Permits and regulatory requirements for outdoor drone shows in Türkiye
In earlier articles we went through the process of obtaining permits for an outdoor drone show in the UAE and set out the regulatory model of the GCC countries. Those countries share a similar logic: a local applicant, a compulsory legal structure inside the country and multi-level coordination with the aviation and security bodies.
Türkiye is not formally part of the GCC, and the regulatory model there works differently. It is a centralised system running through the Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü (SHGM), with compulsory registration of the operator and the pilots in the national İHA system.
Where the key question in the Gulf countries is usually who the local applicant is, in Türkiye the main question is whether the operator is registered and whether the pilots are registered in the SHGM system.
That is exactly why Türkiye gets an article of its own. Below is a practical breakdown of:
- who is entitled to carry out a commercial operation
- what is required of the pilots
- whether a foreign operator can be brought in
- what further approvals are needed
Regulator and regulatory basis
Regulator:
Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü (SHGM), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Türkiye.
Regulatory basis:
SHT-İHA Talimatı, the directive on the operation of unmanned aircraft.
The key principle
In Türkiye a commercial operation with unmanned aircraft may be carried out only by an operator registered in the SHGM system.
The pilots taking part in the operation have to be registered in the İHA Kayıt Sistemi, and their registration has to be valid.
This is not a formality. It is a requirement imposed by the regulator.
What is required of the pilots
To register a pilot in the SHGM system you need either:
- a Turkish identification number (T.C. Kimlik No), or
- a foreign national’s number (Yabancı Kimlik No), which is issued to foreign nationals who hold official residence status in Türkiye
Without one of these identifiers, a pilot cannot be registered in the SHGM system.
What that means in practice
A foreign team cannot simply fly in and put on a show without legal and registration status in Türkiye.
If the pilots are not registered in the SHGM system and hold neither a T.C. Kimlik No nor a Yabancı Kimlik No, the commercial operation is unlawful.
Who may file the application
An application for a commercial operation is filed through an operator registered in Türkiye.
The workable models are these:
- a Turkish legal entity is the operator
- a foreign company works through a licensed Turkish partner
Filing directly as a foreign company, with no Turkish legal structure, is not possible.
What SHGM requires
- Registration of the operator in the İHA system.
- Registration of every drone.
- Registration of the pilots in the SHGM system.
- An application for the specific operation, stating coordinates, altitude and the time window.
- Civil liability insurance valid in Türkiye.
Further approvals
Depending on the location, approval may also be needed from:
- the Valilik, the provincial governorate
- the local security authorities
- the municipality
This applies particularly to:
- historic centres
- tourist areas
- districts near airports
- zones near government sites
Timescales
For a typical event it is sensible to allow at least three to four weeks at an ordinary site.
Where the governorate and the security bodies are involved, allow four to six weeks or more.
Any change to the coordinates or the altitude after the application has been filed may mean going through the procedure again.
Can a foreign drone-show operator be brought in?
Yes, but only where the following conditions are met:
- Operation through a Turkish legal entity or a licensed operator.
- Registration of the pilots in the SHGM system with a valid T.C. Kimlik No or Yabancı Kimlik No.
- Insurance in place.
- Work visas and official residence status arranged for the foreign team.
- Temporary import of the equipment in accordance with Turkish customs rules.
What an event manager needs to understand
A common mistake is to assume that you can bring in your own drone-show company and carry out a commercial operation without the Turkish registration structure.
In Türkiye that does not work.
If the pilots are not registered in the SHGM system and hold no official identification number, the project will be stopped at the approval stage or on the day of the event.
What it comes down to
In Türkiye the key question is neither the creative concept nor the number of drones.
The key question is who the registered operator is and whether the pilots are registered in the SHGM system.
Until that is confirmed in writing, the project cannot be considered legally ready to go ahead.
In conclusion
In Türkiye, unlike in the GCC countries, where the main task is more often to build a local legal structure and coordinate with several levels of authority, attention falls on registering the operator and the pilots in the SHGM system.
So when you are planning a project in Türkiye, start by confirming the legal and registration structure of the work.
