Drone Insurance FAQ

Do I need drone insurance in Thailand?

Yes. It is a mandatory requirement from the Thailand authorities that all drones have insurance cover. There are few exceptions to this. The minimum requirement is third party legal liability insurance with THB1,000,000 Sum Insured.

The drone insurance certificate or policy is also required document for registration with CAAT. Registering with both CAAT and NBTC is another legal requirement to fly your drone in Thailand.

You can easily buy a Thailand drone insurance plan from us online to comply with the regulations.

What is the minimum insurance requirement?

The minimum is a third party legal liability insurance with THB1,000,000 Sum Insured.

All our plans comply with the legal requirement. Please refer to https://www.feic.co.th/thailand-drone-insurance-plans/ for complete list of our offers.

Our basic package is Plan 1 – third party legal liability only with THB1,000,000 Sum Insured.

What is the cheapest insurance plan that meets the minimum requirements?

Our basic package is Plan 1 – third party legal liability only with THB1,000,000 Sum Insured.

All our plans comply with the legal requirement. Please refer to https://www.feic.co.th/thailand-drone-insurance-plans/ for complete list of our offers.

Prices shown in our packages are the minimum prices imposed by the insurance company.

I am only visiting Thailand for a short holiday. Do you offer policies shorter than 12 months?

No. The packages are designed for 1 year and prices presented are the minimum of the insurance company.

I am already in Thailand. Can I get my insurance policy quickly?

If all details are submitted correctly we will send you a drone insurance certificate by the next business day. Often you can receive the drone insurance certificate the same day if you apply during Thailand business hours. You can use the certificate to register with CAAT and NBTC.

The full insurance Policy is usually issued within 7 calendar days from date of payment but in some cases may take longer. We will assist to monitor your Policy from the insurance company and send it to you when ready.

Do not worry if your full insurance policy takes longer to process, as long as you have the insurance certificate that we issue that is sufficient evidence of insurance.

How long will my insurance policy take to issue?

If all details are submitted correctly we will send you a drone insurance certificate by the next business day. Often you can receive the drone insurance certificate the same day if you apply during Thailand business hours. You can use the certificate to register with CAAT and NBTC.

The full insurance policy is usually issued within 7 calendar days from date of payment. We will send you the policy when ready.

How can I pay my insurance?

We accept online transfer by credit card and bank transfer. Our bank details shall be provided upon completion of insurance application.

When does my insurance start?

Your drone insurance starts the date that you purchase the insurance. If all your information is submitted correctly then you will receive your insurance certificate within 1 business day.

For guests and tourists, we would suggest purchasing your insurance and starting the drone registration process 2 weeks before your planned date of arrival in Thailand to reduce risk of delay.

For Thailand residents, we would suggest purchasing your insurance upon acquisition of your drone.

What address should I put in my insurance and registration with the Authorities?

For guests and tourists, we would suggest putting your first hotel address.

For Thailand residents, we would suggest putting your current address.

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.

The dates look wrong on my Policy. Why does the year on my policy say 2565 instead of 2022?

Thailand Insurance Policies follow the Buddhist year. For reference, Gregorian calendar year 2022 is Buddhist year 2565.

What is liability insurance cover?

Liability insurance cover you for any injury or damage to property of third parties. The Policy will pay for your cost of defense and any award legally imposed subject to Policy Terms and Conditions.

What is hull insurance cover?

Hull insurance cover your drone body and camera for accidental loss or damage. The Policy will pay for repair cost or full value of your drone in case of an accident subject to Policy Terms and Conditions.

Does my policy automatically renew? Will my card be charged next year?

No. Your will not be automatically charged for renewal of your insurance Policy.

We will send you an e-mail to remind the renewal date of your insurance and any renewal is subject to your confirmation.

Do the standard drone insurance plans cover commercial use?

Yes as long as the use is standard photography and videography only and up to a maximum of 200 hours of flying within 1 year only.

Specialised commercial uses such as cargo delivery, offshore, surveillance, underground operations, etc. are not part of our standard plans.

If you require specialised uses or require more than 200 hours annual flight time please contact us.

Can I use my insurance outside Thailand?

Our Thailand drone insurance plans cover drone operations within Thailand only.

If you need drone insurance coverage outside of Thailand please contact us.

Can I pause my insurance?

No. Insurance is required to be continuous.

I sold my drone. Can I transfer my policy to the new owner?

Yes but the following criteria should be met:-

  • No accidents or claims before the transfer of ownership
  • Drone use is still standard photography and videography

Required details are:-

  • Copy of ID/Passport of new owner
  • Address of new owner

I bought a new drone. Can I transfer my policy to the new drone?

The Authorities will require 1 year insurance coverage. We would advise to obtain a new insurance Policy to comply with the requirement.

Drone Registration FAQ

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:

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:

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.

 

How long does NBTC drone registration take?

NBTC drone registration typically takes 2-3 days to complete. Sometimes you will get approval the next business day but this is not guaranteed.

Unfortunately NBTC registration cannot be completed remotely before you arrive as you will need to submit a photo of your immigration entry stamp in your passport as part of the registration.

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.

What is NBTC?

NBTC is the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission in Thailand.

This is one of the two authorities that require you to register your drone in Thailand. The other one is CAAT.

You can visit the NBTC website at https://www.nbtc.go.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:

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.

What documents does NBTC require?

  • Declaration of conformity
  • Passport and visa or arrival stamp
  • Date of drone possession
  • Drone photo including clear serial number
  • Controller photo including clear serial number

For NBTC Registration visit: https://anyregis.nbtc.go.th/sign_up/foreigner/

Notes:

NBTC does not have an online payment platform. Registration fee currently THB200 can be paid through bank deposit or transfer. Fee is subject to change by the Authority.

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 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

When do I need to renew NBTC registration?

Your NBTC registration is valid for the length of your Thailand visa (or entry stamp) used at the time of registration.

You need to renew your NBTC registration if you extend your stay in Thailand.

Every time you extend your visa you also need to extend your NBTC registration.

We offer a service to help with NBTC registration and renewal if you have purchased your drone insurance policy from us. Just contact us at [email protected].

Example cases where you need to renew your NBTC registration:

  • If you have a 60 day tourist visa then your NBTC registration is valid for 60 days. If your visa is multiple entry and you leave and re-enter Thailand within the 60 days then your NBTC registration is still valid. But if you extend your visa for an additional 30 days (for a total of 90 days) then you will also have to renew your NBTC registration for the additional period.
  • If you have a 45 day entry stamp on arrival then your NBTC registration is valid for 45 days. If you leave and re-enter Thailand on a new stamp but within the original 45 day period then your NBTC registration is still valid, but you will have to renew before the original 45 days finish.
  • If you have a Special Tourist Visa for 90 days then your NBTC registration will also be valid for the same 90 days. If you extend your visa to 180 days you will also need to extend your NBTC registration, then if you extend your visa a second time to a total of 270 days you will also need to extend your NBTC registration for a second time.

 

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 NBTC registration valid?

Your NBTC registration is valid for the same length as your Thailand visa or entry stamp. So you will have to re-register with NBTC every time you visit Thailand with your drone.

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.

What address should I put in my insurance and registration with the Authorities?

For guests and tourists, we would suggest putting your first hotel address.

For Thailand residents, we would suggest putting your current address.

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.

Still have questions? Contact our expert team in Bangkok at [email protected]