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Where to Fly Your Drone in Laos

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A drone (like the DJI Mavic Pro we have) can be a fun gadget for getting some unusual and amazing shots. Just make sure to fly responsibly and inform yourself of the drone laws in place. Below we show you a few incredible places to fly your drone in Laos.

Flying our drone in LaosFlying our drone in Laos

Flying your drone in Luang Prabang

Flying a drone in Luang Prabang is a bit tricky as the airport is right next to town and as a general rule you should avoid flying near airports without getting explicit permission.

Luckily there is a beautiful countryside as well, so hop on a motorbike, drive to the middle of nowhere and you’ll soon be capturing some amazing shots without bothering anyone.

The Beautiful Countryside in LaosThe Beautiful Countryside in Laos
Luang Prabang as seen from aboveLuang Prabang as seen from above
The mighty Mekong RiverThe mighty Mekong River

On our way to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall we made quite a few stops to explore the view from above without anyone around. The Mekong river is even more impressive when seen from the sky!

We especially liked the view of the rice fields near the turnoff to the waterfall.

Rice Fields near the turnoff to the WaterfallRice Fields near the turnoff to the Waterfall

Flying your drone in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is another classic stop in Laos. The beautiful surroundings of this town make for some great drone opportunities. Unfortunately we had a lot of rain when visiting, but we did manage to get up in the air twice.
Our first flight was at the popular Kaeng Nyui Waterfall to get a different perspective of the waterfall. Didn’t turn out that great but you win some, you lose some, I guess. Do take care flying between all the trees here if you want to give it a try yourself.

Later that day we found ourselves in the fields near the Phangern Viewpoint, desperately trying to get to a geocache. We had to give up on that one in the end but didn’t leave without going for a quick drone flight. The rain started spoiling things though, so we’re not that happy with the result here either.

The Kaeng Nyui Waterfall from a different point of viewThe Kaeng Nyui Waterfall from a different point of view
Scenery near the Phangern ViewpointScenery near the Phangern Viewpoint
Flying at the Kaeng Nyui WaterfallFlying at the Kaeng Nyui Waterfall
The Phangern Viewpoint in Vang ViengThe Phangern Viewpoint in Vang Vieng

The rain continued pouring for our last days in Laos, so we weren’t able to explore our final stop, Vientiane, from above.

Where NOT to fly your drone in Laos

A drone can be a really fun gadget, but an incredibly annoying one as well in the hands of an inconsiderate pilot. We experienced this first hand in Luang Prabang while watching the sunset at  Mount Phousi.

Yes, that selfie you made might have looked amazing on Instagram, but no, it’s not OK to launch and land your drone in the middle of crowd and fly over us for 20 minutes. Behaviour like that is what gets drones a bad name and is just plain dangerous.

Sunset in Luang Prabang without bothering anyoneSunset in Luang Prabang without bothering anyone

Drone Laws in Laos

A lot of countries are still figuring these drone laws out, so we won’t mention them here to prevent giving you outdated information. However, you can check out Drone-made's ultimate guide to Laos' drone laws and regulations for up-to-date information.

 

Unfortunately we only had about 8 days in the country so there are plenty of other places to explore and definitely a lot more amazing spots to fly your drone in Laos. Found any? Let us know in the comments!

 

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Where to Fly Your Drone in LaosWhere to Fly Your Drone in Laos