REGULATIONS / SA
Saudi Arabia: drone rules for inspection
Saudi Arabia regulates non-recreational small drones (under 25 kg) under GACAR Part 107 and registration under Part 48. Drones of 250 g or more must be registered, and so must any drone, whatever its weight, carrying a sensor that can capture personal or survey data, which covers almost all inspection drones. Pilots need a remote pilot certificate that includes a security check, and operators need a Certificate of Authorization. Standard rules require VLOS, daylight only and ≤400 ft AGL, but within 400 ft of a structure flight up to 400 ft above its top is allowed. AC 107-01 (June 2025) routes night, over-people, BVLOS and near-structure 'advanced operations' through risk-assessed authorizations (OA/UOC, SORA accepted).
Checked against official sources
Fields are recorded in the language of the research notes.
| Authority | サウジアラビア民間航空総局 (GACA) / General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia |
| Main framework | GACAR Part 107 (non-recreational civil small unmanned aircraft systems, version 3.0; no issue date shown), GACAR Part 48 (registration and marking of small UA and model aircraft, version 3.0), and Advisory Circular AC 107-01 'Advanced Operations with UAS' (version 1.0, 3 June 2025). AC 107-01 sets out an Open/Specific-style approach. An older 2016 AC 101-01 under GACAR Part 101 Subpart F belongs to the previous case-by-case regime. |
| Registration | Under GACAR Part 48, model aircraft and small UA of 250 g MTOW or more must be registered and marked. So must any aircraft, whatever its weight, carrying a sensor able to capture personal data or survey/geospatial information, which covers almost every inspection drone. Only Saudi citizens and lawful residents may register. Certificates are issued only after GACA Aviation Security clearance, are valid for 3 years, and the aircraft must show its registration number. |
| Remote ID | Neither Part 107 nor Part 48 addresses Remote ID. AC 107-01 lists operations in UTM-designated airspace as advanced operations (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22) |
| Pilot licensing | Anyone acting as remote pilot in command needs a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating (Part 107.13). Requirements: age 18 or over, clearance by the GACA Aviation Security Division, English ability, knowledge and practical tests, and recurrent knowledge every 24 months. Commercial operators also need a Certificate of Authorization (Part 107.17). For advanced operations (night, over people, BVLOS beyond 1 km, dangerous goods), pilots need extra practical training certificates (AC 107-01). |
| Risk categories | Small UA under 25 kg follow the standard Part 107 limits (an Open-like category). Advanced operations fall into a Specific category under Part 107 Subpart D. They need either an Operational Authorization (one-time or short-term) or a UAS Operator Certificate (longer-term, up to 3 years), backed by an operational risk assessment (SORA is accepted) and an operations manual. UA of 25-150 kg need an OA or UOC, and UA over 150 kg cannot use the Specific category. |
| BVLOS | BVLOS is an advanced operation. It needs an OA or UOC with a strong safety case and ATC approval for segregated airspace, a visual observer for FPV, insurance, and pilot training certificates for BVLOS beyond 1 km (AC 107-01). |
| Night & over people | The standard Part 107 rules ban night flight, require anti-collision lights in civil twilight, and allow flight over people only if they are taking part or are under cover or inside a stationary vehicle. Night and over-people operations can be authorised by waiver or as advanced operations (OA/UOC). AC 107-01 calls a flight termination parachute a very effective mitigation over people. |
| Near structures | The limit is 400 ft AGL, except within a 400 ft radius of a structure, where flight up to 400 ft above its top is allowed (Part 107.59), which helps tower and tall-structure inspection. VLOS is required, with visibility of at least 5 km. ATC authorisation is needed in Class B/C/D airspace and airport surface areas, and permission in prohibited and restricted areas. AC 107-01 treats operations close to buildings or structures where people are present as hazardous advanced operations, and non-shielded operations near uncontrolled aerodromes need agreement with the aerodrome operator. |
| Indoor & confined | (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22) |
| Imaging & privacy | Registration is required for any drone with a sensor able to capture personal data or survey/geospatial information (Part 48). The Personal Data Protection Law (in force September 2023) applies (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22) |
| Recent changes | AC 107-01 (3 June 2025) set up an advanced-operations route (Specific category, OA/UOC, SORA-based risk assessment, up to 150 kg). The issue dates of GACAR Part 107 and Part 48 version 3.0 were not shown in the documents (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22) |
Sources
- GACAR Part 107 – Non-recreational civil small unmanned aircraft systems (version 3.0)Full text read
- GACAR Part 48 – Registration and marking (version 3.0)Full text read
- GACA AC 107-01 – Advanced Operations with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (3 June 2025)Full text read
- AC 101-01 – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (2016, earlier regime)Full text read
Sources checked: 2026-10-22