Drones, or more precisely quadcopters, have long been a familiar tool for travelers and videographers. In Bali they are used everywhere: to film rice terraces, ocean cliffs, waterfalls and volcanoes.
But a drone means more than beautiful footage and the fun of flying — it also comes with a certain responsibility. And the extent of that responsibility is governed by Indonesian aviation law. It sets altitude limits, defines no-fly zones and lays down requirements for filming.
Let's look at the rules that apply right now: from bringing the device into the country to the places where launching a drone can cost you several million rupiah.
Bringing in a quadcopter
Bringing a quadcopter into Indonesia for personal use is allowed. Tourists usually have no trouble if they carry one drone per person. There is no formal limit, but one device per passenger is normally treated as personal use. If you have several devices, customs officers may ask what you need them for. It is better to prepare your answers to those questions in advance.
When you bring a quadcopter with you, it is far more important to follow the airline's rules. And also the rules of the countries where you will have transit stops. Drones may be banned there altogether, and in certain situations they can be confiscated. Places with a peculiar attitude to these devices include, for example, India and Dubai, where drone flights are currently temporarily banned.
One rule common to all airlines: batteries must go in your carry-on, not in checked luggage. This is a fire safety requirement — a battery can ignite due to changes in pressure and temperature, and a burning cargo hold is the last thing you want to see in flight. This applies to lithium-ion polymer batteries, but airport staff are unlikely to go into such fine distinctions.
It is also important to know the watt-hour rating of your battery. Capacities above 100 Wh may require special approval from the airline. Do not carry more than two high-capacity batteries, as that can cause problems too. In fact, batteries that large are quite rare: even the DJI Inspire 2 uses batteries of only 98 Wh, so most drone owners will not run into this issue. It also helps to wrap the batteries in film, for example, to prevent a short circuit if the terminals happen to touch.
The drone itself can usually be carried either in checked luggage or in the cabin, but the rules may differ from airline to airline. So before your flight it is best to check the requirements of your particular carrier. We recommend looking up your airline's rules and the import regulations for drones and their batteries in every country on your route. You can even print them out so you can show them to the airline or airport staff if any problems arise. Not all of them know these rules by heart. And a confused customs officer may be tempted to solve the problem the simplest way — by taking away your beloved drone.
Rules for flying drones in Indonesia
The use of unmanned aircraft is regulated by the Ministry of Transportation and Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Here are the main requirements.
Maximum altitude. A drone may not be flown higher than 150 meters above the ground without special permission. If you plan to fly above that altitude, you need to obtain approval from the aviation authorities in advance.
Flights within visual line of sight only. The pilot must keep the drone in sight at all times. Relying solely on the screen or FPV goggles without visual contact counts as a violation.
Distance from airports. A drone must stay no closer than 15 km from airports. In Bali this rule matters especially because of Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. The same applies to helipads — there is one, for example, near Melasti Beach.
No flying over people. You may not fly near crowds or in densely populated areas. Such flights are considered dangerous.
Daytime flights only. Drones may be used only during daylight hours and in good visibility.
Weight limits. In most cases, ordinary flights are made with drones weighing up to 7 kg. Heavier unmanned aircraft may require additional permits.
Additional requirements. It is also prohibited to launch a drone from a moving car, to fly in bad weather or take the drone up into clouds, and to fly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Recreational and commercial flights
Indonesian law distinguishes between recreational and commercial drone flights. For ordinary tourist filming it is enough to follow the basic aviation rules: do not exceed an altitude of 150 meters, keep a safe distance from airports, fly only within visual line of sight and do not launch the drone over crowds.
If the filming is done for commercial purposes — for advertising, a music video, a film or other professional content — you may need additional permits from the aviation authorities (DGCA), as well as insurance and clearance from the management of the location.
Where you cannot fly a drone in Bali
Besides the general aviation rules, there are quite a few local restrictions on the island. Most of them have to do either with flight safety or with religious and protected natural areas.
The most obvious ban concerns areas near airports and military facilities. Flying there is strictly forbidden. In Bali this is especially relevant because of Ngurah Rai International Airport: a significant part of the southern coast falls within its airspace. Flights near government offices can also raise questions with security services.
Balinese temples are a separate matter. Many of them explicitly prohibit launching drones on their grounds. This applies to such popular places as Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Besakih, Tirta Empul and Tirta Gangga. Sometimes you can get permission from the temple administration, but in practice drones are simply not welcome there.
Another category is tourist sites managed by local communities, the so-called desa adat. Many beaches, cliffs and viewpoints in Bali are formally controlled by these villages. That is why the rules can differ from one location to another. In some places drones are banned outright, in others it is enough to ask the guards for permission, and sometimes you may be asked to pay a small fee for filming. It also happens that neighboring beaches have completely different rules.
