Can You Bring a Drone on a Komodo Yacht Charter?

What to check before you travel

Rules for drones in Indonesia and inside national parks are updated from time to time, and enforcement differs between sites. The safest approach is to tell us early that you are bringing a drone, so we can confirm the current position for Komodo National Park and any permit needed.

• Whether a park drone permit or fee applies on your dates
• Sites where rangers do not allow flying, especially near the Komodo dragons
• Battery rules on your flights, including carrying spare batteries in hand luggage
• Your own insurance for loss over water

Flying from a yacht

Launching from a phinisi is very different from flying on land. Masts, rigging and sails create obstacles, and the deck moves even at anchor. Fly only when anchored, take off and land from an open area agreed with the crew, and consider hand catching if you have practised it. A crew member can help keep the area clear.

Fly with plenty of battery margin. Wind over the water is often stronger than it feels on deck, and a drone returning into a headwind uses power quickly. Set your home point carefully, because the yacht can swing on its anchor while you fly.

Best places and times for drone shots

• Padar at sunrise, before the day boats arrive from Labuan Bajo
• Your yacht at anchor in a quiet bay with clear turquoise water
• Pink Beach and the sandbars around Taka Makassar at mid morning
• Sunset at Kalong, where flying foxes leave the mangroves at dusk, flown well clear of the wildlife

Respecting the park and other guests

Komodo applies daily visitor quotas at its busiest sites, and many visitors come for quiet. Keep flights short near other boats and hikers, never chase wildlife, and keep well clear of the dragons. On a private yacht the captain can time your stops to reach viewpoints when they are quiet, which makes better footage anyway. The best months to fly are April to November, with the peak from May to October. If you are planning a Raja Ampat photography trip instead, the rules there differ and we can brief you separately.

Kit to bring

• Extra batteries and a charging hub; ask the crew about charging times on board
• A hard case to protect the drone on tender rides
• ND filters for bright midday light over the water
• Microfibre cloths and a dry bag for salt spray

Questions