Find out about CAAT Thailand Drone Registration
Anyone that wants to fly a drone in Thailand is required to register at two agencies; the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the National Broadcasting Telecommunication Commission (NBTC). On this page we explain about the CAAT drone registration.
CAAT is the aviation authority responsible for registering all aircraft flying in Thailand, and this includes your drone. Even a small personal drone is considered an aircraft and falls under the authority of CAAT and in the aviation insurance category. The only exception is if your drone does not have a camera, but all kinds of drone with camera must be registered with CAAT.
You can find a list of documents required by CAAT and some frequently asked questions about NBTC Thailand drone registration below. The most important requirement is to have a drone insurance policy covering at least THB 1 million in third-party liability insurance. You can get your drone insurance policy online through us, just view our drone insurance plans to get started.
If you aren’t using our Thailand drone registration service then you can do your CAAT registration by yourself online at: https://uav.caat.or.th/
The good news is that if you aren’t currently in Thailand the CAAT Thailand drone registration can be done remotely before your arrival. Though it can take up to 2 weeks for CAAT to process your registration.
Documents required CAAT Thailand drone registration
- A completed and certified self Declaration form
- Signed copy of identity card or signed copy of your passport and entry stamp for tourist
- A copy of registered address or proof of address in Thailand (e.g. booking confirmation from the hotel for tourist)
- Photos of the drone showing Model, trademark (brand), serial number, controller, quantity, and the performance of the Drone including devices installed.
- A copy of the Drone Insurance Policy, which covers damages caused to the body, life and properties of the third parties, and also the minimum sum insured is not less than one million baht per time
- Purpose of using the Drone
- Area specified and geographical position to fly
- Contact information of the applicant
The result of the application will be announced within 15 working days (provided that all documents are received). Since the CAAT application can take some time so it is best to get your drone insurance policy and apply to CAAT around one or two months before you arrive in Thailand. Also note that if your application is rejected for any reason (e.g. your name not matching your passport/ID) then you will have to apply again so please make sure all your submitted details are correct.
Copy of Drone Insurance, Drone registration issued from NBTC and CAAT must be carried with you at all time while flying your drone.
The penalty according to CAAT’s regulation is imprisonment is a maximum of one year and fine of no more than 40,000 Baht, or both.
For more information see the conditions on the CAAT website: https://uav.caat.or.th/condition.php
How to get started with our drone registration service?
First you need to buy insurance plan for your drone, please view our drone insurance plans below:
VIEW PLANS
Our drone insurance plans
Once you buy a drone insurance plan we will send you a link to buy the drone registration service. Our Thailand drone registration service covers both CAAT and NBTC registration requirements.
We also offer a Thailand drone registration service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after buying your drone insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions about CAAT Thailand Drone Registration
Do I need to register my drone for use in Thailand?
Yes. Drones need to be registered to 2 Authorities to legally fly in Thailand. The 2 Authorities are:-
- Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)
- National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)
You can register online in the following websites:
- CAAT Registration: https://uav.caat.or.th/
- NBTC Registration: https://anyregis.nbtc.go.th/sign_up/foreigner/
Previously NBTC required registration in person at their office, but now offers online registration through their website. The NBTC registration office is still open if needed.
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
Can FEIC help with the drone registration process?
Yes, we also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
If you have any other questions you may send queries to our Thailand team at: [email protected]
Where do I need to register my drones?
You can register online in the following websites:
- Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT): https://uav.caat.or.th/
- National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC): https://anyregis.nbtc.go.th/sign_up/foreigner/
Previously NBTC required registration in person at their office, but now offers online registration through their website. The NBTC registration office is still open if needed.
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
How long does CAAT drone registration take?
CAAT drone registration can take up to 14 days to complete. CAAT registration can be completed remotely before you arrive, but please ensure you apply with sufficient time before your trip.
Please note applications need to be submitted before 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Weekends and public holidays can cause delays with your application.
We also offer a Thailand drone registration service to help with this. We cannot speed up the approval process as it is dependent on the authorities but we will ensure all documents are submitted correctly to avoid your application being rejected.
What is CAAT?
CAAT is the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
This is one of the two authorities that require you to register your drone in Thailand. The other one is NBTC.
You can visit the CAAT website at https://uav.caat.or.th/
We offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
I have a mini / small drone and is under 250 grams. Do I still need to register?
