documents and a photo of the stamp you receive at immigration upon entry. A fee of 214 Baht can be paid online or at a Kasikorn Bank.

IMPORTANT:  Since May 2024, the NBTC wants to see the entry stamp before issuing the approval.

Each province has its own NBTC office. You can also register at one of these offices. The staff are very helpful. But usually, registering your drone in Thailand online makes more sense.

You can do it on the website: https://anyregis.nbtc.go.th

First, sign in on the page with “sign in” at the top right. You’ll receive a one-time password (OTP) to the email address you provided.

CAUTION: This password is only valid for 10 minutes.

After that, you can log in with the new user. You must provide your passport number and choose a password.

First, you must enter your details via “edit user.” Among other things, you’ll be asked for your address in Thailand. You can simply provide your (first) hotel address.

Click in the menu on “Request Form – UAV’s Radio Equipment Registration – new registration of drone”

This page asks for quite a bit of information. For registration you’ll need:

• Serial number + brand and model
• Photo of passport
• Photo of visa or entry stamp
• Address in Thailand (possibly first hotel)
• Owner Declaration of Conformity (ODoC)
• Photo of the drone (some NBTC offices want photos from all sides)
• Photo of the drone’s serial number with QR (for DJI drones in the battery compartment)
• Photo of the controller’s serial number with QR
• Invoice incl. tax (only if the drone was purchased in Thailand)

TIP: If you didn’t buy the drone in Thailand and only want to fly it during your vacation, you can check “Temporarily imported into the country.”

For VISA or NO VISA, indicate whether you entered with or without a visa. With a visa, you can specify a date in the future; without a visa, the selection is limited.

TIP: If you receive an error message when entering the serial number, you can ignore it and enter the data manually: drone brand, model, controller brand, controller serial number (under the QR code on DJI controllers).

TIP: Use a QR code app to get the correct serial number displayed.

After entering all required information, click “Apply.” Up to that point, you can do everything before your arrival in Thailand.

Entry and Check Status

After arrival, upload the photo of your entry stamp in the passport. This stamp shows a date. The NBTC approval will be valid until that date.

The application is then checked by staff at the responsible provincial NBTC office.

CAUTION: Thai authorities do not work on weekends.

In the menu under “Request Form – Track Request Status” you can check your status.

Payment

You will be asked by email to pay the invoice of 214 THB. This can be done either at a Kasikorn Bank, in cash at the office, or via online banking. Ideal for travelers: simply go to the nearest Kasikorn Bank and pay at the counter. You should bring a printout of the payment request with you.

TIP: The nearest Kasikorn Bank can be easily found using Google Maps.

CAUTION: The amount must be paid immediately.

A transfer is possible with WISE or with the online banking app of a Thai bank. The invoice includes a QR code for online banking. You might also ask Thai friends to use their banking app to transfer the money for you.

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Success notification

The success message comes by email within 1–3 business days:

“Your UAV’S RADIO EQUIPMENT REGISTRATION request has passed. Approval has been approved.
You can check or download a document of a radiocommunication certificate for non-pilot aircraft. For general use (Certificate of Registration for Radio Communication in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)) from this link …”

Since May 2024, the NBTC approval is valid for Thais as long as the owner flies the drone. For foreigners, it remains valid for the duration of the residence permit shown in the entry stamp.

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Success + Request

I now always have the two permits with me as PDF documents on my cell phone and also have them printed out in my drone bag. Although it was important for me to register my drone in Thailand, I hope that I will never be in a situation where an official asks to see these documents.

Let me know if this guide was helpful for you, or if you have had any other experiences. Just write a comment below. Please respect the Thai rules AND fly respectfully. Flying just over people’s heads can not only be annoying for them, but also frightening. Even and perhaps especially on the beach.

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Registration service – We take care of it for you

• Do you want to save time and nerves and not have to deal with the Thai authorities?
• Do you find registering your drone in Thailand annoying, but don’t want to take the risk?
• You don’t know much about computers and don’t know how to put the documents into a PDF?
• You have better things to do than waste your time on the first days of your vacation for the NBTC registration?

If you were able to say YES at least once, you should consider our drone registration service. We take care of the bureaucratic formalities with the Thai authorities and provide you with the required drone insurance. You don’t have to deal with any frustrating issues

One-stop Service – we register your Drone in Thailand

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Rules and safety when flying a drone in Thailand

The so-called “No Fly Zones” (Document with all prohibited areas) are, for example, areas used by the military or the navy, where no drone may be launched. These also include Koh Kud or Sattahip.

In national parks, in addition to CAAT and NBTC, you also need a permit from the park administration. How to obtain it is described here: Drone in Thailand: How to Fly a Drone Legally in a National Park in Thailand – Step by Step.

Before you fly:

1.  Check that the unmanned aircraft and its remotely piloted aircraft system are in airworthy condition;
2.  Obtain permission from the owner of the land to be flown;
3.  Check the surroundings and airspace of the airfield
4.  Have an emergency plan that includes a plan for accidents, medical care and a plan for problem solving if the aircraft becomes uncontrollable.
5.  Carry out maintenance of the unmanned aircraft in accordance with the manufacturer’s manual;
6.  Have knowledge and skills to control the unmanned aircraft and its system
7.  Has knowledge and understanding of the rules of the air;
8.  Carries the certificate of registration or a copy thereof throughout the flight;
9.  Carry a serviceable fire extinguisher throughout the flight; and
10.  Have an insurance policy covering damage to life, limb and property of third parties with a minimum sum insured of not less than one million baht;

While flying:

1.  Shall not fly in a manner that may endanger the life, property and peace of others;
2.  Shall not fly into restricted areas, limited areas and dangerous areas announced in the Aeronautical Information Publication – Thailand or AIP-Thailand, government buildings and hospitals unless authorized;
3.  The take-off and landing area must not be obstructed by anything;
4.  Must keep the unmanned aircraft in sight at all times and must not rely on the monitor or other devices;
5.  May only fly between sunrise and sunset when the unmanned aircraft is clearly visible;
6.  Must not fly in or near clouds;
7.  May not fly within 9 km (5 nautical miles) of airports or temporary airfields unless he has permission from the airport or airfield operator;
8.  Not to fly higher than 90 meters above the ground
9.  It must not fly over towns, villages, communities or areas where people are present
10.  Must not fly in the vicinity of other aircraft that have pilots;
11.  Must not violate the personal rights of others;
12.  Must not cause a nuisance to others;
13.  Shall not deliver or transport dangerous objects or lasers on board the unmanned aircraft; and
14.  shall not fly horizontally closer than 50 meters (150 feet) to people, vehicles, structures or buildings.

 In the event of an accident, the pilot or air traffic controller must immediately notify the person in charge (during business hours tel.: 02-5688800, ext. 1504, 1505, fax: 02-5688848, outside business hours: Tel. 081-8392068 or by e-mail: uav@caat.or.th)