Can You Bring a Drone to the Philippines?  

Many travelers ask themselves: can I take a drone to the Philippines? Yes, you can travel with your drone to the Philippines without any problem.

Keep in mind that there are airlines, such as Emirates, which require the drone to be checked as a rule.

Check with your airline beforehand if you don’t want to fly with one that separates you from your drone during the journey.

What if I make a stopover and do not leave the airport before flying to the Philippines? #

Another question that is also repeated a lot is, “Ok, I know that I can travel with my drone to the Philippines, but what happens if my flight makes a stopover in another country?”

To answer that question, you must take into account whether you left the airport during the layover or not.

If you are not going to leave the airport during your layover, then you do not have to worry about your drone, whether you are in London or in Dubai, since it is assumed that you have already passed a security check and your luggage has been accepted.

» MORE: Can You Bring A Drone To Dubai?

What if I have to leave the airport? #

If, on the other hand, you make a stopover in another country and plan to leave the airport either to spend a few hours taking advantage of the stopover or to spend a night there, things will change.

In that case, you will want to know the rules and laws on drones in the country where you are going to be for the night.

In summary, if you have a Madrid-Doha-Manila flight and you have boarded your drone in Spain without problems, you should not worry about it during the flight.

But if you are going to leave your layover airport, you need to look into information on the drone legislation of that country.

Flying a drone in the Philippines – what can and cannot be done? #

Compared to other countries in Southeast Asia, when it comes to flying a drone in the Philippines, it is perhaps where you will find the fewest legal restrictions.

At the moment, the legislation is very light, and there is much more permissiveness than in other destinations.

For this reason, it is also very important to strictly comply with the laws for flying drones in the Philippines since otherwise, the government may choose to take measures and toughen the legislation to avoid further problems.

The regulations #

The office in charge of regulating the laws regarding flying drones in the Philippines is the CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines).

The CAAP has put in place the following rules regarding drone flight:

• In the event that it is a commercial flight or that the drone with which you are going to fly in the Philippines weighs more than 7 kilos, it is mandatory to have a certificate issued by the CAAP.
• Flying is only allowed during the day and with minimal weather conditions.
• The drone must always be within your line of sight.
• It is forbidden to fly over populated areas, as well as large crowds of people (schools, markets, concerts…).
• It is not allowed to fly over 120 meters above sea level.
• It is totally prohibited to fly less than 10 kilometers from an airport.
• Do not fly the drone in the Philippines within 30 meters of children, the elderly, or pregnant women.

Things to know about flying a drone in the Philippines #

The main advice, in this case, is very simple: use common sense. Comply with the rules above, and whenever you have a doubt, it is better not to fly your drone in the Philippines.

This is a country in which there are, for example, a large number of airports, and in the least expected place, there may be an air route.

Many locations have frequent low flights from tour planes or helicopters. If you are flying your drone and you sense that an aircraft is approaching, land your drone quickly and continue enjoying the place from the ground.

Traveling with a drone by plane #

Another important issue to consider when traveling with your drone is how to transport your aircraft when you fly by plane.

You shouldn’t have any problem taking your drone on most planes to the Philippines, but you must take some things into account.

» MORE: Can You Bring a Drone to Thailand?  

Better to be on time #

Despite the fact that it is increasingly common to find drones at airports, you can always meet a security agent who has never seen one or who has doubts about how to proceed.

You’re not doing anything illegal, so don’t worry, but try to get through security in plenty of time to avoid delays.

Put your drone in hand luggage #

If you are traveling with a small-to-medium-sized drone, such as a Mavic Pro, take it with you in your hand luggage.

Not only will you avoid possible theft (which does not usually happen on Philippine flights), but you will save yourself from being upset if the baggage handlers mishandle your suitcase at some point.

Secure the batteries #

You should consider buying special protective covers for lithium polymer batteries. They prevent the batteries from taking hits while you travel.

On the other hand, being flame retardant, they avoid problems in the case of a possible fire.

Discharge your batteries #

The less charge a battery has, the less chance it has of causing a fire. For this reason, many airlines allow you to travel by plane with a drone as long as the batteries are discharged.

» MORE: How to Safely Travel with a Drone