Can You Fly a Drone on Rinca Island? Rules & Permits

Rinca Island’s Loh Buaya ranger station is one of the specific locations where Balai Taman Nasional Komodo has banned drone flights outright, according to the park authority’s own published drone permit page. This surprises many travellers who assume a small consumer drone is harmless in an open, remote-feeling landscape — but the rule exists specifically because of how Komodo dragons and other wildlife react to aerial buzzing sounds, and it applies regardless of whether your drone is for personal photos or commercial content.

Where exactly are drones banned or restricted?

Source: the Balai Taman Nasional Komodo official drone permit page (archived copy, 11 Feb 2026 — the live page is currently returning a server error), verified August 2026.

How to apply for a drone permit in Komodo National Park

BTNK’s official process requires submitting the required documentation by email to the park authority or directly at the BTNK office, at least three working days before your planned activity date. The permit system covers small unmanned aircraft (PUKTA) used for tourism purposes, whether personal documentation or commercial filming. Because Rinca and Komodo Island themselves are banned outright regardless of permit status, a permit is only relevant if your itinerary includes other park areas where flights are not outright prohibited — confirm this with BTNK or your operator before assuming a permit will cover a specific location.

Why the drone ban exists

Indonesian media reporting on the ban has attributed it to concerns that drone noise disturbs Komodo dragons and other wildlife, particularly given how sensitive some animal behaviour is to unfamiliar sounds and movement overhead. Ranger stations like Loh Buaya are also active work areas with staff living on-site, and a drone incident near a resting or feeding dragon carries real safety risk for both the animal and any nearby visitors. Treat the rule as a genuine conservation and safety measure rather than pure bureaucracy.

What happens if you fly a drone without permission?

BTNK’s published materials do not list a specific fine amount or penalty schedule for unauthorised drone flights, so we will not invent one here. In practice, rangers can and do intervene directly — asking you to land and stop flying immediately — and repeated or defiant violations could plausibly affect your standing with the park authority on future visits, though we have no official source quantifying consequences beyond immediate intervention. The safest approach is simply not to fly at Loh Buaya or Loh Liang at all, and to apply properly in advance if you want footage from elsewhere in the park.

Commercial filming and content creators

The BTNK permit system explicitly covers both personal and commercial drone use, meaning content creators and professional photographers are held to the same rules as casual travellers — there is no separate, more permissive tier for commercial work at Loh Buaya or Loh Liang specifically. If you are planning a shoot that depends on aerial footage of Komodo dragons or the trekking trail itself, plan around ground-level and boat-based footage instead, since the outright ban at both ranger stations applies regardless of your production’s purpose or budget. For aerial footage of the wider landscape from elsewhere in the park, apply for the BTNK permit well ahead of your shoot date, since the three-working-day minimum is a floor, not a guarantee of same-week approval.

Getting aerial-style shots without a drone

Padar Island’s viewpoint hike, a short but genuinely steep climb with real elevation gain, gives a wide, elevated panorama over three bays without needing a drone at all — it is the single most photographed vantage point in the park precisely because it delivers an aerial-feeling shot from solid ground. A boat-mounted camera on the crossing between islands, or simply shooting from your vessel’s upper deck, can also capture sweeping coastline shots that many travellers otherwise assume require a drone. If aerial footage specifically of Rinca’s savanna is essential to your project, discuss options with your operator in advance rather than assuming you can improvise a workaround on the day — rangers do enforce the ban actively.

Can I use a phone camera or GoPro instead?

Yes — handheld cameras, phones, and GoPros are not subject to the drone permit system and are the standard way visitors document their Rinca Island trek. The drone rules specifically target unmanned aerial vehicles, not ground-level photography or video.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you fly a drone on Rinca Island?

No. Balai Taman Nasional Komodo bans drone flights outright at the Loh Buaya ranger station on Rinca Island, regardless of permit status.

Is there a drone permit that allows flying at Loh Buaya anyway?

No. The Loh Buaya ban applies regardless of permit; permits only apply to other areas of the park where flights are not outright prohibited.

How far in advance do I need to apply for a drone permit?

Balai Taman Nasional Komodo’s process requires submitting documentation at least three working days before your planned activity date.

What is the fine for flying a drone illegally in Komodo National Park?

No official fine amount has been published by the park authority. Rangers can intervene directly to stop unauthorised flights; we cannot confirm a specific monetary penalty.

Can I take photos with my phone instead of a drone on Rinca?

Yes. Handheld phone and camera photography is unrestricted and is the standard way visitors document their trek.

Are drones banned everywhere in Komodo National Park?

Not everywhere, but flights are banned outright at Loh Buaya, Loh Liang, and in Kalong Island’s waters, and require advance permit approval elsewhere in the park.

Planning a Rinca Island trip? See our Rinca Island Trekking: Short, Medium & Long Trails for what you can photograph on foot, or book through Komodo Luxury’s Komodo boat tour. WhatsApp: +62 811-3823-875.

Last updated: August 25, 2026. Verified against Balai Taman Nasional Komodo’s official drone permit page.

Related Rinca Island Guides

• Permits, Park Fees & New Rules for Rinca & Komodo
• Anchoring & Mooring Rules around Rinca Island
• Is Rinca Island Safe? Rules, Risks & Ranger Protocol
• Rinca Island Accommodation: Where You Can Actually Sleep

Quick Facts & Related Questions

• Drone flights are officially banned at the Loh Buaya ranger station itself and prohibited around Kalong (Bat) Island; elsewhere in the park a drone requires advance written permission.
• Drone restrictions sit inside a wider rulebook: book through SiOra in advance, stay with your licensed ranger, keep the mandated distance from dragons, and — the part this page covers — follow the park’s drone and anchoring rules.