International Customs when travelling with a helicam

[Ethan Barrett]

I have a DJI Phantom 2 and am using it for some Gopro shots overseas, including Kenya, Uganda, etc., traveling from the US. Has anyone experienced issues when getting a helicam through customs? It's a pretty weird-looking "spy-like" device and I can imagine some people overseas not liking the look of it.

 

[W. Reimer]

any information you'll get on a forum is going to be anecdotal at best. Write down all the countries you're going to then locate the nearest Embassy or Consular office to you. Call them, and ask to speak with someone knowledgeable about import/export regulations ( you will be doing both, right?). Do not, I repeat DO NOT ask the person who answers the phone your question. They will be a clerk, almost always someone local, (they won't relocate secretarial staff to a foreign posting generally), and they will have no idea. They will often just give you an answer, right or wrong to avoid finding who you need to talk to.
Once you have your answer on the phone, get their address, email, and phone number, and ask them to send you written confirmation of their interpretation. Without it, you're wasting your time. If you can talk them in to sending you a written interpretation (good luck with that, BTW), take it with you.
The Phantom has been available for over a year and a half, worldwide. Almost everyone has seen them at some point...DJI did a pretty good job of pushing it on the global retail market. There are pretty good odds that someone within the Customs office you've arrived at will have an idea of what they are.
A couple of things you have to keep in mind, though; batteries and permission to film. You have limited numbers of LiPo batteries that can be shipped, it is based on weight, not numbers, and you may very well need to ship them separately as dangerous goods. Again, check with each countries' Civil Aviation authority, and ICAO regulations regarding this.
Lastly; permission. There are a number of countries around the world and several in Africa that are quite "sensitive" to foreign nationals filming in their country. It often has little or nothing to do with "national security"...there are many many Officials who supplement their income through the issuance of a variety of "permits". It's irritating, it's offensive, and it is the way it is; you don't have to like it; you just have to comply.
One last suggestion; if you're doing this for fee or expect to sell some or all of this footage...re-think your plan. That constitutes "work" and you would need a work visa to shoot. DON'T RISK IT!! Many companies have serious penalties for things like that, including denial of entry, fines, and/or imprisonment. They do not have ANY sense of humour about things like that. if you shoot, it is as a hobby, for personal use only. That's your story and STICK TO IT.
I've worked in a number of countries in Africa and the importation of any number of things is an "adventure" to say the least. I hate to say it, but coming from North America or Europe, you're viewed by many as being "rich". if you're "rich", you can afford some additional "administration" fees

 

[Droider]

I have a DJI Phantom 2 and am using it for some Gopro shots overseas, including Kenya, Uganda, etc., traveling from the US. Has anyone experienced issues when getting a helicam through customs? It's a pretty weird-looking "spy-like" device and I can imagine some people overseas not liking the look of it.

W.Reimer has spoken some very wise word there. From my experience of running expeditions in Africa you will need more than the weight of the copter in fags if you are lucky.. If unlucky you will be slammed in a hell hole of a cell until you pay mucho dollars to be sent on your way.. Specific permissions and FULL documentation with a fixer on the ground is the only way I would go there.. even then I would have to be earning one hell of a lot to even tempt me.. take care you will be at the mersy of the men with guns! especially when of the beaten track.

Dave

 

[W. Reimer]

Ethan, to give you an example of a place you're going; Uganda. We were there in the fall of 2010 on a medical aid trip. For a lot of years, we've gone to different places like this and provided short term medical services completely on our dime; it does not cost them a single cent. We bring all of our own equipment, medications, support equipment (generators, sterilizers, etc)...even our own food and water. We take absolutely NOTHING from any person, village, county, Province or Country. When we advised them ( the Government) of our intention, dates, #'s of people, etc, we were told that before we arrived we would have to pay $3500 for "permission" to enter Uganda for the purpose of providing free aid. Further, we had to send the funds as an International Money order made out to "The Bearer"...nothing "odd" about that, right???

In the following 5 months between our initial contact and actually arriving, we paid that, we had to absorb another $1300 in "fees" paid to several other people, we had to hire 4 men, allegedly Uganda Armed Forces personnel, for Guards, and have our transportation arrangements on the ground made for us, by another "Official".

That's pretty normal. Ghana, Sudan & Ethiopia are all MUCH worse. I understand how tempting it would be to take a multi along, perhaps get some aerial shots of big game? Although you may well get into Kenya without a bunch of problems, since it's a good deal more prosperous than many other nations on the continent, unless you have an "in" with someone over there, it's HIGHLY unlikely you'd be permitted to get anywhere near big game, unless on a private game ranch. Even then, the risk of agitating the animals is pretty high. National parks are pretty much a non-starter in most places, as they are in the U.S. where flights with a UAV are not permitted.

I've got to wonder if at the end of the day it's worth the hassle and expense; at the very least it will cost you at least a couple hundred dollars just in shipping/excess baggage costs. Unfortunately, this sort of thing has become a sad reality in many parts of the world

 

[Ethan Barrett]

Thanks so much, W. Reimer. Great notes. Yes, in fact, I was wondering if anyone had any anecdotes of hassles when traveling with a helicam.

I should have clarified. I work with a non-profit and we travel globally year-round doing coverage, so we've made this trip to Africa several times--only to Uganda and Kenya this time around, as it turns out. So we've got the necessary permissions as the filming is just a tiny part of the bigger mission. Thankfully, I have no role in gaining the permissions, but that also means I have no idea if the helicam itself would be an issue further than the camera equipment.

We wanted to try some more dynamic shots and hence the helicam. Anyone know of issues with a helicam specifically?

And Dave--God forbid!

 

[W. Reimer]

OK, so you know the ropes then. If you have an organization covering those issues in country, including photography permissions, the equipment is secondary to the function...a camera is a camera, this one just happens to fly. I'd be obviously concerned about making sure I wasn't inadvertently overflying government facilities ( a no brainer, but something lots of people don't think about).

Kenya may be a bit "sensitized" following that mall attack a few months ago. I've not heard of anyone having issues; that means nothing of course; they may not have, or they may and just haven't said anything online. It may be worth making a call to the nearest Embassy, just to be more comfortable with it.