Aircraft and pilot status
Confirm aircraft make, model, serial number, maximum take-off mass, ownership, country of registration, pilot credentials and insurance before selecting an application route.
Türkiye’s civil-aviation authority is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM/DGCA). Its public UAV system states that pilots intending to fly an unmanned aircraft weighing 500 g or more in Turkish airspace must be registered and receive approval.
Foreign drone import
SHGM publishes a technical-conformity process for UAVs imported into Türkiye. Temporary professional equipment movement and permanent import are not the same process; customs and aviation requirements should be assessed together.
Airspace and location checks
- Controlled or restricted airspace
- Airports, heliports and critical infrastructure
- Urban, crowded and security-sensitive areas
- National parks, heritage sites and protected zones
- Private-property or venue permission
- Temporary restrictions and local conditions
Production documents
- Requested coordinates, radius and altitude
- Date, time window and contingency date
- Purpose and description of aerial filming
- Aircraft and pilot documentation
- Insurance and risk assessment where applicable
- Related filming and location permissions
Aerial planning workflow
01
Choose local or foreign equipment
A licensed local operator can often reduce import complexity. If foreign equipment is essential, review aviation and customs requirements before travel.
02
Lock exact coordinates
“Istanbul” or “Cappadocia” is not a flight plan. Establish coordinates, operating radius, altitude, take-off area and camera direction for every requested flight.
03
Cross-check permissions
Flight approval does not replace permission from the landowner, venue, museum, archaeological authority, park administration or production-permit authority.
04
Plan for operational changes
Weather, temporary restrictions, security instructions and airspace activity can prevent a planned flight even when advance documentation has been prepared.