What are the Drone Laws in South Korea?
In addition to all the rules below, avoid flying above Seoul as most of it is designated as a no-flight zone.
400ft max height
Don't fly over people
Don't interfere with aircraft
Only line of sight
This is a guide for South Korea's drone laws in 2023 (updated every year) where you'll get a clue about what you can or shouldn't do while flying a quadcopter anywhere in this country.
Yes, according to the South Korea Office of Civil Aviation, drones are legal. Just with all other countries, there are rules and regulations guarding the sector.
According to new laws, anyone owning a drone that weighs more than 2kg will need to register it with the government. The registration will be free of charge. All you need is your personal information, such as name and address, as well as the drone's serial number.
Email: fsdiv01@korea.kr
Phone: +82 442014251
If you are flying your drone for recreational purposes then you don't need to register it. Besides that, if you wish to fly your drone for commercial applications then it needs to be registered before taking off.
You might be wondering how can you register your drone. The process is very simple and can be done online on the South Korea Office of Civil Aviation's website. All you need to do is to fill in a form with your personal information and the drone's serial number. The registration will be free of charge.
The government of South Korea has made it so easy that you can even register yourself using an app on your smartphone.
The new drone laws will require drone users to register any drone weighing over 250 g, borrowing from other advanced drones using countries such as China, the United States, Australia, and Germany.
So yes, you should have your drone registered if it weighs more than 250 g and or you are going to use it for commercial applications such as photography, filmmaking, or any business-related activity.
Ok, so far we've talked about the drone registration but what about the license? Do you need to have a license for your drone in South Korea?
The answer is no. You don't need a drone license to fly your drone in this country. However, if you are going to use it for commercial applications then you will need to have a pilot's license. Besides that you need to keep the following points in mind:
In addition to all the rules below, avoid flying above Seoul as most of it is designated as a no-flight zone.
Another common question is whether you can fly over private property in South Korea. And the answer is, unfortunately, no. You are not allowed to fly your drone over any private property without the owner's permission.
The only exception to this rule is if you are flying your drone for police or firefighting purposes and have received prior approval from the authorities.
Besides that, if you are just a hobbyist then you should avoid flying your drone near or directly over private property in order to avoid any potential conflict.
Insurance is mandatory for drones in many countries but what about South Korea? do you need to have it there too?
The answer is no. You are not required to have insurance for your drone in South Korea. However, it is always a good idea to get one since you will be responsible for any damage caused by your drone.
So there you have it. These are the things that you need to know about flying drones in South Korea.
My following two recommendations are 2 great compact drones that are quite silent and also small enough to travel with and not stand out as annoying.
4k
31 min
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DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is legal to fly in most countries without registration.
It comes at a very cheap price for its incredible specs.I have covered it much more in-depth in my article review and even compared it with the Mavic Air 2.
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34 min
10 km
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If you want more control over things like shutter speed, iso, and such, the best professional drone that still falls under the 500g category is the DJI Mavic Air.
It's made mostly for people who want to play around with settings and enter into the pro category.
DJI lowered its price since it was first released.
The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, while you're here is by consulting DJI's official map.
They do a great job mapping the places that one should avoid while flying in every country:
These would be the current updated drone laws for South Korea. I suggest checking my full map with all the countries' drone laws to see where it's best to travel.
If you are going to visit South Korea, make sure you’ve learned all the dos and don’ts of flying drones in this region. This will help you have a safe journey and enjoy flying your drone without getting yourself into trouble.
Also, keep in mind that, commercial and recreational drones are treated differently in most countries therefore you will need to prepare yourself accordingly. Last but not least, always follow rules and regulations and make sure to respect the laws of every country.
