Module 2/5 · Weeks 4–6 · 27 h

Permissions

DRT 343 Regulations, Safety, Risk Management and Ethics for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

About 90 minDraft, awaiting reviewLast updated 26 September 2026

By the end of this module you will be able to

Summarise the general flight conditions of the 2015 Ministry of Transport notification
Explain pilot registration and its validity
Explain the Specific Category path from training to per-flight permission
Calculate expiry and renewal deadlines for registrations and privileges
Check airspace in the eAIP and no-fly notifications, and calculate distance from coordinates

Prerequisites: DRT 343 module 1

Why this matters

A skilled pilot who files incomplete documents, or does not know the site is in a restricted area, either cannot fly or flies illegally. Paperwork and airspace checks are part of professionalism, not clerical work to do afterwards.

It is like travelling abroad: you need an unexpired passport (pilot registration), a visa for the right purpose (privilege and permission), and to know which areas are off-limits (airspace).

General conditions under the 2015 notification

Clause 5 sets the conditions for hobby drones up to 2 kg. Clause 9 applies the same conditions to registered pilots, with some extra duties, and clause 13 applies clause 9 to other purposes mutatis mutandis. The main in-flight conditions are:

Condition	Content
Visual contact	The pilot must see the aircraft at all times; flying only through an onboard camera is prohibited
Time	Only between sunrise and sunset; do not fly near or into cloud
Height	Not above 90 m (300 ft) above ground
Aerodromes	No flying within 9 km (5 NM) of an aerodrome or temporary landing site unless the aerodrome operator permits
Areas	No entry into prohibited, restricted or danger areas published in the AIP, and no flying over government premises or hospitals, without permission
Communities	No flying over cities, villages, communities or gatherings of people
Separation	At least 30 m horizontally from people, vehicles, structures and buildings under clause 5, and 50 m for registered pilots under clause 9
Other	Do not approach crewed aircraft, violate privacy or cause nuisance; no dangerous goods or laser devices

Side view: the drone flies below the dashed 90 m height line, 50 m from a person on the ground, and at least 9 km from an aerodrome, not to scale — Figure 1 Key limits for registered pilots under the 2015 notification

Before flight, check the aircraft is airworthy, obtain the landowner’s permission, study the area and airspace, and have an emergency plan. Registered pilots have extra duties: maintain the aircraft per the manufacturer’s manual, know air-traffic rules, carry the registration document and a fire extinguisher, hold third-party liability insurance of at least 1 million baht per occurrence, and report any accident to the competent official without delay.

Pilot registration

Pilots register through CAAT’s UAS Portal, which includes an online knowledge exam (E-Exam). According to CAAT’s service guide, a candidate who fails may retake it after 24 hours. Registration under the 2015 notification is valid for 2 years, and renewal must be filed at least 30 days before expiry.

The Specific Category path

Operations that depart from the general conditions, such as night flight, flight above 90 m or closer to people than allowed, follow the 2026 CAAT notification. It has three main parts: the pilot’s privilege, aircraft registration and per-flight permission.

Five steps: register as pilot with the E-Exam, complete a CAAT-certified training course, obtain a privilege valid 4 years, register the aircraft, and apply for each flight. Below are the four privilege types, the mark format XX-NN-NN-NNNN, and third-party insurance of at least 1 million baht per occurrence — Figure 2 The Specific Category path under the 2026 CAAT notification

Part	Content of the notification
Pilot requirements (clause 5)	Registered under the 2015 notification, passed a Specific Category course from a CAAT-certified training centre, and holding a privilege
Privileges (clauses 6–12)	Four types: Rotorcraft (including multirotor and helicopter), Aeroplane, Powered lift and Lighter-than-air. A first application needs training completed within the past year. Valid 4 years from the recording date. Renewal must be filed at least 30 days before expiry with a skills assessment from a certified centre within 6 months. Holders must not use psychoactive substances
Aircraft registration (clauses 13–19)	Required before any Specific flight. Mark format XX-NN-NN-NNNN, on the main body, visible to the naked eye, characters taller than 0.3 cm in a contrasting colour. Registration ends on transfer, damage beyond use, loss for over 60 days, use in an offence, or death of the registrant
Per-flight permission (clauses 20–22)	Apply before every flight, stating purpose, date and time, area and coordinates, registration mark, procedures and flight profile, pilot names, and third-party insurance of at least 1 million baht per occurrence. CAAT may request an operations manual, a risk-management manual, extra measures or a demonstration flight, and may permit per flight or for a period

Transitional provisions: permissions granted under the old clause 17 remain valid until they expire. For already-registered pilots, amendment No. 2 (June 2026) extended the transitional provisions to pilots registered up to 1 March 2027. Read the notification for the detailed conditions.

