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Standard permits 7–14 working days · KKOP zones 30–45

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Commercial drone filming permits

Three written approvals as a minimum — DGCA/DKPPU, AirNav Indonesia and the local government or banjar. 10–21 working days for most commercial shoots in Bali.

Camera operator filming at sunset
3+
Written approvals, minimum
10–14
Working days · outside KKOP
30–45
Days · KKOP, ports, multi-zone
400ft
Ceiling before DGCA consent

Sponsored or monetised content is commercial use. A venue's house rules do not replace an aviation permit.

  • Chain: DGCA/DKPPU, AirNav Indonesia, airport authority, and SMS-FSC where required
  • Legal basis: PM 37/2020, with PM 180/2015 jo. PM 47/2016 setting the 14-working-day guideline
  • Written consent needed inside KKOP, in controlled airspace, or above 400 ft
  • Every flight is operated by a licensed AOC operator — we file, we do not fly
  • Permit packs carry location maps, flight profiles, risk assessments and consent letters
  • FPV, cinewhoop, standard GPS aircraft and mixed-format campaigns all supported

What the permit covers

Formats that change the application

A static aerial and a cinewhoop run through a hotel atrium are the same permit chain with very different safety narratives. These are the briefs that need the narrative written before filing.

  • TV, ads and branded content

    The standard chain, with a paper trail broadcasters and agencies can archive alongside releases.

  • FPV near cliffs

    Proximity flying and dynamic chasing need the risk narrative spelled out in detail.

  • Cinewhoop indoors

    Building-owner consent, evacuation pathways and a crowd-management plan on top of the permit.

  • Influencer content

    Sponsored low-altitude flights through villas and beach clubs still count as commercial use.

  • Marine and boat work

    Chase paths, ditching zones and coordination with skippers or water-safety teams.

  • Ridge and inland locations

    Often uncontrolled airspace, but PM 37/2020 still governs anything above 400 ft.

Controlled airspace versus uncontrolled

  • Where

    Controlled / KKOP
    Within ~15 km of Ngurah Rai
    Uncontrolled
    Ridges, North Bali, inland
  • Lead time

    Controlled / KKOP
    30–45 days
    Uncontrolled
    10–14 working days
  • Airport sign-off

    Controlled / KKOP
    Required
    Uncontrolled
    Not required
  • Altitude trigger

    Controlled / KKOP
    Any altitude
    Uncontrolled
    Above 400 ft
  • Community consent

    Controlled / KKOP
    Banjar plus venue
    Uncontrolled
    Banjar or desa adat

Ranges are indicative and dated August 2026. Every location is mapped against aeronautical charts, NOTAMs and local restrictions before anything is filed — the boundary is not a circle drawn on a tourist map.

The approvals that are not aviation

The Ministry of Transportation expects an operator to hold aviation approval and local government permission for the area of operation. In Bali that regularly means banjar or desa adat approval — especially where ceremonies, temples or village areas are in frame, or where the noise of take-off carries.

Cliff venues on the Bukit and operational harbour zones expect layered permission: banjar or desa adat, venue management, and the port authority where relevant. These documents show the community was informed and is aligned with the schedule.

Community agreement matters even where altitude and distance never trigger a DGCA approval. Broadcasters, streaming platforms and brand-safety audits routinely ask for written local consent before they clear a delivery.

Balinese temple on a forested cliff

Where the coverage reaches

Three things worth knowing before you scope a campaign.

  • Coastal, mountain, hotel, port

    Locations across Bali and the nearby islands, including marinas and yacht work.

  • Large activations

    Live shows and big audiences run a chain closer to a drone show — DGCA exemptions, AirNav risk assessment, NOTAM and FSC.

  • Quote-based, per storyboard

    Bands move with flight days, aircraft type, risk level and the number of separate locations.

Questions from agencies

Send the storyboard, not just the dates

Shot list, locations and schedule. We map the permit pathway against the airspace and come back with lead time and a quote.