Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has no freedom of panorama, charges for photography at its ancient cities, and tightly controls drones; the famous monuments are public domain by age.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Site and antiquities authorities for archaeological sites; no general permit for personal photography
Cost: No general permit for tourist photography; archaeological sites (Sigiriya, Anuradhapura) charge paid entry and restrict commercial shoots
Personal photography needs no general permit. Avoid military and high-security zones.
Drone / airspace
Regulated by CAASL; camera drones over 200g need registration, Ministry of Defence clearance, and insurance
Import needs multi-agency clearance. For detail, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes, broadly permitted, but cultural rules are strict: never pose with your back to a Buddha statue
Get consent for commercial use of identifiable people; the Buddha-photo rule has led to tourist arrests.
Freedom of panorama
Restricted (no freedom of panorama)
The Intellectual Property Act No. 36 of 2003 has no panorama clause. The famous ancient and colonial monuments are old enough to be public domain, which is the practical basis for selling those images.
Practical notes
- Sigiriya and the sacred cities charge for photography and prohibit drones without special clearance.
- Bring drone import and registration paperwork; clearance can take 10 to 21 days.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: