The applicable text

Drones in Mauritius are regulated by the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft System) Regulations 2024 (Government Notice No. 232 of 2024), effective 1^er january 2025. This text revoked the former provisions of Mauritian civil aviation law that dealt with drones (Regulations 91, 91A, 91B and 91C of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2007). Authorizations issued under these former articles ceased to be effective no later than January 1, 2025.^er january 2026.

An amendment was added to it: the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft System) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (Government Notice No. 12 of 2026), published in the Official Journal on January 29, 2026. They accomplished two things: correcting a drafting error in the 2024 text, and, most importantly, establishing a tariff schedule for the first time. We will return to this topic in the section dedicated to...registration.

Who is affected, and who is not?

A recreational drone equipped with a camera is covered by the entire scheme. The key point to remember is this: while regulations do include exemptions for recreational drones, these exemptions disappear as soon as the drone is equipped with a camera or data sensor. In other words, they only apply to toys without cameras. All models purchased specifically for filming—regardless of brand or weight, including models weighing as little as 249 grams—fall under these restrictions.

Three cases, however, are excluded from the text, by virtue of its Regulation 3:

• Domestic flightsDefined as those which take place in an enclosed space from which the drone has only a very low probability of escaping.
• State aircraftIncluding military, customs and police officers.
• Drones weighing 25 kilograms and moreWhich fall under the Civil Aviation Regulations 2007 and not this text. No recreational drone reaches this weight.

The 250-gram threshold Is frequently mentioned in the text, but it doesn't work the same way as In Europe. In mauritius, it exempts drones. built by their owner weighing less than 250 grams — and again, only if they don't have a camera. A commercially available device weighing 249 grams is therefore not exempt from recording.

The general rule

Yes: Mauritian regulations require two separate registrations, one for the drone and one for its operator, and they also apply to recreational use as long as the device carries a camera. The first is provided for by regulation 5 of the text, the second by regulation 7. These are two separate procedures, with two forms and two rates.

Registering a drone is not a simple formality. The regulations stipulate that no drone is registered until the applicant, and any other person intended to pilot it, are deemed by the Police Commissioner to be qualified to operate it. This police verification explains the delays discussed later.

The case of the drone already registered abroad

If your drone is already registered with your country's civil aviation authority, the obligation to register the drone with the Mauritian DCA does not apply. It is written in black and white in the text, in a place that no one cites: regulation 3(3) expressly excludes from the scope of regulation 5 what the text calls a "foreign UAS", defined as a drone registered with a foreign civil aviation authority recognized by the Mauritian authority.

Pay close attention to the exact scope of this exemption, as it is not symmetrical. Regulation 3(4) exempts the "foreign UAS operator" from operator registration — but the text defines this as a person authorized by a foreign authority. and operating this drone in the context of a professional activityA tourist filming for pleasure does not fall under this definition. Strictly speaking, they are therefore exempt from having their drone recorded, but not from having themselves recorded as the operator.

This is exactly what the official FAQ from the Department of Civil Aviation translates into in practice: tourists must register, but those already registered at home only need to provide proof of registration. And the DCA adds an explicit recommendation: it is preferable for foreign visitors to be registered with their national authority before coming to Mauritius.

In practice, within the European Union, this registration already exists and has been mandatory since 2021 for anyone operating a drone equipped with a camera. It is done as an operator with the authority of your country of residence, which issues an operator number valid throughout the Union. In France, this is done through the AlphaTango portal of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. If you reside elsewhere, the question shifts to your own national authority: ask them if they issue an operator number and an aircraft registration number, and in what form you can obtain a certificate in English.

Documents to be provided

For a visitor already registered in their country, the DCA FAQ requires four documents:

• proof of registration, for the drone and for the Operator;
• a copy of the operator's passport;
• a photo of the drone, from the front;
• a photo showing the serial number of the device.

The Mauritian forms, for those who must go through the full procedure, can be downloaded from the DCA drones page and returned by email. See the section official contact information.

