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Botswana

Botswana prohibits drones in all national parks and game reserves (Chobe, Moremi, the Okavango's protected areas), and its copyright law grants no freedom of panorama.

Verified Jul 1, 2026 3 official sources
Permit: conditionalPanorama: Restricted (no FoP)

Guidance, not legal advice

Rules change and enforcement varies. Confirm with the issuing authority before you shoot. Drone law depth lives at Drone Authority.

Drone Authority

Check the flight side

Photography access and drone permission are separate questions. Drone Authority covers the flight-law side for this country.

Permit

Conditional

Issuer: No permit for casual public photography; the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) governs commercial filming and photography in parks and reserves, with fees

Personal photography on safari is unrestricted with park entry. Commercial filming in parks and reserves requires DWNP permits and fees; concession holders in the Okavango Delta add their own terms.

Drone / airspace

Regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) with registration, security clearance, and permit fees; drones are prohibited in all national parks, game reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries, including Chobe and Moremi

Special research permits exist but are rarely granted to visitors. Flying without registration risks confiscation and fines. For depth, see Drone Authority.

Street / public space

Yes to photograph in public

Street photography is lawful. Avoid military and government security sites, and ask before photographing people; in rural communities a greeting first is expected courtesy.

Freedom of panorama

Restricted (no FoP)

The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2006 provides no freedom-of-panorama exception; the only related allowance (Section 18(b)) covers short excerpts for reporting current events. Selling images centered on copyrighted public art or modern architecture can require permission. Wildlife and landscapes, the reason photographers come, are unaffected. Wikimedia Commons classifies Botswana as no-FoP.

Practical notes

  • Okavango and Chobe are helicopter/fixed-wing territory for aerials: licensed scenic flights with doors off are the legal substitute for the banned drones.
  • Chobe river-boat golden-hour elephant shoots are the signature setup; a long lens and a beanbag beat a tripod in safari vehicles.
  • The no-FoP issue is nearly academic on safari but matters in Gaborone if you shoot modern buildings or sculpture for stock.

Sources

Keep shooting

Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side:

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