Drone Cameras Not Allowed on Flights to Kathmandu Citing Security Concerns

Kathmandu Drone cameras have reportedly been banned from being brought to Kathmandu on domestic flights, citing security concerns.

Traveler and photographer Robik Upadhyay shared that he was prevented from carrying his mini drone from Bhairahawa Airport to Kathmandu, both in checked luggage and hand carry. Airport security officials reportedly told him that drone cameras were not allowed on flights to Kathmandu due to “superior orders,” insisting that they must be transported by road instead.

Upadhyay said that three to four other passengers faced similar issues, even though he had flown to Bhairahawa with the same drone just three days earlier without any problems.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has denied any official ban. Deputy Manager and Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul clarified that drones are permitted on flights as long as they do not exceed the allowed weight limit. “The authority has not banned bringing drone cameras by air,” Bhul told TechPana.

Similarly, Nepal Police spokesperson Binod Ghimire confirmed that enforcement applies only to unauthorized drone operations not to those merely being transported. “There’s a ban on unauthorized drone operations, not on carrying permitted drones,” he said.

A representative from a domestic airline suggested that the confusion might stem from increased security vigilance following a rise in unlicensed drone activity. Nonetheless, no official directive has been issued to prohibit passengers from carrying drones on domestic flights.

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