How much does it cost, and since when?

Registering the drone costs 2,000 rupees and registering the operator costs 1,500 rupees, totaling 3,500 rupees — roughly 70 euros at the 2026 exchange rate. Renewing the operator's registration costs 1,000 rupees.

The date matters more than the amount here, and that's a point everyone disagrees with. The 2024 text didn't set any rates: its fee schedule only stated "as determined by the Minister." It was the January 2026 amendment that created the fee schedule. But this schedule is only applicable from July 22, 2026And only to applications received from that date: this was specified by the Department of Civil Aviation itself in a press release dated 1^er june 2026. Any page that tells you these rates are applicable from january 2026 is mistaken.

The same amendment had introduced a six-month transition period exempting those who already owned or operated a drone from the new requirements. This window of opportunity is now closed, regardless of the starting date used to calculate it. it No longer applies to you.

How long does it take?

The DCA itself announces a minimum of three months for a registration procedure conducted in Mauritius, including police checks. Its FAQ describes the process as time-consuming. Three months is longer than almost all stays: the local procedure is therefore impractical for ordinary travel, and this is precisely why the DCA refers visitors to their national authority.

What the procedure does not require

You will read elsewhere about requirements that actually fall under the professional regime. For strictly recreational use, Mauritian regulations apply. does not require :

• operating license in one of the three categories of operations (open, specific, certified). These authorizations, and the accompanying fees of 25,000 to 75,000 rupees, only concern operators who do not operate exclusively for leisure purposes;
• remote pilot competency certificate : the DCA FAQ expressly states that the qualifications detailed in the MCAR-UAS technical reference do not apply to recreational use;
• insurance The official operator registration form includes an explicit note stating that insurance coverage does not apply to operators using their drone solely for recreational purposes. It remains strongly recommended, see further down ;
• prior flight declaration : the obligation to communicate the flight program to the Commissioner of Police before each operation, provided for by regulation 9, only applies to operators who do not operate exclusively for their personal leisure.

What we understood about the situation, and what we didn't understand

Let's be honest: on this specific subject, the situation is confusing, including for us, and we prefer to expose the contradiction rather than mask it behind a clear answer.

On the one hand, the official FAQ from the DCA (French Civil Aviation Authority) states that tourists must register. On the other hand, it admits in the same document that the local registration process takes at least three months, making it impractical for a short stay. The regulations themselves exempt drones already registered abroad, without specifying how a visitor should register their drone, or even if they are required to do so. On specialized forums, users have been asking for months if anyone has managed to complete a registration, without receiving any answers. Meanwhile, drone photography tours continue to be openly organized for groups of visitors.

What we recommend, as things stand:

• Register with your country's civil aviation authority before you leaveAs the dCA Itself recommends. it's free Or inexpensive almost everywhere, and it's the only document that will make you credible in the event of an inspection.
• Take the file with you Drone and operator registration certificates, passport, front-facing photo of the device, photo of the serial number. Preferably in English, and in both paper and digital format.
• Write to the DCA before your departure explain your situation to him and ask if a local registration is expected of you. A written response, even a brief one, is worth more than all the advice pages on the web, including this one.
• Respect the flight rules in all cases. They apply regardless of your administrative status, and these are the ones that are actually controlled.

The general rules of regulation 8

The rules below are not "for professionals" rules: regulation 8 applies to all drone operators, including recreational drone operators. This is a common misconception on pages dedicated to the subject, including previous versions of this one. Unless expressly authorized by the Mauritian authorities, flying a drone is prohibited.

• within 30 meters, measured horizontally, of a person which is not directly associated with the Operation;
• at over 400 feet above the surface, or approximately 120 meters;
• above a congested area, or within 150 meters of such an area ;
• above an outdoor gathering of more than 500 people, or within 150 meters of this gathering;
• within 50 meters of any ship, vehicle or structure which is not under the operator's control;
• above an area where a rescue operation is taking place ;
• in a restricted area, as well as in the aerodrome traffic zone of an Aerodrome;
• in controlled airspace : in Mauritius, the control zone surrounding the airport is classified as C, and is therefore off-limits to drones without permission from the authority.

