How to apply for your TCAA drone permits before traveling to Tanzania

OVERVIEW OF TCAA DRONE PERMIT APPLICATION IN TANZANIA

If you’re planning on traveling to Tanzania with your drone then it’s very important that you apply for a TCAA Drone Import Permit, which will enable you to enter the country with your drone, and a TCAA Operational / Authorization Permit, which will enable you to fly your drone in the country. We highly recommend that you start this process at least 6 weeks prior to arrival especially if you wish to use your drone in the national parks. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the TCAA import and authorization permits:

STEP 1: SETTING UP YOUR TCAA ONLINE PORTAL ACCOUNT

All drone permit applications are done through an online portal. In order to register an account on this online portal you need to send a few details to TCAA via email to drones@tcaa.go.tz so that they can setup your account for you. These details include:

• Full Name

• Email Address

• Physical address

• Phone Number

• Passport Number

• Nationality

Once your account has been setup you will receive an email from TCAA which the heading “Your System Account to login to TCAA CASIP Portal has been enabled” This email will contain your username and password. You can access the portal using the following link https://eservices.tcaa.go.tz/selfservice

STEP 2: COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE

Once you login to your account you will see a “Your Profile” option on the dashboard on your left. Your profile page will contain 3 main tabs which are

• Customer Profile

• Document Updates

• Representative/Directors

The Representative/Directors tab is the one where you will click the blue “Add New Contact” button and fill in your information and upload your image and a copy of your passport. See screenshot below of the page:

Afterwards you can fill in the required information on the "Documents Updates" tab by uploading a copy of your passport

STEP 3: REGISTER DRONE OPERATOR

First off you will be required to register yourself as the drone operator. Click the "Register Operator" option on the dashboard on the left and then click the green "Register New Operator" button on the top right hand of the screen. In order to register yourself as the operator you will be required to fill in the required information and attach the following documents:

• Your photo

• A copy of your passport

• Any documenting proving you have even basic drone training (eg - certificate, license, etc)

Below is a screenshot of the Operator Registration page:

Once you've filled in all the required information and have uploaded the required attachments then you can submit your application. It usually takes up to a week for your application to be verified.

STEP 4: DEPOSIT TOPUP / PAYMENT

In order to register your drone and apply for an authorization payment, you are required to deposit money into your online account. You can do this by clicking the "Deposit Topup" on the top left hand of your dashboard. You will then click the green "Request Control Number To Proceed" button on the top right hand of the screen.

In Tanzania, a Control Number for government payments is a unique reference generated by the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG) system that acts as a specific payment reference for a bill or service. Although you can still pay for your permit fees from abroad, it's much easier and faster when paid directly as a control number here in Tanzania. If you have a contact here in Tanzania they can pay on your behalf.

The amount of money you deposit in your TCAA account will depend on:

1. The number and weight of drones you are registering. For drones under 5kg it costs $100 to register a drone.

2. The duration of your time in Tanzania (eg - days, weeks, months). The authorization permit per drone costs $10 per day, $150 per month or $1,000 per year.

3. The number and weight of drones you are bringing into the country (for import permit purposes). For drones under 5kg it costs $50 to import a drone.

Below is a link to TCAA's website where you can get more information about the the various fees and guidelines for drone import, registration and authorization permit fees:

https://tcaa.go.tz/docs/PROCEDURE_OF_DRONES_IMPORTATION.pdf

STEP 5: DRONE REGISTRATION

In order to register your drone, click the "Drone Register" option on the dashboard on the left and then click the green "Drone Registraion Request" button on the top right hand of the screen. You will be required to fill in the required information and attach the following documents:

• A photo of the drone

• A copy the drone's insurance policy or cover note

Below is a screenshot of the Drone Registration page:

Once you've filled in all the required information and have uploaded the required attachments then you can submit your application. It usually takes up to a week for your drone to be registered.

STEP 6: AUTHORIZATION / OPERATIONAL PERMIT REQUEST

Once your drone and operator registration requests have been approved, you can now apply for your authorization permit. Click the "Operational Permit" option on the dashboard on the left and then click the blue "Request Normal Operational Permit" button on the top of the screen. Below is a screenshot of the Drone Registration page:

You will be required to fill in the required information then click the green "Next to add drones" button then submit your request. It usually takes about 2-3 weeks to get your operational / authorization permit approved. Prior to approval, you will be contacted by TCAA via WhatsApp or Email to verify the information you have provided.

STEP 7: DRONE IMPORT PERMIT

In order to register for an import permit, click the "Import Permit" option on the dashboard on the left and then click the green "Import Permit Request" button on the top right hand of the screen. Since you are not permanently importing the drone into the country (ie - you will leave with the drone after your trip) then you can attach a copy of your flight ticket instead of the mentioned import documents.

Below is a screenshot of the Import Permit page:

Once you have your import and operational/authorization permit then you are free to bring in and fly your drone in the country while adhering to Tanzania's drone rules and regulations.