Drone rules in Bali: the regulations behind the headlines

By Film Permit Bali Editorial Desk

Drone rules in Bali are national: PM 37 of 2020 and Part 107 under PM 63 of 2021. Part 107 sets a 400 foot (120 metre) operating limit, daylight, visual line of sight and no flights over crowds. PM 37 requires approval in controlled airspace, inside an airport's safety zone and near helipads.

What are the drone rules in Bali?

Two national Transport Ministry regulations do the work. Questions phrased around Ubud, Kuta, Canggu, Sanur or Nusa Penida lead back to the same provisions, whatever the make of the drone. The provisions summarised below name no town at all. What changes from place to place is the airspace overhead and the person who manages the ground, and that is why the same drone can face different answers a few kilometres apart. All of this sits apart from Indonesia's national film permit.

Which regulations apply?

PM 37 of 2020 is the Transport Ministry regulation on operating unmanned aircraft in airspace served by Indonesia. It has been in force since 8 June 2020 and, according to its own text, replaced PM 180 of 2015 as amended by PM 47 of 2016. A guide quoting those older numbers is working from rules that have been replaced.

PM 63 of 2021 sets Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part 107 for small unmanned aircraft. Read the two together. PM 37 deals largely with where and when a flight needs approval, while Part 107 holds the operating limits and the registration clauses. Any serious question about Bali drone laws needs both documents open, because neither one gives the whole picture alone.

How high can a drone fly?

The current figure is 400 feet, or 120 metres, above ground. Part 107 sets 120 metres as an operating limit, while PM 37 describes approval above it. Neither text explains how the two fit, so do not plan above 120 metres without a written answer from the Director General. A narrow exception close to tall structures appears in Part 107.51, so check its wording before relying on it.

Many pages still print a higher number. Hoodlum, a production company, still cites 150 metres on its Indonesia page, and UAV Coach lists 150 metres, along with 7 kg and 15 km from airports, under a 2023 title. Against the regulation, the older height is out of date, and no regulation text makes a 15 km radius law.

When is approval required?

Above 400 feet in uncontrolled airspace, and anywhere in controlled airspace, a flight needs the Director General's approval. Approval is also needed inside an airport's flight safety zone (KKOP) and within 3 nautical miles of a helipad outside KKOP. Prohibited and restricted areas answer to their own authority, and camera drones may not operate within 500 metres of their boundary. Requests must be filed at least 14 working days before the operation, which works out at close to three calendar weeks once weekends fall inside the window. Public holidays can stretch it further, so count from a real calendar and allow time for your own paperwork before the clock starts.

Falling below the ceiling in uncontrolled airspace removes one approval. It leaves everything else in place: KKOP, helipads, restricted areas, daylight, sight line, crowds, NOTAMs and the registration clauses. It also gives you no right to use anyone's land. Whether the spot you have in mind sits in controlled airspace is a factual question for a current aviation source, and the Bali drone no-fly zones guide explains why no single radius answers it.

For a paid production, Hoodlum advises using a local licensed pilot with a local drone because approval for foreign drones is complex. That is an operator's advice, and it also describes a service operators sell, so weigh it accordingly. The commercial drone filming guide covers that route, and how to get a film permit in Bali covers the national paperwork behind it.

What happens if you break the rules?

PM 37 sets out sanctions that include criminal penalties, withdrawal of approval and blacklisting, along with action such as jamming a drone or forcing it to land. For a crew, a withdrawn approval or a blacklisting matters beyond the single flight.

Be careful with any exact penalty printed on a blog without a citation. If a page gives a number, it should also give the article it comes from.

Why do guides disagree so much?

Three things drive most of it. Some guides were written under the older rules and never updated. Some reword a provision until the condition falls away, so "no Director General approval below 120 metres in uncontrolled airspace" turns into "no permit needed". And some print details that the official texts do not contain.

The last group is the one to watch. Dronesgator and Your Happiness Tours write of three things: a compulsory Bali pre-registration called SIPP-TA, something they call directive 008/2025, and a 5 km ring around temples attributed to a Bali regulation 12/2024. PM 37 and Part 107 do not contain those items. The state legal database lists a Bali Regional Regulation 12 of 2025, which concerns implementing a 2023 regulation on public order, so the 2024 number does not match it. That does not prove every claim on those sites wrong. It does mean you should not plan a shoot around them until someone shows you the document.

A similar slip surrounds light aircraft. Part 107.89 sets the registration floor at over 250 g, and some readers take that to mean a small drone is outside the rules. Neither regulation says so, because the airspace and operating limits are written separately from registration. The drone registration guide covers who may apply, and travellers should read can tourists fly drones in Bali, where the answer is less settled.

A quick test for any drone claim:

• Does it name the regulation and the article?
• Can you open that document on a government site?
• Does the wording there match, including its conditions?
• Is the page dated after 8 June 2020?

What do pilots ask most about Bali drone laws?

Do I need a drone permit in Bali?

It depends on the flight. Above 400 feet in uncontrolled airspace, or anywhere in controlled airspace, PM 37 requires the Director General's approval. Approval is also needed inside KKOP and within 3 nautical miles of a helipad outside KKOP. Prohibited and restricted areas answer to their own authority, and camera drones may not operate within 500 metres of their boundary. Site managers can add their own requirements.

Who regulates drone operations in Indonesia?

The Transport Ministry, through PM 37 of 2020 and PM 63 of 2021. Most approvals in these texts sit with the Director General; a prohibited or restricted area has its own authority. Site managers and park offices decide access to their own ground.

Can a local fixer arrange drone approval in Bali?

No text answers this directly. SIDOPI GO handles operating approvals, so ask any provider which approval they will obtain and to show it in writing.

What should I do if my drone is confiscated in Bali?

PM 37 lists sanctions, including action such as jamming a drone or forcing it to land. We know of no published recovery procedure, so ask which authority holds the aircraft and under which rule, and get that in writing if you can. This page is not legal advice.

When should I apply for drone flight approval in Bali?

PM 37 says at least 14 working days before the operation. Treat that as the minimum, and count it back from your first flight day after you have checked for public holidays.

Which sources support this page?

• PM 37 of 2020, Transport Ministry legal database
• PM 37 of 2020, full text in the state legal database
• PM 63 of 2021, Part 107, state legal database
• Hoodlum, Indonesia page (operator)
• UAV Coach, drone laws in Indonesia (dated guide)
• Dronesgator, drone laws in Indonesia (unconfirmed claims)
• Bali Regional Regulation 12 of 2025, state legal database

How do I reach the desk?

A question about a specific flight plan goes further when it includes the location, date, aircraft weight and purpose. Message WhatsApp +62 811-3941-4563 or write to bd@juaraholding.com. The desk cannot grant airspace approval. Any request here can end in a paid booking, which gives us a commercial interest. Before you agree, a written offer states any fee and the company you would contract with. See the disclaimer.