Airffic InspectionLe guide d’avenir de l’inspection par drone

REGULATIONS / ZA

Afrique du Sud: règles applicables aux drones d’inspection

L’Afrique du Sud réglemente les drones par la partie 101 des Civil Aviation Regulations, largement réécrite par le 26e amendement de mars 2023. Chaque UA doit disposer d’un certificat d’immatriculation et d’une UAS Letter of Approval (12 mois), les télépilotes d’un remote pilot certificate (RPC), et le travail commercial exige un UAS operator certificate (UASOC) et une assurance responsabilité civile. Le survol de personnes ou le vol à moins de 50 m d’une personne est interdit, tout comme le vol à moins de 50 m d’une structure ou d’un bâtiment. La règle relative aux structures est levée avec l’autorisation du propriétaire et une protection des personnes au sol, ce qui aide considérablement les travaux d’inspection. Les vols au-delà de 400 ft, à moins de 10 km d’un aérodrome ou près des centrales nucléaires, des points clés nationaux et d’autres sites sensibles nécessitent l’approbation du directeur. Les vols hors vue et de nuit sont approuvés au cas par cas dans le manuel d’exploitation ou les spécifications d’exploitation de l’UASOC.

Vérifié auprès des sources officielles

Les champs sont consignés dans la langue des notes de recherche.

Autorité南アフリカ民間航空局 (SACAA) / South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
Cadre 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.
ImmatriculationA 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)
Identification à distanceNo Remote ID provision was found in the regulations read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Licence de télépiloteUnder 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.
Catégories de risqueClass 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).
Nuit et survol de personnesNight 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).
Près des ouvragesNo 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.
Intérieur et confinéThe applicability rule does not mention indoor operations (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Images et vie privéeProtection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Changements récentsThe 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 le même vol comporte aussi du tournage, le guide Aerial couvre règles et sources pour filmer par drone en Afrique du Sud.

Pour les règles de livraison ailleurs en Afrique, voir les règles de livraison par drone et les sources primaires au Kenya dans le guide Logistics.

Sources

Sources vérifiées: 2026-10-22