Malaysia drone rules — complete checklist
Verified against CAAM's official UAS portal (Civil Aviation Regulation 2016, Regs 140–144). Not legal advice.
Malaysia has no free "Open category" like the EU — every UAS flight needs CAAM authorisation. This tool has no legal weather minimums; it helps fill the weather section of your risk assessment, it does not replace one.
This page covers permits and applications. Asking "do I need a pilot licence" instead? That's a separate question — see Do I need a drone licence?
Pre-flight checklist
- You hold a valid CAAM authorisation for this flight (see "Which approval do I need?" below) — Malaysia has no free-fly category.
- Max altitude 400 ft AGL, unless your authorisation states otherwise.
- VLOS (Visual Line of Sight) by default — EVLOS needs Module 1 of the Remote Pilot Certificate; BVLOS needs a Special UAS Project (SUP) approval.
- Not flying in Class A/B/C/G controlled airspace or an aerodrome traffic zone without separate clearance.
- Not inside a Prohibited, Restricted, or Danger area — CAAM eAIP ENR 5.1 is the authoritative, current list (royal palaces, military training areas, firing ranges, and more — most far larger than the airport circles shown on the Map).
- Surveillance/mapping flights: 50 m minimum from people, vehicles, and structures (30 m at takeoff/landing); no flight over or within 150 m of residential/commercial/industrial/recreational areas, or gatherings of 1,000+ people.
- Not dropping or dispensing anything unless covered by an Unmanned Aerial Work Certificate (agricultural).
- UAS over 20 kg: separate authorisation under Regulation 144.
- Not inside a CGSO-restricted zone (Kawasan Larangan/Tempat Larangan — military bases, prisons, palaces, sensitive installations).
- Sabah & Sarawak: state-level authorisation required in addition to CAAM (see Resources below) — this is state law, not optional local courtesy.
- Checked current NOTAMs and CAAM advisories for temporary bans — these are issued around events, VIP movement, or emergencies and are not visible on any weather app, including this one.
Which approval do I need?
Every one of these is applied for directly with CAAM. Pick the row that matches your flight.
Authorisation to Fly
Most hobbyist and low-risk commercial flights — VLOS or EVLOS, under 400 ft, no dispensing. The one almost every pilot needs.
Remote Pilot Training Organisation Certificate
You want to run drone pilot training / issue the Remote Pilot Certificate of Competency (RCoC-B), including EVLOS or agricultural modules.
Unmanned Aerial Work Certificate
Agricultural spraying/dispensing or aerial-work surveillance — commercial or private (declaration).
Special UAS Project Approval
BVLOS, carrying dangerous goods, R&D, or any high-risk operation outside the standard ATF envelope.
Example: applying for a Standard ATF
- Download the Standard ATF form and read the official filling-in guidance first — most rejections are incomplete flight-zone info.
- Prepare your flight-zone map as a KMZ file, plus a written risk assessment covering airspace, people/property on the ground, and — this is where aiv10.my helps — expected weather for the window you're requesting.
- If your area touches a CGSO-restricted zone, or you need mapping/survey capability, get that agency's clearance before submitting to CAAM — CAAM does not chase this for a Standard ATF on your behalf.
- Email the completed form + risk assessment + KMZ to drone.atf@caam.gov.my — submit at least 14 working days before your intended flight date. Public holidays push this out; do not submit 14 calendar days out and expect it to clear.
- One approved ATF covers a 15 nautical-mile-radius location for up to 90 days — if you fly the same site repeatedly, this is one application, not one per flight.
- Keep the approval on hand during flight; CAAM or authorities may ask to see it on site.
Other agencies you may need
JUPEM
Dept. of Survey & Mapping — approval for surveillance/mapping-capability flights.
CGSO
Chief Government Security Office — clearance for restricted zones (KLTL/SP): military, prisons, palaces, sensitive sites.
Wisma Tanah & Ukur Sabah
Sabah state-level authorisation — required in addition to CAAM for flights in Sabah.
Office of the Premier of Sarawak
Sarawak state-level authorisation — required in addition to CAAM for flights in Sarawak.
MCMC
Frequency allocation — 433–435 MHz, 2400–2500 MHz, 5725–5875 MHz bands used by most RC/telemetry links.
SIRIM
Product safety standards for UAS electronics.
Penalties for flying without authorisation
Up to RM50,000 or 3 years' imprisonment for individuals; up to RM100,000 for companies, under CAR 2016. No-fly-without-ATF is enforced, not a formality.
Resources — where to go
Checked against CAAM's live UAS portal on 2026-08-18. Requirements, forms, and contacts change — always confirm on caam.gov.my before relying on anything above. This page and aiv10.my as a whole are not legal advice.