{"id":"08a7796c-ebfb-49cc-a91e-ac655746fa22","slug":"rwanda-drone-framework","kind":"other","headline":"Rwanda performance-based drone regulations (RCAA UAS framework)","summary":"Rwanda's national framework for unmanned aircraft, administered by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA). Rwanda was the first country in the world to adopt performance-based (outcome-based) drone regulation rather than prescriptive rules, developed in 2018 with the World Economic Forum and positioned as a replicable template; the framework enabled Zipline's national beyond-visual-line-of-sight medical-delivery operations (Zipline live in Rwanda since October 2016). It covers UAS pilot certification, detect-and-avoid demonstration requirements for BVLOS, and performance and safety-outcome standards. Adoption year (2018) used for effective date (year-level).","locationId":"2eaf945f-7821-4bc6-ac3e-a8c52e42134b","effectiveAt":"2018-01-01T12:00:00.000Z","expiresAt":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","formFactors":["aerial"],"aliases":["Rwanda drone regulation","RCAA UAS regulations","Rwanda performance-based drone regulation"],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.107Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.107Z","location":{"id":"2eaf945f-7821-4bc6-ac3e-a8c52e42134b","name":"Rwanda","slug":"rwanda","kind":"country","parentLocationId":null,"lat":null,"lng":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","aliases":["RW"],"collisionRisk":"high","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T04:22:20.751Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T04:22:20.751Z"},"derived":{"status":"in_effect"},"sources":[{"id":"fe901364-56d2-4880-abae-78e21f18a776","regulationId":"08a7796c-ebfb-49cc-a91e-ac655746fa22","url":"https://www.caa.gov.rw/unmanned-aircraft","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Unmanned aircraft (RCAA; Rwanda UAS Regulations)","sourceName":"Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.656Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.656Z"},{"id":"a4c7c177-0f46-49c4-a3b2-16f6e292760d","regulationId":"08a7796c-ebfb-49cc-a91e-ac655746fa22","url":"https://www.caa.gov.rw/index.php?eID=dumpFile&t=f&f=40004&token=8e4aa686c32668b4bd9958cbb9bf8c4f68c227ec","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Rwanda UAS Regulations (full text PDF)","sourceName":"Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.733Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.733Z"},{"id":"8c65a146-5d04-49a7-89c5-e4f34f6011ee","regulationId":"08a7796c-ebfb-49cc-a91e-ac655746fa22","url":"https://dronebelow.com/2018/01/24/zipline-spearheads-drone-performance-regulations-rwanda/","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Zipline spearheads performance-based drone regulations in Rwanda (2018, with WEF)","sourceName":"DroneBelow","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.810Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.810Z"},{"id":"6476ed41-8e10-4712-8e92-afd9342e4373","regulationId":"08a7796c-ebfb-49cc-a91e-ac655746fa22","url":"https://visitrwanda.com/facts/drones/","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Rwanda drone rules","sourceName":"Visit Rwanda (Rwanda Development Board)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.886Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.886Z"}],"statusEvents":[{"id":"07a4ed97-e2a0-46e8-8d06-78333cbb48da","regulationId":"08a7796c-ebfb-49cc-a91e-ac655746fa22","status":"in_effect","reason":"Rwanda performance-based UAS regulations (RCAA) adopted 2018 (world-first); enabled Zipline national BVLOS medical delivery, live since Oct 2016 (year-level).","source":"editor:DEPLOY content-agent (Sprint 5c-3 MEAO regs)","effectiveAt":"2018-01-01T12:00:00.000Z","createdAt":"2026-05-31T15:03:06.962Z"}]}