Yes. Registration is required for all drones with camera for all weight categories.
Drones will need to be registered in the following:-
- Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)
- National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)
You can register online in the following websites:
- CAAT Registration: https://uav.caat.or.th/
- NBTC Registration: https://anyregis.nbtc.go.th/sign_up/foreigner/
Previously NBTC required registration in person at their office, but now offers online registration through their website. The NBTC registration office is still open if needed.
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
What documents does Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) require?
- Self Declaration Form – downloadable upon online registration
- Passport and on arrival visa
- Insurance Policy
- Drone photo including clear serial number
- Drone Technical Details (serial number, weight, radio control frequency, etc.)
For CAAT Registration visit: https://uav.caat.or.th/
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
How long does the registration take before I can fly my drone?
This is dependent on the Authorities. CAAT drone registration can take up to 14 days from the day of submission and NBTC can take 1-3 days from day of submission, so please register in plenty of time before you need to fly your drone.
The timeframes may be longer if there are public holidays.
We also offer a Thailand drone registration service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
Can I buy your registration service without buying your drone insurance?
Sorry no, we only offer our drone registration service for customers that buy one of our drone insurance plans.
This is so that we can be sure that your insurance is valid.
Do I have to register my drone if I don’t fly it?
Yes. You are only permitted to possess an unregistered drone for up to 30 days.
This means that if your visit to Thailand is longer than 30 days then you must register your drone with both CAAT and NBTC within 30 days. Failure to register your drone within 30 days violates NBTC regulations and you may incur fines from NBTC.
If you purchase a drone within Thailand you also must register it within 30 days. If you wait longer than 30 days you will not be able to register it with NBTC without visiting an NBTC office in person to settle the issue.
We offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
Can I register my drone before arriving in Thailand?
Yes and no. There are two parts required for your drone registration:
- CAAT registration can be done in advance before arriving in Thailand. But note it can take up to 2 weeks to process so please register with plenty of time.
- But the NBTC registration requires your Thailand arrival stamp so you cannot register with NBTC in advance and must wait until you arrive in Thailand to complete the registration with NBTC.
Note that registration with NBTC only takes 2-3 days so it is usually not a problem to do upon arrival, it just means you will have to wait 2-3 days before you can fly your drone in Thailand.
Do I need to register if I buy a drone in Thailand?
Yes you still need to buy insurance and register with CAAT and NBTC if you purchase your drone in Thailand.
For NBTC registration you will require the original invoice/receipt from the shop you bought it from, and it must be registered within 30 days of purchase or you will be liable for fines from NBTC.
If you purchase a drone from a private individual then it is assumed that they will have already registered the drone with NBTC. You will need to ask them to cancel their registration with NBTC so that you can re-register it in your name. If they have not registered and it is within 30 days of the original purchase then they need to give you the original invoice/receipt so that you can register it. If the seller has not registered the drone and it is past 30 days since original purchase then you will not be able to register with NBTC without paying fines for possession of an unregistered drone for more than 30 days.
We offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
Can I register with CAAT using the Drone Insurance Certificate or do I have to wait for the Policy?
Yes you can register your drone with CAAT using the Drone Insurance Certificate that we issue. We can usually issue your certificate of insurance the same or next business day after you complete your application. This saves you having to wait for the full drone insurance policy.
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
How long is my CAAT registration valid?
Your CAAT registration is valid for 2 years.
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
When registering with CAAT it asks what type of insurance I have, do I select “Identified Controller” or “Unidentified Controller”?
Please select “Identified Controller”.
We will show the names of the controllers/operators in your insurance Policy. This means that the controllers are “identified”.
We also offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
I arrived over 30 days ago and did not yet register my drone, what should I do?
Possession of a unregistered drone for more than 30 days is against NBTC regulations and may cause you to be subject to fines from NBTC if you attempt to register it.
Unfortunately we cannot help to register the drone beyond the 30 day cut-off time. If you intend to stay in Thailand then you will have to resolve the issue yourself with NBTC to explain your case and settle any fines before you can register the drone in Thailand.
We advise you to always register your drone within 30 days of arrival (or within 30 days of purchase if you buy the drone in Thailand). Note you also have to renew your NBTC registration every time you extend your visa. As long as it is within 30 days we offer a service to help register your drone with CAAT and NBTC on your behalf. You can purchase this service after applying for your drone insurance.
