Hello pilots, I have a Dji Mavic Mini and I'm planning to visit South Africa and Namibia in October. I am traveling from Mauritius and wanted to know if ever my drone will be confiscated at the airport. Did any of you guys had a similar experience please share with me what did you do and how it went. Thanks!
Bringing my drone into South Africa as a tourist
- Thread starter Nilesh
- Start date
Hi Nilesh,
I’ve flown numerous times in South Africa and had no problem at all getting through the airport with my drones.
Customs at ORT in my experience are not as strict as some other countries - after clearing passport control, you basically walk past the customs area where there will be a few officers next to two large bag scanners. I’ve never seen them stop anyone and I’ve never been stopped or questioned myself.
I’ve not flown in Namibia though so can’t speak for that one.
Happy flying in beautiful SA !
Last edited:
Recently I posted a very long story of a very poor experience bringing my Mini 2 into Kenya last Oct, 2023. It did not go well. My drone was discovered on the scanner in Nairobi and confiscated. After our trip was over, I had to return to the airport 3 hours earlier to retrieve it. I was shuttling between three terminals for several hours using a driver. I first went to my departure terminal and had to wait for them to open the check in which was late at night. After getting my departure boarding pass (required to get the drone out of storage), I had to then go to a terminal where a police officer issued me a pass to get back into the terminal I had arrived at in the country. Then I had to ride to the terminal where my drone was, pay the storage and get my drone back. Then, another ride back to. my departure terminal. I was exhausted by all of this. Do not bring in a drone unless you have a permit from the country.
My new rule of travel is, no drone allowed, no travel to that place!
Dale
Miai
Hello Stevie, thank you for replying. Yes, I also heard that it's not too strict in SA but to be safe I sent an email to the SACAA hoping they'll be of help. I think I need to be prepared to answer some questions if ever they stop me.
As for Namibia, I will drive from SA to Nam so I guess carrying the drone there won't be an issue.
Thank you for the help and if the drone made it safely there I'll post some photos
Hello Dale, thank you for sharing your experience! It sounds like you had quite an adventure with your drone in Kenya. However, It seems that the situation is different in South Africa. Drones have been legal there since 2015, and you can bring your drone without any issues. Thats according to the internet and some people. You can never be sure though.
It is better when it gets confiscated, and they return it to you later than letting them keep it. But the struggle you mentioned above is frustrating. Hope that never happens to you again.
Btw, the pictures on your website are stunning!
Happy Flying
Dear Nilesh:Hello Dale, thank you for sharing your experience! It sounds like you had quite an adventure with your drone in Kenya. However, It seems that the situation is different in South Africa. Drones have been legal there since 2015, and you can bring your drone without any issues. Thats according to the internet and some people. You can never be sure though.
It is better when it gets confiscated, and they return it to you later than letting them keep it. But the struggle you mentioned above is frustrating. Hope that never happens to you again.
Btw, the pictures on your website are stunning!
Happy Flying
Thank you for your commiseration. Bringing my Mini 2 (instead of my very expensive Mavic 3) was intention, since Could afford to lose the Mini, but not the expensive Mavic 3! It was one of the most miserable experiences of my life and my wife, who had to endure all of this riding back to the airport, has never let me forget it!
My drone was wrapped in a bubble wrap, and stored in a large metal cabinet, over stuffed with drones of all sizes. I could not identify my drone because they were all wrapped. I was FRANTIC. The agent finally found it, because it was so little, compared to the over-stuff cabinet. There was a huge ledger book recording my drone by hand, amongst hundred of others! A total nightmare. On top of everything, I had to pay a storage fee! (not very high though).
Dale
Miami
Wow, your drone adventure in Nairobi sounds like quite the rollercoaster! Losing a drone can be heartbreaking, especially if it’s an expensive one. Glad you didn't bring the mavic 3. The struggle to find your Mini 2 among all those wrapped drones must have been intense. At least you got your Mini 2 back, even if it required some airport gymnastics and a storage fee. Your wife’s enduring memory of the whole ordeal adds a touch of humor.
Here’s hoping your future drone adventures are smoother and less eventful! Safe flying!
Nilesh:
I don't want to belabor this thread, but all I wanted was a drone fly-over over the two safari lodges. I know enough not to try to take a drone on safari since it would spook the animals, cause a Cape buffalo or elephant stampede or something, and bother other safari goers. But I LUCKED OUT! Both lodges had a resident photographer and they were both licensed to film for commercials for the lodge. They both agreed to provide me with footage which they placed on an SD card for me and I incorporated it into my safari film. See if you can find it.
Kenya Safari October, 2023, 17 minutes. Full screen.
Dale
No worries. Oh yes it can get really ugly if something bad happen while flying the drone in a safari. But it sounds like you had a stroke of luck during your safari adventure. Having resident photographers at both lodges who were licensed to film for commercials was a serendipitous turn of events. Sometimes, the best experiences come from unexpected sources. I like your safari film! It has a unique perspective
I found this link for South Africa - looks like recreation use is fine with rules listed:
www.caa.co.za
RPAS – SACAA
www.caa.co.za
I would be ultra- careful that you have the proper paperwork before entering the airport in South Africa (Cape Town or Johannesburg). The paperwork you sent out incudes approval by the Civil Air Authority. These are notoriously difficult to apply for and get approved. I went back and further for weeks at one time and never got to the right web site or approval.I found this link for South Africa - looks like recreation use is fine with rules listed:
RPAS – SACAA
Last October I went on safari in Kenya and I had my Mini 2 CONFISCATED at the Nairobi (Kenya) airport and a detailed post of this episode was posted on this forum. I had to spend hours in getting back to the airport way earlier than planned to get my drone back. You are welcome to discuss by private conversation.
Dale Davis
Hi Dale, Thanks for you comments and I have read about your experience in Kenya. There are other posts about no issues taking your drone to SA. It certainly looks like you can fly your drone without CAA permission, subject to the rules listed therein, as long as it's for non-commercial use. Of course you may get an over zealous customs officer who may not know the rules; but there is no procedure I see to get simple permission to bring a drone in to SA for recreation purposes. I agree with you comments in the past. It's becoming so difficult to find and follow the rules that it's sometimes easier to just leave it at home
Richard:Hi Dale, Thanks for you comments and I have read about your experience in Kenya. There are other posts about no issues taking your drone to SA. It certainly looks like you can fly your drone without CAA permission, subject to the rules listed therein, as long as it's for non-commercial use. Of course you may get an over zealous customs officer who may not know the rules; but there is no procedure I see to get simple permission to bring a drone in to SA for recreation purposes. I agree with you comments in the past. It's becoming so difficult to find and follow the rules that it's sometimes easier to just leave it at home
I travel a lot! In fact, last week, after a 3 week trip to Kyrgyzstan in August, (where drones are not a problem at all), I did a 3 days workshop in two (2) National parks!!! I was able to get a lot of decent footage just outside the park boundaries (confirmed by my professional photo guide who also owns a drone). So there are always places to put the drone up with caution, and a lot lookinging over your shoulder. The main deterrence is getting through the airport! Good luck on that! Once through, you have got it made. In my mind, it is a gamble right now, depending on who is looking at the scanner. As I have learned, it is hell to have the drone confiscated. Trying to get South African approval is a tedious and often waste of time. I spent months trying to get approval for Qatar, Dubai, etc. last year. No dice!
I'd give it a try. But I wouldn't spend a lot of time on it. You have GOT to get the drone out of the d..mn airport. I leave my expensive M3 at home and I can afford to lose the value of my Mini 2.
Dale
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