Hello Everyone! Newbie here....
We were filming in different parts of the world this past April 2018 with a DJ Mavic Pro Platinum with the RLSOCO accessory travel case - it went with us to China (Beijing and Hong Kong), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Broome), Indonesia (Bali, Banda Aceh, Sumatra rainforest), Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur), Sri Lanka (all over), Mumbai, India. We arrived into Addis Ababa without any issues. The only thing is in Beijing they opened my luggage and took the portable batteries (but failed to see the one on the drone itself) and left a note.
We departed Addis Ababa and went to Lalibela in the middle of the country, north of Addis, again no incident. We went to the different sights and we were told via a guide it would cost USD$1400 if we wanted to take video with the drone. We politely declined.
At Lalibela Airport, right at the entrance, one has to go through a screening. It was there the drone was found and we were asked to produce the drone, without saying why they wanted it. The case was opened and the gentleman asked for the memory card. One of the film crew was smart enough to take it out without being seen. We all believe it also would have been confiscated and/or destroyed (everything was backed up three times over, but imagine, all the filming had it not been the case).
My director and I were taken into a small security office (there was only one) and were told by a guy named BURNHAM the drone can't travel with us and it was going to be confiscated. I was not happy at all and I informed him it showed nothing online to which he said "it's a new directive". I believe it is the same guy who did this to others on this thread. The back and forth escalated and I took it up to a point where I felt it was in my best interest to say nothing. He takes a piece of blank white paper from his printer and handwrites the name of the person the drone was going to in Addis and his mobile number and then his name and mobile. No official documents, nothing.
I know this is a little long, but I have to tell the entire story...
I was told the drone will be waiting in Addis Airport and upon arrival, we would get our drone ("very easy"). He was told we had only a two hour layover at night. He promised me it was open 24 hours a day...of course, it was closed when we got there. The biggest mistake I made was having the drone put under the director 's passport and not mine (the owner of the drone).
Upon arrival back into the States, since the 1st of April, I tried to retrieve my drone to no avail. It was only when I asked our tour guide in Lalibela to help, I was able to confirm the drone's location. In order for the drone to be released, the person the drone is under can only retrieve it! Even though the guy that confiscated the drone knew I was there as well. What I had to do, I was told, is to give a Power of Attorney (PoA) to whoever is going to get the drone. A nightmare. I had to find a law firm through the US Embassy in Addis in order to help me with the PoA. That is where I am right now. I will follow up with costs.
There is one person who is causing all these problems by the name of BURHAM who wrote his name and then put "Lalibela Airport Security" underneath it.
We were filming in different parts of the world this past April 2018 with a DJ Mavic Pro Platinum with the RLSOCO accessory travel case - it went with us to China (Beijing and Hong Kong), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Broome), Indonesia (Bali, Banda Aceh, Sumatra rainforest), Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur), Sri Lanka (all over), Mumbai, India. We arrived into Addis Ababa without any issues. The only thing is in Beijing they opened my luggage and took the portable batteries (but failed to see the one on the drone itself) and left a note.
We departed Addis Ababa and went to Lalibela in the middle of the country, north of Addis, again no incident. We went to the different sights and we were told via a guide it would cost USD$1400 if we wanted to take video with the drone. We politely declined.
At Lalibela Airport, right at the entrance, one has to go through a screening. It was there the drone was found and we were asked to produce the drone, without saying why they wanted it. The case was opened and the gentleman asked for the memory card. One of the film crew was smart enough to take it out without being seen. We all believe it also would have been confiscated and/or destroyed (everything was backed up three times over, but imagine, all the filming had it not been the case).
My director and I were taken into a small security office (there was only one) and were told by a guy named BURNHAM the drone can't travel with us and it was going to be confiscated. I was not happy at all and I informed him it showed nothing online to which he said "it's a new directive". I believe it is the same guy who did this to others on this thread. The back and forth escalated and I took it up to a point where I felt it was in my best interest to say nothing. He takes a piece of blank white paper from his printer and handwrites the name of the person the drone was going to in Addis and his mobile number and then his name and mobile. No official documents, nothing.
I know this is a little long, but I have to tell the entire story...
I was told the drone will be waiting in Addis Airport and upon arrival, we would get our drone ("very easy"). He was told we had only a two hour layover at night. He promised me it was open 24 hours a day...of course, it was closed when we got there. The biggest mistake I made was having the drone put under the director 's passport and not mine (the owner of the drone).
Upon arrival back into the States, since the 1st of April, I tried to retrieve my drone to no avail. It was only when I asked our tour guide in Lalibela to help, I was able to confirm the drone's location. In order for the drone to be released, the person the drone is under can only retrieve it! Even though the guy that confiscated the drone knew I was there as well. What I had to do, I was told, is to give a Power of Attorney (PoA) to whoever is going to get the drone. A nightmare. I had to find a law firm through the US Embassy in Addis in order to help me with the PoA. That is where I am right now. I will follow up with costs.
There is one person who is causing all these problems by the name of BURHAM who wrote his name and then put "Lalibela Airport Security" underneath it.
