- Aims for smarter regulations to better control airspace
A comprehensive review of Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Act, including proposed amendments to modernise and facilitate the regulation of drones, is expected to be completed within the next six months, Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku told The Sunday Morning.
The move by the Government signals a shift towards a more enabling regulatory framework for the rapidly expanding unmanned aviation sector.
Kodithuwakku said the Government had already initiated discussions on updating the existing legal and regulatory structure governing drones, with the objective of balancing national security, aviation safety, and privacy concerns against the need to unlock the economic and technological potential of drone-based industries. He said the review process was currently underway and would culminate in revised regulations being enacted following Cabinet and parliamentary approval.
“The legal provisions to regulate drones are already in force under the CAA Act. However, we are now undertaking a comprehensive review to modernise and refine these rules. We discussed the proposed amendments earlier this week, and after completing the necessary reviews and parliamentary processes, we expect the updated regulations to be in place within around six months,” Kodithuwakku said.
The Deputy Minister’s comments come amid heightened public attention on drone operations following Cyclone Ditwah, during which rescue helicopters operated at low altitudes across several affected districts, raising concerns about the risks posed by unauthorised civilian drone flights.
While the Air Force and CAA have confirmed that no drone-related incidents had occurred during the emergency, the episode has underscored both the importance of enforcement and the limitations of the current regulatory framework.
Illegal use and need for reform
Kodithuwakku said that under existing law, it was illegal to operate a drone in Sri Lanka without obtaining the required approvals, including clearance from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and, for specific operational licences such as agriculture, tourism, or other commercial uses, approval from the CAA.
“In Sri Lanka today, the vast majority of drones operate illegally, without the required licences or approvals. This is a serious issue. Even the import of drones is regulated. You cannot bring a drone through the airport without prior permission. While some basic toy drones without cameras may be exempt, any drone equipped with a camera requires a licence. Operating it otherwise is illegal,” he said.
He said enforcement agencies were facing an uphill task due to the sheer proliferation of consumer drones, many of which were being used without any awareness of legal obligations. At the same time, Kodithuwakku acknowledged that the existing framework was overly rigid and did not sufficiently account for differences in risk between various types of drone operations.
“There are two fundamental reasons why regulation is necessary. One is privacy. Cameras mounted on drones can easily be misused to intrude into private spaces. The second is aviation safety. Any unregulated object operating in airspace poses a hazard to manned aircraft. The CAA has a legal responsibility to maintain control over all airspace users,” he said.
However, the Deputy Minister said the current regulatory approach treated drones too uniformly, without adequately distinguishing between industry-specific use cases. He said this had inadvertently constrained innovation and discouraged legitimate commercial applications.
“For example, an agricultural drone, which may not even have a camera, has a completely different operational profile and risk level compared to a tourism or photography drone that is fitted with a camera and flown in public spaces. Yet under the current system, both are often subjected to the same restrictive procedures. That is not practical,” Kodithuwakku said.
He said the Government’s objective was to introduce a forward-looking regulatory framework that would both manage risk and actively facilitate emerging technologies. He pointed to the potential growth of drone-based delivery services, precision agriculture, infrastructure inspection, disaster assessment, and even communication systems, all of which required a more nuanced and enabling legal environment.
“The future will include drone couriers, communication platforms, and other advanced applications. If our regulations remain too restrictive, these industries will never develop here. We want to regulate in a way that allows innovation while ensuring safety and security,” he said.
ICAO standards
While the policy review is being led at the ministerial level, the existing regulatory regime remains firmly in place and is being enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority, in coordination with the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Air Force.
CAA Director General of Civil Aviation and Chief Executive Officer Captain Daminda Rambukwella reiterated that Sri Lanka’s drone regulations were not new and had been implemented in a phased manner over the past one-and-a-half years, in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. Under ICAO timelines, all member states are required to fully integrate unmanned aircraft systems into their national aviation frameworks by 2026.
Rambukwella said Sri Lanka was ahead of this deadline and had already completed two key stages of implementation. The first involved the introduction of mandatory online registration for drones, while the second saw the launch of a dedicated Sri Lankan operational map identifying restricted, permitted, and free-flying zones.
“The final phase is full industry compliance, which is scheduled for 2026. All of this is already set out in Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Implementing Standards (SLCAIS) 053, which is publicly available on our website. There is a misconception that these rules were introduced recently, but they have been in force for some time now,” Rambukwella added.
The operational map has emerged as a central tool in the CAA’s safety framework. It clearly marks no-fly zones around airports, military installations, Parliament, and sensitive religious and cultural sites, while also identifying areas where drone flights may be permitted subject to approval. During emergencies, the map can be dynamically updated to impose temporary flight restrictions.
