Drone Laws in Mexico

Mexico Drone Regulations

According to Mexico’s national aviation authority, The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil, AFAC), flying a drone is legal in Mexico, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact the AFAC directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: buzon_ucg@sct.gob.mx / 55-57-23-93-00

Why fly a drone in Mexico? To get great aerial shots like these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Mexico

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Mexico.

• Visitors to Mexico can only fly drones that weigh less than 250 grams with everything onboard or attached.
• All drones weighing over 250 grams (.55 pounds) must be registered with the DGCA. Registration requires an official ID proving Mexican citizenship, therefore prohibiting registration by foreign persons. Learn more about registering your drone in Mexico here.
• Fly only in daylight.
• Keep the drone within your visual line of sight and no farther than 1,500 feet away from the operator.
• Do not fly higher than 400 feet above ground level.
• Do no fly over people or animals.
• Do not fly at historical sites such as Chichen Itza.
• Drones must stay 9.2 kilometers (5 nautical miles) away from any aerodrome.
• Do not exceed the maximum operating speed for the drone based on its maximum takeoff weight.
• Drones must not drop objects that may cause damage to people or property.
• Be sure to follow the drone policies for the hotel or resort at which you are staying.

Key Contacts for RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) Registration

• Director of Mexican Aeronautical Registry
  • Contact: hector.osnaya@afac.gob.mx
• Validation Coordinator
  • Contact: gabriela.reyes@afac.gob.mx
• RPAS Registration Contact
  • Email: rpas@afac.gob.mx
  • Phone: 5723-9300 (Ext. 18112/18125/18114)

Registration Requirements

• For Individuals:
  • Ownership documentation.
  • Official identification (e.g., ID card, passport, driver’s license).
  • Proof of residency in Mexico if applicable.
• For Legal Entities:
  • Registration documents of the entity.
  • Legal representative’s ID and notarized power of attorney.
• For Government Entities:
  • Founding decree or law creating the organization.
  • Official statutes and appointment documents.

Note: The registration is valid for three years.

Regulatory Framework

Operators must comply with the guidelines set out in NOM-107-SCT3-2019, which details the requirements for operating RPAS in Mexican airspace.

Authorization for photography and recording in areas, monuments, and museums of INAH

Permission is required to take photographs, film, or record in areas, monuments and museums of the National Institute of Anthropology and History for professional or commercial purposes. There is also a large fee for taking photo or video in INAH areas, up to $10,905.00 mxn/day. To apply for permission to take photo and video in INAH areas, you will need to provide the following to INAH:

• Script, storyboard, or dummy sketch
• Written document addressed to the National Coordination of Legal Affairs with a brief synopsis of the project
• Application form INAH-01-001

Begin your application process online here. The final portion of the application will need to be completed at the INAH service offices.

New Regulations for Commercial Drone Operations in Mexico

Multiple Mexican publications have stated that commercial drone operators will be required to obtain a license in order to fly a drone in Mexico, and that these regulations will go into effect on Dec. 1, 2018. However, the DGCA has not yet shared information on how to obtain a license. We will update this page when the information becomes available. What we’ve gathered for now is that in order to obtain a drone license in Mexico you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be Mexican by birth
• Provide your military release card
• Have a high school diploma
• Be in good health

For more information on Mexico’s drone laws, see this document containing legislation issued by the Mexican government.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Mexico? Send us an email at support@uavcoach.com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Mexico can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Mexico? Here you go: