Africa
Botswana
CAAB — Civil Aviation (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) Regulations 2024
Botswana regulates drones through CAAB (RPA Regulations, in force since 14 June 2024). Every drone must be registered regardless of weight, the operator must be at least 18 and a Botswana citizen or resident, and a police/intelligence background check is required before registration.
Limit of 400 feet (about 122 m) above ground level.
Mandatory for every drone regardless of weight, up to a maximum take-off weight of 20 kg. Fees: P1,050 (private use), P2,625 (commercial), P3,150 (corporate). Requires a background check from the Botswana Police and intelligence services (D.I.S.).
No separate certificate/exam appears on the official page consulted; registration does require the operator to be at least 18 and a Botswana citizen or resident.
Zones to avoid
No-fly zones usually follow the same recurring categories (airports, military sites, protected areas, historic centers). For this country: Always within visual line of sight (VLOS) within 500 m of the operator, unless specially approved for beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight. Night flying forbidden, crossing international borders forbidden, and no more than one drone per operator/observer at a time. Any incident involving injury, property damage or loss of the drone must be reported within 10 days.
What isn't 100% confirmed yet
No insurance requirement is stated on the official page consulted: neither confirmed nor ruled out, so left out here. Penalties: up to BWP 5,000 and/or confiscation for standard violations, up to BWP 50,000 and/or 2 years imprisonment for uses tied to criminal activity.
Verify officially before flying
Source: CAAB — Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana
Last checked: 2026-08
Go deeper
Why registration exists
Operator registration exists for accountability: if a drone causes an incident or enters a restricted zone, the authority needs to be able to trace it back to whoever was flying it. You usually get an identification number (operator ID) to physically attach to the drone, valid for every drone the same person owns. The cost is often minimal or free, and it applies to visiting tourists too, not just residents. For Botswana, the official reference remains CAAB — Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana. Mandatory for every drone regardless of weight, up to a maximum take-off weight of 20 kg. Fees: P1,050 (private use), P2,625 (commercial), P3,150 (corporate). Requires a background check from the Botswana Police and intelligence services (D.I.S.).
How this usually works
Even where an exam isn't formally required, most aviation authorities still recommend a basic safety course: rules change often, and flying without the basics is a real risk even without a legal obligation. The exam and certificate are handled by CAAB — Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana. No separate certificate/exam appears on the official page consulted; registration does require the operator to be at least 18 and a Botswana citizen or resident.
Informational content, not legal advice. Zones and rules change constantly: always check the country's official website before every flight.