“This map is the primary preventive mechanism. During disasters or other emergencies, restrictions can be updated immediately. Drone pilots, whether recreational or commercial, are required to check the map before conducting any flight,” Rambukwella said.
He also addressed public speculation about possible interference between drones and rescue helicopters during Cyclone Ditwah, stating that no incidents or near-misses had been reported to the CAA. He said concerns arose largely because helicopters were flying at unusually low altitudes in flood-affected areas, while at the same time some private drones were also being operated. “There were no clashes or reported incidents of interference. However, the situation highlights why strict compliance with regulations is critical,” he said.
Enforcement has been strengthened through closer coordination with law enforcement agencies. Rambukwella said Police and security personnel across the country had been trained over the past two years to identify unauthorised drone operations. In most cases, the Police acts as first responders, with the authority to confiscate drones and file initial reports.
“For minor violations, the CAA may impose administrative fines. For serious breaches, such as entering restricted airspace, recording sensitive locations, or posing a security threat, the matter can be escalated to the courts under the relevant laws,” he said.
Air Force perspective
The Sri Lanka Air Force, which plays a central role in aerial search and rescue, disaster response, and airspace security, has also raised concerns about unauthorised drone activity, particularly during emergencies.
Air Force Spokesperson Group Captain Nalin Wewakumbura said that while no actual drone-related hazards had been encountered during Cyclone Ditwah operations, the risk had been anticipated well in advance. He said helicopters conducting rescue missions had been operating at very low altitudes, making them especially vulnerable to collisions with small, unmanned aircraft.
“As a precautionary measure, we issued a public advisory through all major media channels, warning against unauthorised drone flights. Any drone in such conditions could pose a serious hazard to our rescue helicopters. It appears the public largely adhered to this warning,” Wewakumbura said.
He said the procedures for drone operations during such scenarios were clearly set out under the SLCAIS 053. Operators are required to submit an application through the CAA online system, obtain security clearance from the Ministry of Defence, and ensure that the Air Force is notified at least two hours prior to any flight.
“These procedures exist to prevent conflicts between unmanned and manned aircraft. During emergencies, coordination is absolutely critical,” he said, adding that it was evident that some drone users, including sections of the media, had not followed the prescribed protocol during the cyclone period.
Drone categories, insurance, and licensing
Sri Lanka’s drone framework categorises unmanned aircraft based on Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW), with corresponding insurance and approval requirements. Drones weighing 250 g or less fall into Category A and are exempt from mandatory third-party insurance. Categories B through F cover drones from 250 g to above 25 kg, with insurance requirements ranging from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 2.5 million, plus additional coverage for heavier aircraft.
Registration is mandatory for all drones, including consumer-grade devices and camera-equipped toys. For drones that are privately built or lack serial numbers, specific CAA forms must be used. Commercial operators and those flying heavier drones are also required to hold an Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Licence issued under SLCAP 4610.
Training is similarly regulated. Any organisation offering drone pilot training must be certified by the CAA as an Unmanned Aircraft Training Organisation, a requirement aimed at standardising competency and improving safety outcomes.
The regulations also distinguish between tourists bringing drones into Sri Lanka temporarily and those importing drones permanently. Tourists are exempt from the full permanent importation process but must still obtain operational approval through the CAA’s online portal before flying. Permanent imports require multiple clearances, including approval from the CAA, security clearance from the Ministry of Defence, spectrum clearance from the TRCSL, and an Import Control Licence.
Operational restrictions remain strict in sensitive areas. Drone flights are prohibited or tightly controlled near airports, military installations, and archaeological sites, where special permission from the Department of Archaeology is required. Operators must maintain visual line of sight, avoid flying over crowds, and refrain from operating over private property without consent.
In the event of an accident involving serious injury or a manned aircraft, operators are legally required to immediately inform the Police and the CAA through a Mandatory Occurrence Report.
Against this backdrop, Deputy Minister Kodithuwakku said the proposed amendments to the CAA Act were intended to address both compliance gaps and structural weaknesses in the current framework. He said the review would focus on creating differentiated regulatory pathways for different categories of drone use, strengthening enforcement where necessary, and simplifying procedures for low-risk and high-value applications.
“Our intention is not to weaken regulation, but to make it smarter. We want to ensure privacy and safety, while also enabling industries to grow. Drones are not a niche technology anymore; they are becoming part of the mainstream economy,” he said.
He said the coming six months would be critical in shaping the future of Sri Lanka’s unmanned aviation sector, as policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders worked towards a framework that reflected both global best practice and local realities.