No-fly areas are usually marked with signs showing a drone with a line through it, or with a notice in English saying that unmanned aircraft have no business there. In such places there is almost certainly a guard watching that the ban is respected. If you still try to take off, he will find you and make you stop flying. For instance, on a visit to a botanical garden where flying is prohibited, a drone pilot was firmly asked to leave the device with the guard until his tour of the garden was over.
Drones in national parks and nature reserves
Protected natural areas are a story of their own. National parks and nature reserves in Indonesia are managed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), and the rules there are much stricter. The list of them is official and available on the website.
In Bali there are only two such areas:
Taman Nasional Bali Barat (West Bali National Park). A huge nature park in the northwest of the island that includes forests, savannahs, coral reefs and Menjangan Island.
Taman Wisata Alam Danau Buyan – Danau Tamblingan. A nature tourism park around Lakes Buyan and Tamblingan in the Bedugul area.
These areas are on KLHK's official list of protected natural sites. This is precisely where special access rules and government filming fees apply.
Similar areas exist on neighboring islands too — for example, Bromo Tengger Semeru Park in Java or Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara.
In all of these places flying a drone is treated as a separate activity and often requires a special permit.
For filming in such areas you need a document called SIMAKSI (Surat Izin Masuk Kawasan Konservasi). It is an official permit for researchers, journalists and film crews, issued through the natural resources authority. Without it, the use of professional equipment, drones included, may be prohibited even if you have an entrance ticket.
How much it costs to fly a drone in nature reserves
Since 2024 the use of protected natural areas has been governed by government regulation PP No. 36/2024. The document sets non-tax state revenue fees (PNBP) for various activities — filming, research and content production.
For commercial filming the following rates apply:
- drone flight — 2,000,000 rupiah
- professional video shooting: foreigners — 20,000,000 rupiah, Indonesians — 10,000,000 rupiah
- professional photo shooting: foreigners — 5,000,000 rupiah, Indonesians — 2,000,000 rupiah
- wedding shoots: foreigners — 3,000,000 rupiah, Indonesians — 1,000,000 rupiah
These rates apply in all natural areas managed by KLHK — not only in Bali, but throughout Indonesia.
If you are simply walking around the park and filming on your phone, these fees usually do not apply. But if you use a drone or professional equipment, conservation officers may demand a permit and payment.
Top 5 places in Bali where drones cause the most trouble
Even if a place is not a national park, that does not mean you can freely launch a drone there. The island has plenty of local restrictions.
Drone pilots are most often stopped in the following places.
Uluwatu Temple. One of the strictest temples when it comes to rules. Flying over the temple grounds is prohibited, and the guards keep a close eye on this.
Tanah Lot. A popular spot for filming sunsets. Many people try to shoot the temple from the air, but drones here are usually banned without separate permission from the complex's management.
Monkey Forest in Ubud. A monkey sanctuary in the center of Ubud. The area is considered a protected natural zone, and launching drones there is prohibited. Staff at the park watch carefully that this rule is followed.
Pura Lempuyang (Gates of Heaven). One of the most photographed places on the island. Tourists often try to film the famous "gates in the clouds" from the air, but because of the religious status of the complex drones are usually not allowed here.
Tegallalang rice terraces. A popular location near Ubud. There may be no formal drone ban here, but because of the large number of tourists and the local village community rules, pilots are often asked to stop flying or to get permission from the management.
Apart from temples, problems sometimes arise on beaches and cliffs managed by local villages. They may have their own rules: in some places drones are banned outright, in others you need to ask the guards for permission, and sometimes you may be asked to pay a small fee for filming.
Penalties for violations
The maximum sanctions for breaking the rules on unmanned aircraft in Indonesia can be quite severe. Depending on the circumstances, the law provides for large fines and even criminal liability. In some cases the fine can reach 5 billion rupiah, and the prison term can be from one to five years.
In practice such maximum measures are applied only for serious violations — for example, if the flight endangers aviation safety, takes place near military or strategic facilities, or is used for commercial filming without the required permits. In most tourist situations it ends with a warning or a demand to stop flying.
How to check a location before launching your drone
Many tourists try to find a complete list of places in Bali where drones are not allowed. In practice no such list exists, and that is one of the main reasons for the confusion.
In most tourist spots in Bali drones are used fairly freely. But the more popular and "sensitive" the location — a temple, a nature park or a protected area — the greater the chance that you will be asked to stop flying or to obtain a permit.
So before launching your drone it is best to check two things: whether the spot is near an airport, and whether it falls within a protected natural or religious area.
If there are guards on site, the safest approach is simply to ask permission before taking off. In most cases that is enough to avoid unpleasant conversations and fines.
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