Drone Confiscation in Oman – Worried About Sharjah and Dubai Airports, Any Advice?

Getting Started Topics Drone Regulations
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Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a frustrating experience I had while traveling with my DJI drone and get some advice for my upcoming trip.

What Happened in Oman

I recently had a nightmare at Muscat Airport in Oman during a layover. My DJI Mavic 4 Pro Mini was confiscated, even though I never planned to fly it there. The whole process of trying to get it back was a mess—nobody seemed to know what to do, and communication was nearly impossible because very few people spoke English.

When I tried to retrieve it before my flight, I kept getting sent back and forth between departments, wasting hours. It was so bad that I ended up missing my flight and had to book a new one, which cost me a lot of money and stress.

My Current Concern

Now, I’m in Sri Lanka and will soon be flying back to Europe. My route includes a flight from Sri Lanka to Sharjah, where I’ll stay for two days, and then I’m flying out of Dubai (DXB) to Antalya.

I’m worried that if Sharjah Airport does the same thing as Oman and takes my drone, I won’t be able to get it back since my departure flight is from Dubai, not Sharjah.

I’ve tried emailing Sharjah Airport Customs to get clarification, but they haven’t responded to either of my emails.

What I’ve Found

I saw an article saying that the UAE lifted its drone ban, but I still don’t know the full details.

UAE Drone Ban Lifted

My Questions

  1. Has anyone successfully brought a drone through Sharjah Airport?
  2. Are the rules different between Sharjah and Dubai Airports when it comes to drones?
  3. If customs in Sharjah confiscates my drone, is there any way I can get it back before flying out of Dubai?

To be clear, I’m not planning to fly my drone in the UAE. I just want to get home with it safely.

Final Thoughts

My experience in Oman was a disaster, and I want to avoid a repeat at all costs. If anyone has traveled with a drone through Sharjah or Dubai and knows what to expect, I’d really appreciate your insights!

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You should ship the drone home and keep the batteries in your luggage.

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Remy said:
You should ship the drone home and keep the batteries in your luggage.

Tried looking into that, but shipping companies won’t accept it because of complicated customs rules.

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@Keegan
Sending it back to Europe shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not aware of any restrictions on drones being shipped.

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Remy said:
@Keegan
Sending it back to Europe shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not aware of any restrictions on drones being shipped.

They’re saying it needs to be registered and claim it’s too high in value. But from what I read, tourists don’t need to register drones unless they plan to fly them. It’s all really confusing.