The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) are holding over 300 drones that have been imported and not cleared. 

Many Ugandans are importing drones before getting clearance to do so, according to government officials. 

UCAA warned that there are new regulations and penalties for anyone found flying a drone without permission, based on reports that some Ugandans have smuggled drones into the country. 

The devices must be cleared according to the new Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2022. 

Vianney Mpungu Luggya, UCAA's public affairs manager, on Friday, asked Ugandans if they should get guidance from UCAA and various ministries showing the purpose of the importation of their drones.

He said that when URA customs officials at the airport find the drones, they write to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), who can then reject or approve the clearance of the drone. 

UCAA also writes to the importer notifying them whether the CDF has rejected or approved the importation.

Thereafter, the payment of customs fees and VAT can take place if the importation is approved. 

Luggya said the clearance would be made simple and digitized, adding that public awareness on flying drones that have not been cleared.

Simon Esunget, URA customs manager at Entebbe Airport, said the fee for the drone stands at sh250,000 and Value Added Tax (VAT) of 18% (sh45,000). 

Esunget said many drones are sitting at Entebbe international airport having been confiscated over a period of seven months and that many importers do not follow the proper procedures.

Some importers return the drones on their flight back when they are unable to clear them. But when the drones are abandoned for over two months, they are either auctioned or destroyed by the URA customs department. 

Defence Minister Vincent Ssempijja told MPs that many people were importing drones into the country, but some do not meet the required specifications. He promised to ask URA to explain the procedure of auctioning off drones. 

The minister noted that each ministry has the specification for the drones that they recommend Ugandans to import. He explained that there were no documents to show the importers or owners of the undeclared drones. 

Ssempijja further explained there are two guidelines relating to the importation of drones. 

The first is that the approval of a drone importation has to be done by a relevant line ministry. The second is the approval of the drone use that is done by UCAA because drones are considered aerial vehicles. 

UCAA does its evaluation and approval of drone use in consultation with the CDF. UCAA and CDF then write to the applicant who seeks to import a drone, giving them approval or rejection. 

The defence minister said there is a lack of a comprehensive law regarding the importation of drones, but that government agencies were overseeing their importation and use. He expressed concern about the high number of drones that were undeclared or had to be auctioned off. 

Ssempijja said he knows one farmer who imported a drone for agricultural purposes, but that the drone did not meet the country’s specifications and standards. 

He clarified that it is not the UPDF blocking the drones but that instead some importers do not follow or meet the procedures required. 

Drones imported for taking videos and photos have to be cleared by the Uganda Communications Commission.