Updated
You cannot fly a drone in Bwindi, Mgahinga or any other Ugandan national park as a tourist without written permission from both the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and that permission is rarely given for holiday filming. Drones can also be held by customs at Entebbe if you arrive without clearance. For most gorilla trekkers the honest advice is to leave the drone at home. Here is why, and what the rules are.
The rules in short
Uganda regulates all drones, including small recreational ones, through UCAA, which requires them to be registered and flights to be authorised. Flying inside a national park or wildlife reserve also needs UWA’s written permission, which is normally linked to approved filming or research and comes with fees and conditions. Without both, flying a drone in a park can lead to confiscation of the equipment and possible prosecution. Security-sensitive areas, airports and military sites are off limits altogether.
Why drones and gorillas don’t mix
Gorillas live in family groups that rangers work hard to keep calm. The buzz of rotors overhead can be read as a threat, causing silverbacks to charge or groups to scatter, and stress may affect feeding and health. In Bwindi the canopy is so dense that a drone would see little of the gorillas anyway, while the risk of a crash in the forest is high. Elsewhere, drones can disturb nesting birds and herds in savannah parks such as Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls.
Bringing a drone into Uganda
Travellers have reported drones being held at Entebbe customs when they could not show UCAA authorisation, to be collected on departure or after paperwork. If you must bring one, for example for work outside the parks, apply to UCAA well before travel and carry printed approvals; read our Entebbe Airport guide for what to expect on arrival. Professional crews arrange permits months in advance through local fixers; see how professional crews film gorillas.
Better ways to capture the landscape
You can still come home with superb images without flying. A telephoto lens is the most useful tool on a gorilla trek; see our telephoto lens guide and camera settings for Bwindi. Viewpoints such as the Nkuringo ridge, the hills above Lake Bunyonyi and the top of Murchison Falls give elevated views no drone permit is needed for, and our guide to the best photography spots in Uganda lists more. Choosing a camera? Read best camera for gorilla trekking, and check the photography rules on a gorilla trek before your trek.
Frequently asked questions
Not without written permission from both UCAA and UWA, which is rarely granted for tourist filming.
Yes. UCAA regulates all drones and requires registration and flight authorisation.
Drones without UCAA clearance have been held at the airport, so apply before travelling or leave it at home.
Equipment can be confiscated and operators can face prosecution.
