Airffic InspectionLa guía del futuro de la inspección con drones

REGULATIONS / ZA

Sudáfrica: normas de drones para inspección

Sudáfrica regula los drones bajo la Part 101 de las Civil Aviation Regulations, reescrita en gran medida por la 26.ª enmienda de marzo de 2023. Cada UA necesita un certificado de registro y una UAS Letter of Approval (12 meses), los pilotos un certificado de piloto remoto (RPC), y el trabajo comercial un certificado de operador UAS (UASOC) y seguro de responsabilidad civil. Está prohibido volar sobre personas o a menos de 50 m de una persona, y también a menos de 50 m de una estructura o edificio. La regla de la estructura se exime con permiso del propietario y protección para las personas en tierra, lo que ayuda considerablemente al trabajo de inspección. Los vuelos por encima de 400 ft, a menos de 10 km de un aeródromo o cerca de centrales nucleares, puntos clave nacionales y otros sitios sensibles requieren aprobación del Director. BVLOS y los vuelos nocturnos se aprueban caso por caso en el manual de operaciones o las especificaciones operativas del UASOC.

Verificado con fuentes oficiales

Los campos se registran en el idioma de las notas de investigación.

Autoridad南アフリカ民間航空局 (SACAA) / South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
Marco principalCivil Aviation Regulations, 2011, Part 101 – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, made under the Civil Aviation Act 13 of 2009, with technical standards in SA-CATS 101. Part 101 was largely rewritten by the Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023 (Notice No. R. 3170, GG 48228, 17 March 2023). It applies to Class 1 and 2 UAS unless the Director decides otherwise, and excludes autonomous aircraft, free balloons, aircraft that cannot be managed in real time, Part 94 aircraft, model aircraft and toys. The regulation text was read in a commercial legal-publisher reproduction (Acts Online), not the Government Gazette itself.
RegistroA UA may not be operated in South Africa without a certificate of registration and registration mark issued by the Director (101.02.4). The mark format is set in SA-CATS 101. Ownership transfers must be notified within 30 days. Each UAS also needs a UAS Letter of Approval (UASLA, 101.02.1), valid 12 months. Whether lighter or private-use aircraft are exempt depends on the Class 1/2 definitions in SA-CATS, which were not read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Remote IDNo Remote ID provision was found in the regulations read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Licencia de pilotoUnder the 2023 text the pilot must carry a valid remote pilot certificate (RPC), a copy of the UA operator's certificate (UASOC) and its operations specifications, a registration certificate for each UA, the operator's liability insurance certificate and the user manuals (101.05.10(1)). Operation types are commercial, corporate, non-profit or private.
Categorías de riesgoClass 1 and 2 UAS as defined in the regulations and SA-CATS 101, combined with operation types (commercial, corporate, non-profit, private). There is no EU-style Open/Specific scheme. The class definitions were not read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
BVLOSBVLOS is prohibited unless the Director approves it in a UASOC holder's operations manual, which requires meeting SA-CATS 101. Approved BVLOS must stay in VMC and below 400 ft above the surface unless otherwise approved (101.05.11).
Nocturno y sobre personasNight flight is allowed only in R-VLOS operation or with Director approval for a UASOC holder, recorded on the OpSpec and compliant with SA-CATS 101. Night operations in controlled airspace need separate approval (101.05.12). No flight directly over people or within 50 m laterally of any person, except with a UASOC and Director approval, or for the operator's own crew with adequate safety provisions (101.05.13).
Cerca de estructurasNo flight within 50 m laterally of any structure or building (101.05.14) unless the operator holds a UASOC with Director approval, or has the owner's permission and takes measures to protect people on the ground. Owner permission therefore opens close-in structure inspection. Unless the Director authorises otherwise: no flight above 400 ft, within 10 km of an aerodrome reference point, in restricted or prohibited airspace, or next to or above a nuclear power plant, prison, police station, crime scene, court, national key point or strategic installation (101.05.10(3)). National key points and strategic installations can include major power and industrial sites.
Interior y confinadoThe applicability rule does not mention indoor operations (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Imágenes y privacidadProtection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Cambios recientesThe Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations (17 March 2023) substituted most of Part 101, bringing in UASLA, UASOC, RPC terminology and the current distance and night rules. Amendments in 2024-2026 were not checked (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)

Si el mismo vuelo incluye también filmación, la guía Aerial trata normas y fuentes para filmar con drones en Sudáfrica.

Para normas de reparto en otros lugares de África, consulte normas de reparto con drones y fuentes primarias en Kenia en la guía de Logística.

Fuentes

Fuentes comprobadas: 2026-10-22