Example 1 Planning a renewal calendar

A privilege was recorded on 1 July 2026.

Valid 4 years from recording: it expires on 30 June 2030
Renewal must be filed at least 30 days before expiry: by 31 May 2030
The skills assessment must be within 6 months before filing; if filing on 31 May 2030, the assessment must be no earlier than 30 November 2029

A pilot registration issued on 1 October 2026 is valid 2 years, expiring 30 September 2028, with renewal due by 31 August 2028. Put all these dates in the organisation’s calendar, because registrations and privileges do not expire together.

Checking airspace

The eAIP and restricted areas

Thailand’s Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) is published electronically (eAIP) at aip.caat.or.th and updated on the AIRAC cycle. Section ENR 5.1 lists prohibited (VTP), restricted (VTR) and danger (VTD) areas. Open the edition in force on the day of flight; on the date checked it was AIRAC AMDT 09/26 (effective 3 September 2026).

A key example is VTR1 BANGKOK CITY: a circle of 10 NM radius around 13°45′54″N 100°32′18″E, from ground to 3,000 ft, active 24 hours. Only aircraft authorised by CAAT or under air traffic control may enter.

No-fly areas from specific notifications

Beyond the AIP, CAAT issues topic-specific notifications. Notification No. 16 (June 2026) bans flights in listed districts of 7 provinces along the Thai–Cambodian border: Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Buri Ram, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat. It has exceptions such as agriculture and disaster relief, and requires every flight to be approved through the UAS Portal first. Notifications like this change with circumstances; check the latest before every flight.

Distance from coordinates

The great-circle distance between two points is given by the haversine formula, with latitude $φ$ , longitude $λ$ and $R \approx 6371$ km:

d = 2 R arcsin sin^{2} \frac{Δ φ}{2} + cos φ_{1} cos φ_{2} sin^{2} \frac{Δ λ}{2}

Example 2 Is the site inside VTR1?

The flight site is at 13°50′00″N 100°40′00″E.

VTR1 radius $= 10 \times 1.852 = 18.52$ km
Convert the centre to decimal degrees: 13.7650°N 100.5383°E; the site is 13.8333°N 100.6667°E
The haversine formula gives $d \approx 15.8$ km
$15.8 < 18.52$ , so the site is inside VTR1 and needs CAAT authorisation first

Example 3 Distance from an aerodrome (hypothetical data)

A hypothetical aerodrome is at 14.0000°N 100.5000°E and the site at 14.0500°N 100.5400°E.

The distance is $d \approx 7.0$ km, less than 9 km, so the aerodrome operator’s permission is required under the general conditions. A 2018 CAAT notification sets out who decides within this distance, such as the aerodrome operator, or under a civil–military agreement for shared aerodromes.

Radio frequencies

Radio equipment on the drone and controller is regulated by NBTC, which is separate from CAAT registration. Check the current NBTC notifications on frequency bands and registration. In 2026 NBTC held public hearings on several new draft notifications, which were still drafts on the date checked.

Class activity

Activity: Preparing a per-flight application pack

Use the knowledge units “Checking conditions before applying to operate” and “Preparing data before registration” from the drone knowledge hub.

The instructor sets a hypothetical mission requiring night flight over a construction site.
Check the current eAIP for VTP, VTR or VTD areas and calculate the distance to the nearest aerodrome.
Draft every item required by clause 21, noting whether the evidence exists or is missing.
Build an expiry calendar for the team’s registrations and privileges.

Do not enter real data into CAAT systems during the exercise.

Common mistakes

Watch out

Confusing the privilege with pilot registration; they have different validity (4 years versus 2 years)
Filing a renewal on the last day when it must be at least 30 days ahead
Relying on a green map app instead of the eAIP; app colours are not permission
Forgetting temporary no-fly notices, such as the border areas
Putting the registration mark on the battery or a removable part instead of the main body

Summary

General conditions: keep visual contact, fly in daylight, stay below 90 m, 9 km from aerodromes, not over communities, 30 m from people and buildings (50 m for registered pilots)
Pilot registration under the 2015 notification is valid 2 years and includes an E-Exam
Specific Category needs a privilege (valid 4 years), aircraft registration and per-flight permission with insurance of at least 1 million baht per occurrence
Always check the eAIP in force and any specific no-fly notices
Distances from coordinates use the haversine formula, and 1 NM = 1.852 km

Check your understanding

What is the minimum horizontal distance from people for a pilot registered under clause 9?
A privilege is recorded on 15 January 2027. When does it expire, and by when must renewal be filed?
List four items that a Specific Category per-flight application must state.
What is the radius of VTR1 in kilometres?
The site is 8.2 km from an aerodrome. What must be done under the general conditions?

