- What formalities do you need to take care of before your trip?
1. Notify the airline
Depending on the airline, it’s essential to secure authorization for carrying a drone on board. Typically, batteries with a capacity of less than 160 Wh are allowed both in the cargo hold and in the cabin. To prevent any unexpected issues, we recommend reaching out to your airline’s customer service department for clarification.
2. Declare the import to the New Caledonian authorities
To import a radio transmission device into New Caledonia, you must obtain an administrative import authorization (AAI) from the Agence nationale des radiofréquences (ANFR). Verify if your equipment is exempt from AAI by checking the list of equipment exempt from AAI. If your equipment is exempt, you do not need to submit a request to ANFR.
For detailed information on the procedure, visit vwww.anfr.fr or contact them directly via email at aai@anfr.nc
- What are the regulations governing the use of drones?
The use of drones for leisure and non-commercial activities (photography, video) does not require authorization in New Caledonia as long as the rules laid in the terms of air safety and respect for privacy are followed. Otherwise, this constitutes an offence that may lead to legal proceedings.
Thus, we invite you to read over and abide by the below:
- I do not fly over people (the minimum horizontal distance to be implemented between the drone and any person with the exception of the remote pilot is 30 meters)
- I never lose sight of my drone and I respect the maximum flight heights (never exceeding 150 meters altitude)
- I do not use my drone over public space in built-up areas, nor near airports / heliports, nor in controlled airspace (please note: the airspace above the city of Nouméa is controlled airspace from surface level)
- I do not fly over sensitive sites (military bases, hospitals…)
- I don’t use my drone at night
- I respect the privacy of others
- I don’t broadcast my shots without the agreement of the people concerned and I don’t make commercial use of them
>> Consult the complete list of rules to respect (.pdf)For more information, find the list of regulations here: Aéromodélisme : modèles réduits et drones de loisir from the Direction de la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile.
Direction de la Sécurité et de l’Aviation Civile:
www.ecologique-solidaire.gouv.fr/drones-loisir-et-competition
www.aviation-civile.nc/aviation-generale/drones
Using a drone for commercial activities
Commercial operations are a possibility but require prior authorization or declaration to the Civil Aviation Authority in New Caledonia. These operations are subject to heightened safety requirements to ensure the protection of individuals, infrastructure, and other airspace users during flights.
For more information, please visit the official website www.aviation-civile.nc/aviation-generale/drones.