Two obligations complete the list, this time formulated without possibility of exception. The pilot must maintain direct and unassisted eye contact with the device, sufficient to monitor its Trajectory: no binoculars, no piloting with video feedback alone. And it must not don't drop anything from the drone that could injure someone or damage property.

In addition to these rules, for recreational use, there are those Listed by the dCA In Its fAQ: flying only on private property and with the owner's permission, daytime flights only, do not fly over public areas, beaches and natural parks, and comply with the Data Protection Act 2017 when capturing or storing personal data — which, for a drone, means not filming identifiable people without their consent.

Remote identification

Every drone equipped with a camera must have a system fordirect remote identification, better known by its English acronym DRI, integrated into the device or added as a module. This system continuously broadcasts during flight, and in a way readable by any phone within range, the operator's registration number, the drone's position and altitude, its route and ground speed, as well as the position of the remote pilot or, failing that, that of the takeoff point.

Two practical consequences. First, an add-on module must be able to receive your operator number: it is only useful if you have one, which brings us back to the...registrationNext, the technical annex of the Mauritian text reiterates the same requirements as European regulations, notably the standardized ANSI/CTA-2063 serial number: a recent device conforming to European classes is therefore, in principle, equipped. Check this point for your model before leaving rather than upon arrival.

Mauritian regulations contain a provision which, if read literally, would prohibit any drone weighing more than 250 grams from taking off anywhere on the island without prior permission. First, check the weight of your device: if it weighs less than 250 grams, the following information does not apply to you. If it weighs more, read this section to the end.

This provision does not appear anywhere else on this page, and for good reason: it contradicts the rest of the text, and we believe it to be a drafting error. Nevertheless, we prefer to point it out and provide the details rather than omit it—you would find it anyway by opening the official text.

What is Class G airspace?

The sky is divided into categories designated by letters, according to the level of surveillance exercised over what passes through it. Around a major airport, the airspace is control : all devices must be connected to the tower. In Mauritius, this zone is class CIt surrounds the airport and rises from the surface up To 3,500 feet.

Everywhere else, at the heights where a drone operates, space is uncontrolled No one directs the traffic; everyone watches and avoids. That's the class G. So it's not a particular area that one could bypass by moving a few kilometers away: It's the entire rest of the island.

What exactly does the text say?

Regulation 8(5) of the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft System) Regulations 2024 lists what is prohibited without express permission from the authority. These include, in order: flying over an area where a rescue operation is taking place, over or within 150 meters of a congested area, over or within 150 meters of a gathering of more than 500 people, within 50 meters of a vessel, vehicle, or structure that is not under one's control, in Class A and Class C airspace, in class G airspace with an aircraft whose maximum takeoff mass exceeds 250 grams, in a restricted area, above 400 feet, and in the taxiway of an aerodrome.

All the other lines in this list refer to exceptional situations, those where one approaches something or someone. The one concerning class G refers to the ordinary situation.

Why do these two lines, placed end to end, leave nothing?

The text prohibits Class C drones, wherever they may be. It prohibits Class G drones for any device weighing more than 250 grams. Together, these two lines cover the entirety of the airspace in which a drone can fly in Mauritius.

The consequence, if we stick to the letter: a device weighing more than 250 grams — that is, the majority of the ranges sold for filming, with the exception of the models advertised at 249 grams — could not take off anywhere on the island without a permit charged at 5,000 rupees, including in the enclosed garden of a rental, with the owner's agreement, three meters from the ground.

This interpretation renders the rest of the system unnecessary. The flight rules, the authorized areas, the 400-foot altitude, the Requirement to fly during the day: none Of this would be relevant anymore, since flying would already be prohibited at the entry point.

