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Img 1: Aerial Photography In Malaysia
Drone use is allowed in Malaysia, but there are several drone laws that need to be followed when flying in the country.
Categories of UAS
1- Small unmanned aircraft system: Unmanned aircraft system, other than a balloon or a kite, having a mass of not more than 20 kilograms without its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight.
2- Small unmanned surveillance aircraft: A small unmanned aircraft which is equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition.
3- The unmanned aircraft system of more than 20kg.
Operators must ensure that they follow the following drone laws when flying in Malaysia,
A drone permit is not required for recreational drone use.
You don’t need authorisation if you…
• intends to fly a small unmanned aircraft system
• however, you: must satisfy that the flight can safely be made o can maintain direct and unaided visual contact with such small unmanned aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels, and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions
Authorization from the Director-General is REQUIRED if the person in charge of the small unmanned aircraft system intends to fly the small unmanned aircraft system:
• within an aerodrome traffic zone
• at the height of more than 400 feet above the surface of the earth
Please adhere to the above General Malaysia Drone Laws however when flying your drone. (What Is Recreational Drone Use?)
For commercial drone use.
Authorization from the Director-General is required to be obtained in order to fly a UAS for the purpose of aerial work.
Aerial work means an aircraft operation in which an aircraft is used to provide specialized services in agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, observation and patrol, search and rescue, aerial advertisement and other similar activities.
Do I need to register the unmanned aircraft system?
1) Small unmanned aircraft and small unmanned surveillance are NOT required to be registered.
2) The unmanned aircraft system of more than 20kg is REQUIRED to be registered.
NOTE: There is a extra direct payment to the authority for the issued of each authorization.
Please adhere to the above General Malaysia Drone Laws however when flying your drone. (What Is Commercial Drone Use?)
For a detailed guide to bringing your drone on airplanes click here. All drones should be brought on carry on luggage if possible. This is because according to the Montreal Convention, airlines are only liable for losses up to ~$1,000 USD. When traveling internationally, theft and lost luggage can be common issues, particularly if your flight has many connections. If your drone is worth more than $1,000 USD and you cannot bring it onto the plane you should consider shipping it with DHL, Fedex, or UPS instead and fully insure the shipment.
You should NOT place drone batteries in your checked baggage. All drone batteries should be placed in a Medium Size Lipo Battery Bag" data-src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=uavsystemsint-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B007V9MN44" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> like the one shown here in the link and brought onto the plane in your carry on bag. Lithium-ion batteries are considered “dangerous goods” by airlines and rules surrounding these batteries on planes are EXTREMELY strict due to multiple incidents of these batteries catching fire. Failure to properly pack lithium-ion batteries in a bag such as the one shown in the link above can result in the airline seizing them, you getting fined, or being denied boarding.
Here is some video footage shot by Izuddin Helmi Vids when flying a drone in Malaysia.
Read all of our Malaysia Drone Laws, and now looking for drones, parts, accessories, or something else? Read our guide for Buying Drones In Malaysia. It includes information on drones for sale in Malaysia, import taxes, payment options, and shipping.