Coverage: South Africa coverage is limited to three reviewed SACAA guidance points (the authority's UAS webpage, not the legislation itself): private flying (personal use with no commercial outcome) only within restricted visual line of sight with a drone under 7 kg; where private flights must not go (near aerodromes, controlled or restricted airspace, sensitive sites, and within 50 m of people, public roads or property without permission); and the approvals SACAA lists for commercial, corporate and non-profit flying (operating certificate, letter of approval, remote pilot licence, registration, plus an air service licence for commercial). The Part 101 regulation text and technical standards, whether private drones must be registered (the SACAA page is inconsistent), model aircraft, exemptions, and local, property or security restrictions are not covered. Drone Assistant does not check airspace or aerodrome distance for any location; contact SACAA (rpasInbox@caa.co.za) before flying.

🇿🇦South Africa

VLOS

SACAA: private operations only in R-VLOS with a Class 1A or 1B UAS (under 7 kg)Verified from official sources
SACAA guidance states that a private operation is the use of a UAS for an individual's personal and private purposes with no commercial outcome, interest or gain, and that private operations may be conducted only in restricted visual line of sight (within 500 m of the remote pilot and below the height of the highest obstacle within 300 m of the UA, day and night) with a Class 1A or 1B UAS (mass < 7 kg, impact energy < 15 kJ).
South AfricaPrivate Operations (definition and limitations)Effective -

Airspace

SACAA: where private UAS operations must not flyVerified from official sources
SACAA guidance states that private UAS operations must not fly near manned aircraft, 10 km or closer to an aerodrome (airport, helipad or airfield), in controlled, restricted or prohibited airspace, or adjacent to or above a nuclear power plant, prison, police station, crime scene, court of law, national key point or strategic installation, and must not fly 50m or closer to any person or group of persons, a public road, or any property without permission from the property owner.
South AfricaPrivate Operations (do not fly)Effective -

Commercial operations

SACAA: approvals required for commercial, corporate and non-profit UAS operationsVerified from official sources
SACAA guidance states that Part 101 applies to commercial, corporate, non-profit and private UAS operations (excluding autonomous unmanned aircraft, unmanned free balloons, aircraft operated in terms of Part 94, model aircraft and toy aircraft), and that commercial, corporate and non-profit operations require a UAS Operating Certificate (UASOC), an RPAS Letter of Approval (RLA), a Remote Pilot Licence (RPL) and a Certificate of Registration (C of R), with commercial operations also requiring an Air Service Licence (ASL). This rule does not state whether private operations need registration or other approvals; that is not reviewed.
South AfricaInformation for owners and operators (approvals)Effective -