Drone Flight Approval in Sri Lanka: The Official Process

Approval to fly a drone in Sri Lanka is built from several pieces: registration of the aircraft, a defence security clearance, permissions from authorities that control specific locations, and finally the CAASL operation approval that ties it together. Missing any piece means the operation is not approved, even if the others are in place.

The security clearance comes from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and is described by CAASL as mandatory. The request is submitted by email using CAASL's sample request letter, at least five days before the planned operation. The clearance covers who is flying, what equipment is used, and where and when the operation takes place, so accurate locations and dates matter.

In parallel with the MOD request, obtain no-objection letters from authorities that control the intended locations. CAASL's guidance names two common cases: operations over archaeologically important sites require a no-objection from the Department of Archaeology, and operations over conservation areas such as forests, national parks and nature reserves require no-objection letters from the Department of Wildlife Conservation or the Forest Department.

The approval request itself is made to CAASL on form CAA/AS/017, submitted at least two working days before the operation, together with the MOD letter and an insurance cover at least covering third-party damage. If any planned location falls within restricted or prohibited areas, the GPS coordinates of those locations are sent with the form.

Payment can be made in person or online; CAASL contacts the applicant by email with payment details before issuing the approval, and online payments carry a bank convenience fee. Once payment is complete, the approval letter is collected in person or sent by email for online payments. The CAASL drone portal indicates that requests are reviewed and answered within ten working days, so realistic lead time planning matters, especially for travel itineraries.

Check every planned location against the CAASL Drone Zone Map and the Department of Archaeology map before applying, so the application matches what the maps allow. Request time windows generous enough to absorb weather delays. Keep the approval, registration and insurance documents accessible during the operation, and follow the altitude and area conditions in the approval exactly.