Drones in Central Asia - rules Q&A

[Chico]

According to the civil aviation agency of Uzbekistan (https://www.uzcaa.uz/en/drones), there should be a simplified procedure for tourists for issuing drone permits for Uzbekistan. Does anyone have experience with this?

[guy.brush]

Summer 2021: We were asked at the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border if we had a drone on us. Drones forbidden signs everywhere at the border crossing.
They searched us, but did not search very thoroughly, though. Pretty sure you could hide a small one away, but if thats advisable...?
I left my drone in Kyrgyzstan and picked it back up when I returned from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan.
No experience with getting a permit.

[AmazingWorldBikeTour]

- Kyrgyzstan: Allowed
- Tajikistan: Banned

Are you sure about this? We will cycle the Stans starting from May over the summer. Currently we try this new process for Uzbekistan. If we get any results, we will let you know.

Kazakhstan seems to be fine, but still unsure about Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. There is a lot of conflicting information in the internet. Anybody?

[Christian77]

Drones are 100% illegal in Tajikistan, unless registered with the government (for wedding, commercial or promotional videos produced by local companies). But 100% you can find many drone videos by tourists (local and foreign). Tajikistan has many laws that law enforcement officers are unaware of. This is one of them.

What this means is that they are not actively checking for drones in baggage. But, in classic Tajikistan style, they leave you in the position where they can confiscate your drone and fine you if they want. Fine amount is negotiable, and the pain of your drone being confiscated depends on how expensive it is.

Law enforcement in Tajikistan is unpredictable, arbitrary, capricious, clueless, absent, over bearing, etc... You will get no exact answers.

[arsenal4mylife]

Thanks Cristian

Anyone have recent experience of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan? I know Central Asia likes to keep the answer open but still want to know more

[steven]

Thanks Cristian

Anyone have recent experience of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan? I know Central Asia likes to keep the answer open but still want to know more

https://caravanistan.com/planning/drones/ has summary of all posts on the subject on this forum so far.

[arsenal4mylife]

I didn’t risk it. But I don’t see poster of drone banning in Tashkent intl airport arrival or nukus airport arrival, perhaps (big if) they are more chilled of it now.

[filling.white.spots]

- Kyrgyzstan: Allowed
- Tajikistan: Banned

Are you sure about this? We will cycle the Stans starting from May over the summer. Currently we try this new process for Uzbekistan. If we get any results, we will let you know.

Kazakhstan seems to be fine, but still unsure about Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. There is a lot of conflicting information in the internet. Anybody?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour: did you get any further with the process?
We found, that you can register at https://bla.uzcaa.uz/ and send an application. Just not sure if that is a very wise or a very bad idea...

[AmazingWorldBikeTour]

@AmazingWorldBikeTour: did you get any further with the process?
We found, that you can register at https://bla.uzcaa.uz/ and send an application. Just not sure if that is a very wise or a very bad idea...

No, unfortunately not. We tried the process through that homepage, but we never received any answer. I checked months later, but it was still under review in the first step of 3.
As we ended up flying in from the Emirates we left our drone there (it is now stuck in Abu Dhabi, as DHL will not transport a drone...).

[filling.white.spots]

@AmazingWorldBikeTour: did you get any further with the process?
We found, that you can register at https://bla.uzcaa.uz/ and send an application. Just not sure if that is a very wise or a very bad idea...

No, unfortunately not. We tried the process through that homepage, but we never received any answer. I checked months later, but it was still under review in the first step of 3.
As we ended up flying in from the Emirates we left our drone there (it is now stuck in Abu Dhabi, as DHL will not transport a drone...).

Sorry to hear, that it is stuck now. Hope you will find a solution.
And thanks for your reply. We decided in the end not to apply as well. We hid the drone well and where not searched badly at the border anyway.