Flying a drone near airports in South Korea

What the rules say

Each line is resolved from published facts of South Korea. "Not resolved" means the corpus does not answer it in a machine-checkable way — never that the law is silent.

• Distance restrictionNot resolved
• Aerodrome permissionConditional
• Controlled airspace permissionConditional
• Protected facilitiesConditional
• Digital authorisationNot resolved
• Altitude relationshipConditional
• ExceptionsNo

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Airspace Approval for Unmanned Aircraft

  Operators of unmanned aircraft (무인항공기) must obtain approval from air traffic control before flying in controlled, restricted, or advisory airspace.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Anti-Drone Measures Against Unauthorized Flights Near Airports

  State or local governments, airport operators, and airfield managers may take necessary safety measures, such as repelling, crashing, or capturing (퇴치등), against any ultralight flying device (초경량비행장치) that approaches or intrudes into an airport or airfield without flight approval (비행승인) under the Aviation Safety Act.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Exemption from rescue support equipment obligation for unmanned flying devices

  Unmanned flying devices (무인비행장치) and other ultralight flying devices prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are exempt from the obligation to equip or carry rescue support equipment in flight restriction areas.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Flight Approval Authority in Restricted Airspace

  Flight approval in ultra-light flying device flight restricted airspace (초경량비행장치 비행제한공역에서의 비행승인) must be obtained from the Regional Aviation Administration (지방항공청장) or, within military-controlled airspace, from the Minister of National Defense (국방부장관).

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Flight Approval Exemption for Unmanned Power-Driven Flying Devices under 25 kg

  Unmanned power-driven flying devices (무인동력비행장치) with a maximum takeoff weight of 25 kilograms or less are exempt from flight approval (비행승인) when flying outside of controlled airspace, flight-prohibited areas, and flight-restricted areas.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Flight Approval Exemption near Non-Military Aerodromes

  An operator is exempt from obtaining flight approval (비행승인) when flying an ultralight flying device (초경량비행장치) within a 3-kilometer radius of the center of a non-military aerodrome (비행장) and at an altitude of 500 feet or lower, provided that prior consultation has been made with the air traffic service provider at that aerodrome.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Flight approval for high altitude or controlled airspace

  Even if not in a designated flight restriction area, flight approval (비행승인) must be obtained when flying an ultralight flying device above the altitude prescribed by MOLIT Ordinance or within designated control zones (관제권) and restricted airspaces.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Flight Approval in Controlled, Restricted, and Caution Airspace

  An ultralight flying device pilot must not fly in controlled, restricted, or caution airspace without flight approval (비행승인), except for military purposes or when flying an unmanned power-driven flying device (무인동력비행장치) with a maximum take-off weight of 25 kg or less below an altitude of 150 meters outside of control zones and flight-prohibited areas.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• 항공안전법 (Aviation Safety Act, Act No. 21268) — Chapter 10 초경량비행장치 — 국토교통부 (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)Open

Known limitations

• 2 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE.

Other drone rules in South Korea

• Do I need to register my drone in South Korea?Registration in South Korea depends on the aircraft and the operation: it applies once the published conditions below are met, each cited to the rule that sets it.
• What is the maximum drone altitude in South Korea?Drone flights in South Korea are held to a published general height limit of 150 m AGL. The limit is not absolute: the published conditions that change it are cited below.
• Can I fly a drone at night in South Korea?Night flying in South Korea is regulated rather than simply allowed or banned: published lighting, category and authorisation conditions below decide whether a given flight may take place after dark.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in South Korea?Whether an operation in South Korea needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.
• What training do I need to fly a drone in South Korea?Remote pilot competency in South Korea scales with the operation: which training, examination or proof of competency applies is set by the published conditions below.
• Do I need drone insurance in South Korea?Whether drone insurance is required in South Korea depends on the aircraft and the operation, as published in the conditions below.

All drone laws in South Korea