The Ministry of Interior has reminded the public that unauthorized drone operations carry penalties of up to KD5,000 in fines or three years imprisonment under applicable laws. Brigadier Nasser Busalib, speaking as ministry spokesperson, stressed during a briefing that the complete ban remains in force to avoid any interference with security and military activities amid regional developments. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation serves as the primary regulator for drone permits, requiring both aviation approval and security clearance from the Ministry of Interior before any flights.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation regulations, drone use is permitted only with prior authorization and remains prohibited over private properties, sensitive locations or populated zones without explicit permissions. The authority’s drone section processes applications for sectors including infrastructure monitoring and specialized commercial work, though approval involves rigorous vetting. Figures from similar enforcement actions in March 2026 showed authorities arresting multiple individuals for violations during a period of heightened alerts.
The Ministry of Interior announced arrests of six people in March 2026 for flying drones without permits in breach of the then-recently imposed ban on all aerial photography and unmanned flights. Busalib referred those cases to prosecution while renewing calls for full compliance to support ongoing security efforts. A parallel measure from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under resolution 31 of 2026 prohibited the sale of drones in all commercial outlets, with violations leading to shop closures and further legal action.
Penalties for drone infractions derive from provisions in Kuwait’s penal code and civil aviation rules that classify unlicensed operations as threats to privacy and national security. The Ministry of Interior has authorized security personnel to intercept and ground any detected unauthorized drones. Updates to the penalty structure have aligned maximum fines with those applied to comparable public safety violations under recent legislative reviews.
Earlier statements from the Ministry of Interior in 2016 by undersecretary Sulaiman Al-Fahd first detailed the three-year jail term or equivalent fines for camera-equipped drones flown without consent over residential or restricted areas. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has since expanded its oversight framework without altering the core prohibition on recreational flights. Data compiled by the authority shows persistent demand for permits despite the stringent approval process and enforcement record.
The Ministry of Interior has directed residents to report suspected drone sightings through official channels or emergency services for immediate response. Such reports have contributed to the handling of hundreds of incidents involving potential aerial threats since early 2026 according to ministry tallies. Officials continue to process approved exemptions only for entities demonstrating clear operational necessity vetted by both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and security agencies.