Why this is probably a drafting error

Four elements point in this direction, although none of them constitutes proof.

The DCA technical reference document says the opposite. This is the most significant element, because it comes from the same authority as the text. The MCAR-UAS—the document the Department of Civil Aviation publishes to explain how to apply the regulations—deals with flights conducted below 120 meters. in uncontrolled airspace, class F or GThis is the normal situation, the one that allows for the simplest procedure, unless a specific restriction is published by the authority for a given Area. if flying in Class g required individual permission, this passage would be meaningless. The contradiction is therefore internal to the mauritian System: two documents from the same administration do not say the same thing.

The mauritian text is modeled on the european one. It adopts the C0 to C4 device classes, remote identification requirements, the ANSI/CTA-2063 serial number standard, and the geographic information function, often verbatim. However, in Europe, Class G is precisely the area in which recreational drones normally fly without special authorization. A transposition that reverses the direction of a line is a plausible hypothesis.

The text has already been corrected for a similar error. The January 2026 amendment modified Regulation 11, replacing the words "open category" with "specific category." The paragraph concerning the specific category announced the publication of the requirements for the open category. The Mauritian legislature thus acknowledged drafting errors in the text and corrected one of them. It did not alter the line concerning Class G.

The administration itself never talks about it. The Department of Civil Aviation publishes an official FAQ that lists point by point what a recreational user must respect: flying on private property with the owner's permission, during daylight hours, below 400 feet, without overflying public places, beaches, or national parks, and outside of restricted, regulated, and controlled areas. This Class G license-related permission is not included. We found no record of any user, resident or visitor, having requested it or having been denied it.

What we conclude from this, and what we do not conclude

We are not concluding that this provision does not apply. The Department of Civil Aviation has never published a position resolving the contradiction between its own technical guidelines and the letter of the regulations, and an administration remains free to apply a text in force as written. We are simply noting that nothing in what the DCA publishes for recreational users mentions this permission.

Our advice is simple. If your device weighs less than 250 grams, you don't need to worry. If it weighs more, submit a written request to the Department of Civil Aviation before your departure, specifying the model, its weight, and your intended flying location—their contact information can be found in the section who to contactA written response, even a brief one, protects you, and it is in any case the only way to obtain an official position on a point that no one has yet clarified.

And in all cases, respect the other rules. These are the ones that are actually enforced, and no amount of ambiguity in the wording will protect you from a flight over a public beach.

The only places allowed

For recreational use, flying is only permitted on private property, with the owner's consent. This is the first of the restrictions listed by the DCA, and it reduces the range of possibilities to three situations:

• The garden of your rental, with the agreement of the owner or the agency, and remaining directly above the property line.
• The grounds of a hotel or resortWith the establishment's written agreement. Many prohibit it themselves for the peace and quiet of their guests: ask when booking rather than on arrival, the answer may influence your choice of accommodation.accommodation.
• A private plot of land for which you have obtained permission, away from dwellings.

A word about hotel "private beaches," which often come up in articles on the subject: in Mauritius, the vast majority of beaches are public, and access to the shore is a right. A hotel may own the land up to the top of the beach, but that doesn't make the sand and lagoon private property. Don't equate "my hotel's beach" with "private beach."

Public beaches and public places

All public beaches are off-limits to recreational flying.Without exception and regardless of the aircraft. This is by far the most common infraction committed by visitors. The Civil Aviation Authority (DCA) states it unambiguously: no flying over public areas, beaches, or nature parks, and adds a note reminding everyone that recreational flights are not permitted near airports or over public places, including beaches.

Flic en Flac, Trou aux Biches, Mont Choisy, Belle Mare, Le Morne public beach, Blue Bay: the issue isn't addressed beach by beach; it's settled as a whole. Also excluded are public parks and gardens, roads, markets, shopping centers, pedestrian zones, festivals, ceremonies, and sporting events—the latter also being subject to the 150-meter rule around a gathering.

