Kuwait Issues Its First Comprehensive Drone and Light Aircraft Law

Kuwait has issued Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 on regulating the use of drones, light sport aircraft and air sports, published in Kuwait Al-Youm Issue 1808 on 13 September 2026 and effective from the same date. The Civil Aviation Authority becomes the lead regulator, working with the Ministry of Interior on security approvals.

No drone or light sport aircraft may be flown in Kuwait without being registered and holding a certificate of airworthiness, and no one may fly one, or help fly one, without an operating licence granted by the Authority after Ministry of Interior approval. Separate authorisations cover air sports, and separate permits cover importing, manufacturing, assembling or programming drones and their parts; running a business built around any of this also needs a commercial licence from the Ministry of Commerce. The Ministry of Defence is the only body exempt from the licensing regime, though it must still notify the Authority of non-classified activity.

Operators must respect altitude and noise limits set by the Authority, keep the aircraft within visual line of sight, or extended visual line of sight through an approved display, and stay clear of airports, restricted zones and prohibited areas; night flights and flying in bad weather are banned outright. Security and military authorities may jam, disable, seize or, where there is a real threat, bring down a drone that ignores these rules near sensitive sites.

Penalties scale with the violation: unlicensed operation or breach of core flight rules carries up to two years in prison and a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 dinars; unlicensed importing, manufacturing or commercial activity, or flying in airport zones, carries up to three years and a fine of 3,000 to 5,000 dinars; and courts can add licence suspension or cancellation on top. Existing owners have one year from today to regularise their position, and the executive regulation is due by 31 December 2026.

WEFAQ's view: businesses already using drones commercially, in real estate marketing, surveying, agriculture, media production or logistics, should treat the one-year grace period as a deadline, not breathing room, and start the registration and commercial-licensing process now.

Source: Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 on Regulating the Use of Drones, Light Sport Aircraft and Air Sports, Kuwait Al-Youm Official Gazette, Issue 1808, 13 September 2026.

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your circumstances, please contact WEFAQ Law Firm.