REGULATIONS / KR
Südkorea: Drohnenregeln für die Inspektion
Südkorea regelt Drohnen als Ultraleichtfahrzeuge nach dem Aviation Safety Act. Gewerblich genutzte Drohnen müssen unabhängig vom Gewicht gemeldet oder registriert werden, und nicht gewerbliche Drohnen über 2 kg sind ebenfalls erfasst. Pilotenzeugnisse sind nach Gewicht gestuft, von Klasse 4 (über 250 g bis 2 kg, Online-Kurs) bis Klasse 1 (25–150 kg). Nacht- und BVLOS-Flüge brauchen eine Sonderfluggenehmigung mit KIAST-Dokument und Prüfung vor Ort, einer Standardbearbeitungszeit von 30 Tagen und Versicherungspflicht. Der Großteil des Hauptstadtraums Seoul ist Verbots- oder Beschränkungsluftraum mit vorheriger Genehmigungspflicht. Eine gesonderte Luftbildgenehmigung ist nicht mehr Pflicht, doch das Filmen von Sicherheitseinrichtungen ist strafbar.
Gegen amtliche Quellen geprüft
Die Felder sind in der Sprache der Forschungsnotizen erfasst.
| Behörde | 国土交通部 (MOLIT)、韓国交通安全公団 (TS)、航空安全技術院 (KIAST) / Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT); Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS); Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology (KIAST, safety inspections for special flight approval) |
| Hauptrahmen | Aviation Safety Act (항공안전법), Articles 122-131-2 on ultra-light vehicles, which include unmanned powered flying devices, together with its Enforcement Rules. The English statute listing reviewed is the version promulgated on 19 March 2024, but it showed article headings only, not their text. The Drone Utilization Promotion Act (2020) was not reviewed (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). |
| Registrierung | Drones used for business must be reported or registered whatever their weight (processing takes about 7 days). Non-business drones of 2 kg or less are exempt. Applications go through the Drone One-Stop portal (drone.onestop.go.kr). The over-2 kg threshold for non-business drones comes from the general rule and was not read in the statute itself (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). |
| Remote ID | No Remote ID mandate was found in the sources reviewed (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). |
| Pilotenlizenzen | Pilot certificates for unmanned multicopters are graded by maximum take-off weight. Class 4 covers over 250 g to 2 kg and is earned through an online course and test. Class 3 covers over 2 kg to 7 kg (6 h of flight experience), Class 2 over 7 kg to 25 kg (10 h), and Class 1 over 25 kg to 150 kg (20 h). No certificate is needed at 250 g or less. Flying without the required certificate can bring a fine of up to KRW 3 million. Source: a Seoul city article from 2022; the start date of 12 March 2021 was not checked (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). |
| Risikokategorien | Certificates are graded by weight, as above. Flight approval is needed in controlled, prohibited and restricted airspace, above 150 m, and for unmanned powered vehicles over 25 kg. |
| BVLOS | Night and BVLOS flights need special flight approval (특별비행승인) under Aviation Safety Act Article 129(5). Applications go through the Drone One-Stop portal. KIAST reviews the documents and the flight route against airspace, may inspect on site (drone, route, hazards, monitoring, observer communication, emergency procedures such as lost link, collision avoidance), and then approval is issued. Applicants need a pilot certificate, commercial insurance, safety certification for UAVs over 25 kg, a UAV fact sheet and a flight plan. The standard processing time is 30 days. In 2019-2022, 1,744 applications led to 1,402 approvals, about 6% of them for facility inspection. |
| Nacht & über Menschen | Under the general operator rules: no flights at night (sunset to sunrise) without special flight approval; no flying over crowds; no flying under the influence of alcohol; no dropping objects. |
| Nahe an Bauwerken | Seoul and the surrounding capital area lie within prohibited and restricted airspace (including P-73), so flights there need prior approval through the Drone One-Stop portal, applied for 3-5 days ahead. Unapproved flights can be fined up to KRW 5 million (Aviation Safety Act Art. 161). A separate aerial photography permit is no longer mandatory, but filming restricted or security facilities is punishable in any case. Applying in advance is still advised, to find out whether a site contains a restricted facility. No specific rule on power lines or railways was found (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). |
| Innen & enge Räume | (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22) |
| Aufnahmen & Datenschutz | Personal Information Protection Act; filming restricted facilities is prohibited (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22, apart from the facility-filming point, which comes from the Seoul city guidance). |
| Jüngste Änderungen | The Seoul city guidance (updated April 2026) says a separate aerial photography permit is no longer mandatory, though filming restricted facilities remains punishable. When this changed was not checked. Other changes in 2024-2026 were not checked (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). |
Wenn derselbe Flug auch Filmaufnahmen umfasst, behandelt der Aerial-Leitfaden Regeln und Quellen für Drohnenaufnahmen in Südkorea.
Quellen
- 드론 비행 안내 (Drone flight guidance) – Seoul Metropolitan Government, Spatial Information DivisionVolltext gelesen
- 지금은 드론시대! 교육 듣고 자격증까지 챙기세요 (citizen-reporter article on pilot certificate classes, 2022)Volltext gelesen
- ROK – Introduction of UAV special flight authorization system (ICAO APAC UAS/RPAS webinar 2023)Volltext gelesen
- Aviation Safety Act – statute contents listing (English)Zusammenfassung gelesen
Quellen geprüft: 2026-10-22