The airport area: what the aviation publication really says

There is no "27-kilometre perimeter" around Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. This figure has been circulating for about ten years on forums and travel websites, where it is repeated page after page. It originates from a Mauritian press report from 2015, which the source itself presented at the time as unverifiable, and no official document confirms it.

The reality is both more complex and less extensive. The control zone of Mauritius, as described in the country's aeronautical information publication, is not a circle: it is a polygon whose boundaries are formed by arcs of varying radii centered on the airport—8, 11, and 13 nautical miles depending on the direction, plus a 9.5 nautical mile arc centered on another point. This corresponds to distances between between 15 and 24 kilometers approximately, very uneven depending on the axisVertically, it starts from the surface and rises to 3,500 feet. The airspace there is class C, therefore drones are prohibited without permission.

Remember two things. The zone does indeed cover the entire inhabited southeast—Mahébourg, Blue Bay, Plaine Magnien, and their surroundings are within it, without question. But a straight-line distance isn't enough to determine if you're outside the zone: the route depends on the direction, and only the aeronautical publication is authoritative. If you have any doubt about a specific point, you should ask the air defense service.

Protected sites, heritage and sensitive installations

Beyond beaches and the airport area, several categories of places require particular vigilance, either because they fall within regulated or prohibited zones published in aeronautical documentation, or because they are subject to their own rules:

• tHE nature reserves and national parks, expressly referred to by The dCA in the restrictions applicable to Leisure;
• tHE uNESCO World Heritage sites : the Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis and the cultural landscape of Le Morne;
• tHE government, military and prison facilities, as well as diplomatic missions;
• tHE places of worship, which are not subject to a specific ban but where overflights are poorly received, in a country where religious life is very present.

Whales, dolphins and turtles

Filming marine mammals with a drone exposes you to an offense that is far more heavily punished than those under the aviation code. The Fisheries Act 2023 prohibits anyone from intentionally taking, harassing, feeding, or intentionally killing any marine mammal, whether on land or at sea, and it imposes the same prohibition on sea turtles. the offense Falls under level 3 Of its scale, which carries a maximum Penalty of 25 million rupees and two years' imprisonment.

We need to be precise about what this text says, because we often read a formal ban on overflights "at any altitude": this wording doesn't appear in any Mauritian law, and the law doesn't define harassment or set a minimum altitude above an animal. What it implies is simpler: a drone brought down on a group of dolphins or a humpback whale constitutes a clear disturbance, and it's up to a judge to decide. Add to that the fact that the lagoon and the sea are public spaces, where recreational flying is prohibited anyway, and the matter becomes self-contained.

The topic goes far beyond drones: We dedicate an entire guide to it on regulations governing the observation and swimming with dolphins, turtles, and whales, worth reading if you're planning a trip at sea, and a page on whale watching in Mauritius.

Aircraft batteries

Lithium batteries are transported in the cabin, never in the hold, and three thresholds control everything else. They are expressed in watt-hours, a value printed on the battery Itself:

• up to 100 Wh : accepted as cabin baggage without any special procedures. This is the case for almost all tourist drones, from compact models around 18 Wh to intermediate ranges which top out around 80 Wh;
• from 100 to 160 Wh Accepted in the cabin but with the prior agreement of the airline, and generally limited to two spare batteries per passenger;
• above 160 Wh They are prohibited on board a commercial airliner, both in the cabin and in the hold. Only certain professional aircraft reach this level.

In all cases, remove the batteries from the drone, protect the contacts with their original cap or insulating tape, transport them in their original packaging if you have kept it, and check the rules specific to your Company: several are more restrictive than the standard, particularly on the number of spare batteries.

Customs clearance

A drone is personal equipment, not merchandise, but it will attract attention during inspections. Keep your purchase invoice, the device's technical specifications, and your registration documents readily available. Our guide on what you can and cannot bring on holiday to Mauritius details the allowances and customs rules, and the page formalities and procedures for coming on holiday to Mauritius covers the rest of the entry formalities.