Answers

50 m
It expires on 14 January 2031; renewal must be filed by 15 December 2030
For example: purpose, date, time, area and coordinates, aircraft registration mark, procedures and flight profile, pilot names, and third-party insurance of at least 1 million baht per occurrence
$10 \times 1.852 = 18.52$ km
It is within 9 km, so the aerodrome operator’s permission is needed first

Key formulas

Great-circle distance (haversine)	$d = 2 R arcsin sin^{2} \frac{Δ φ}{2} + cos φ_{1} cos φ_{2} sin^{2} \frac{Δ λ}{2}$
Nautical mile	$1 NM = 1.852 km$

Key references

กระทรวงคมนาคม. (2558). ประกาศกระทรวงคมนาคม เรื่อง หลักเกณฑ์การขออนุญาตและเงื่อนไขในการบังคับหรือปล่อยอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบิน ประเภทอากาศยานที่ควบคุมการบินจากภายนอก พ.ศ. 2558. ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, 132(86 ง), 6–12. link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2569). ประกาศ กพท. เรื่อง หลักเกณฑ์และวิธีการในการอนุญาตให้ผู้บังคับหรือปล่อยอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบิน ประเภทอากาศยานที่ควบคุมการบินจากภายนอก ที่มีน้ำหนักไม่เกิน 25 กิโลกรัม ปฏิบัติแตกต่างไปจากเงื่อนไขที่กำหนด พ.ศ. 2569 (มีผล 17 พฤษภาคม 2569). link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2569). ประกาศ กพท. เรื่อง หลักเกณฑ์และวิธีการในการอนุญาตให้ผู้บังคับหรือปล่อยอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบิน ประเภทอากาศยานที่ควบคุมการบินจากภายนอก ที่มีน้ำหนักไม่เกิน 25 กิโลกรัม ปฏิบัติแตกต่างไปจากเงื่อนไขที่กำหนด (ฉบับที่ 2) พ.ศ. 2569. link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2569). ประกาศ กพท. เรื่อง หลักเกณฑ์และวิธีการรับรองศูนย์ฝึกอบรมและหลักสูตรฝึกอบรมผู้บังคับหรือปล่อยอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบิน ประเภทอากาศยานที่ควบคุมการบินจากภายนอก พ.ศ. 2569. link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2568). แนวทางการขอรับบริการสำหรับผู้รับบริการ UAS. link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2026). Aeronautical information publication Thailand (eAIP), ENR 5.1 Prohibited, restricted and danger areas (AIRAC AMDT 09/26). link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2561). ประกาศ กพท. เรื่อง แนวทางในการพิจารณาอนุญาตให้บังคับหรือปล่อยอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบินภายในระยะเก้ากิโลเมตรจากสนามบิน พ.ศ. 2561. link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2569). ประกาศ กพท. เรื่อง ห้ามบังคับหรือปล่อยอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบินในพื้นที่ที่อาจกระทบต่อความมั่นคง (สถานการณ์ชายแดนไทย–กัมพูชา) (ฉบับที่ 16) พ.ศ. 2569. link
สำนักงานการบินพลเรือนแห่งประเทศไทย. (2565). รูปแบบคู่มือปฏิบัติการบินของอากาศยานซึ่งไม่มีนักบิน (CAAT-GM-UAS-001, Issue 01 Rev 00). link

In class / field

Lecture, case discussion and in-class problem solving

Learning evidence: Quiz results and submitted exercises

Module quiz

This is a formative self-check, not a graded exam

Knowledge domain: Law, safety and risk

Permissions

By the end of this module you will be able to

Why this matters

General conditions under the 2015 notification

Pilot registration

The Specific Category path

Checking airspace

The eAIP and restricted areas

No-fly areas from specific notifications

Distance from coordinates

Radio frequencies

Class activity

Common mistakes

Summary

Check your understanding

Key formulas

Key references

Further reading

Checking conditions before applying to operate

Preparing information before registration

In class / field

Module quiz

Permissions

Lesson

By the end of this module you will be able to

Why this matters

General conditions under the 2015 notification

Pilot registration

The Specific Category path

Checking airspace

The eAIP and restricted areas

No-fly areas from specific notifications

Distance from coordinates

Radio frequencies

Class activity

Common mistakes

Summary

Check your understanding

Key formulas

Key references

Further reading

Checking conditions before applying to operate

Preparing information before registration

In class / field

Module quiz