Insurance

It's not mandatory for recreational use, but if a drone injures someone or breaks a window, you are liable, in Mauritius as elsewhere. Before you leave, check two specific points with your insurer: does the coverage extend beyond your country of residence, and does it exclude damage caused by an unmanned aircraft? This second exclusion is common in multi-risk home insurance policies and travel insurance, and it's best discovered by reading the terms and conditions.

Regulation 22 of the 2024 text stipulates that any violation of drone regulations will result in a fine of up to one million rupees and a prison sentence of up to twelve months. — or, for the fine, in the order of 20,000 euros at the 2026 exchange rate. The two penalties are cumulative according to the wording of the text. This ceiling applies equally to recreational and professional use.

One clarification, because information is circulating widely: drone regulations do not provide for the confiscation of the device. It is commonly stated that this penalty is added to the fine and prison sentence; however, no provision in the law establishes this. This does not mean that a device cannot be seized during legal proceedings, but no law provides for its confiscation as an automatic penalty.

As everywhere, the penalty imposed depends on the seriousness of the Offense: a minor infraction does not lead to the maximum legal penalty, but endangering people or an approaching aircraft is a completely different matter. and it's Worth remembering that offenses involving marine mammals fall under a different law, with a much higher penalty scale, as indicated higher.

The wind, the season, and the sea air

Mauritius is an island exposed to the trade winds, which blow from the southeast for much of the year. Along the coast, the wind typically picks up during the day: the calmest periods are early in the morning, which is convenient since this is also the best time for light. The sea breeze can pick up suddenly along the coast and at higher altitudes, and it significantly increases the power consumption of a lightweight device: allow for a comfortable battery margin for the return trip rather than relying on the advertised battery life. Our page on detailed weather in Mauritius provides the seasonal context.

From November to April, the cyclone season completely changes the game: conditions can shift in a matter of hours, and a clear morning sky is no guarantee for the afternoon. Finally, sea air is a silent enemy of equipment—salt and moisture build up in motors and connectors. Wipe the device dry after every flight near the coast and store the batteries in a dry place.

Best practices

• Do not disable the geofencing on your device. It has no legal value in Mauritius and does not necessarily cover all local areas, but it constitutes a safety net and its deliberate circumvention would be difficult to defend in case of a problem.
• Identify a safe landing point before taking offAnd keep it in mind throughout the flight.
• Give way to any manned aircraft. An airplane or helicopter at low altitude, we land immediately.
• Warn the people around you before taking off. Mauritius is a country where people talk easily: a single word is enough to turn awkwardness into curiosity.
• Do not film anyone without their consentDo not fly over neighboring properties, and consider that a place of worship should not be filmed from above.
• If you have any doubt about the legality of a flight, do not steal. No image is worth the risk.

To reach a flight point, the car rental remains the most flexible solution — keeping in mind that we left-hand drive in Mauritius. All the solutions are listed on our page transport.

Can I fly my drone on the beach in Mauritius?

No. Recreational flying is prohibited over all Mauritian public beaches, and the vast majority of the island's beaches are public. This is the most common mistake visitors make. Recreational flying is only permitted over private property, with the owner's permission.

Do I need to register my drone with the Mauritian authorities if I come on holiday?

Mauritian regulations mandate drone registration for both the drone and the operator, for any device equipped with a camera, including recreational drones. However, the regulations exempt drones already registered with a recognized foreign civil aviation authority from this registration requirement, and the Department of Civil Aviation explicitly recommends that visitors register in their home country before arriving. The local registration process, however, takes at least three months.

How much does it cost to register a drone in Mauritius?

2,000 rupees for drone registration and 1,500 rupees for operator registration, totaling 3,500 rupees. These amounts result from the January 2026 amendment and only apply to applications received from July 22, 2026 onwards.

Do I need a flight permit for recreational use in Mauritius?

No. Operating licenses by category—open, specific, or certified—only apply to operators who do not use their drone exclusively for personal recreation. flight rulesThese rules apply to you as to everyone else, and permission from the authority remains necessary for anything outside of them: exceeding 400 feet, entering the airport control zone, approaching a gathering.

What is the maximum permitted altitude for a drone in Mauritius?

400 feet above the surface, or approximately 120 meters. Beyond that, permission from the civil aviation authority is required.

My accommodation is 20 Kilometers from the airport, can i fly in the Garden?

Distance alone is insufficient to answer this question. The control zone of Mauritian airport is not a circle: its boundaries are formed by arcs of 8 to 13 nautical miles depending on the direction, or approximately 15 to 24 kilometers. A point located 20 kilometers away could therefore be inside or outside this zone depending on the axis. Only the published aeronautical information is authoritative, and the Civil Aviation Authority (DCA) is the point of contact for specific information.

Is my 249-gram drone exempt from registration in Mauritius?

No. In Mauritius, the 250-gram exemption only applies to devices built by their owner, and it is lost as soon as there is a camera. A commercially available 249-gram device equipped with a camera is subject to registration like any other.

Can I transport my drone and its batteries on the plane?

Yes, in the cabin and never in the hold. Up to 100 Wh, no action is required; from 100 to 160 Wh, prior agreement from the company is required and the number of spare batteries is generally limited to two; above 160 Wh, transport is prohibited on board a commercial airliner.

Is insurance mandatory for a recreational drone in Mauritius?

No, Mauritian regulations do not require it for recreational use. However, it is still strongly recommended: check with your insurer that your civil liability insurance covers you abroad and does not exclude damage caused by an unmanned aircraft.

Can I film dolphins or whales with my drone?

No. The Fisheries Act 2023 prohibits harassing a marine mammal, on land or at sea, under penalty of a fine of up to 25 million rupees and two years' imprisonment. Furthermore, the lagoon and the sea are public spaces, where recreational flying is prohibited anyway.

Can I fly my drone at night in Mauritius?

No. The Department of Civil Aviation restricts recreational flights to daytime hours. Nighttime operations do exist in the Mauritian technical regulations, requiring a flashing green light on the aircraft, but they fall under the category of non-recreational flights.

What are the concrete risks of committing an offence?

A fine of up to one million rupees and up to twelve months imprisonment, according to regulation 22 of the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft System) Regulations 2024. The text does not, however, provide for any automatic confiscation of the aircraft.

I'm here to film for a client, does this guide apply to me?

No. Any use that is not exclusively personal falls under professional regulations, requiring an operating permit, ICTA equipment certification, a certificate of competence, mandatory insurance, and notification of the flight plan to the police. See our professional drone guide to Mauritius.

Department of Civil Aviation (DCA)

This is the competent authority for everything related to drones: registration, permits, airspace. You must write to them before departing if you have any doubts, and their written response takes precedence over any second-hand information.

• E-mail : civil-aviation@govmu.org
• Telephone: +230 603 2000
• Address: Department of Civil Aviation, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Plaine Magnien
• Page dedicated to drones, where forms, the official FAQ and texts can be downloaded: civil-aviation.govmu.org — Drone Requirements

The texts themselves

• Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft System) Regulations 2024 (PDF, in English) — the reference text.
• Amendment of 2026 (PDF, in english) — the tariff schedule and the transitional provision.
• DCA statement on fees (PDF, in English) — the effective date of the tariffs.

Be wary of websites that imitate the government.

All Mauritian public services are located on the estate. govmu.orgA website offering to "register your drone in Mauritius" for a fee, hosted on another domain, is not a Mauritian government website. Do not enter personal data or bank details anywhere other than on the official websites listed above.

In the event of an incident on site, the emergency numbers in Mauritius are grouped on a dedicated page.