Traveling with Phantom : custom policies

[Volkhard]

i'm Peruvian and i must say, if you go to Peru with your phantom you will have to pay import duty, which is a lot based on the price of your phantom (and yes they will check the price on the internet) about 25% o 30% of the price you paid

Thanks for the heads-up. Peru just made it onto my personal no-fly / no-visit zone. I still uope the moderater can somehow add a function to the forum where current " travel restrictions " can be noted, so we know, which countries to avoid in the future. The world is full of interesting sites and we should just leave the countries who dont want us alone in their growing solitary.

It is interesting that these countries trying to nickel and dime some people visiting, because they can spot them easily by looking for drones = money. If they would be smarter, they would understand, while trying to get a couple hundred bucks from some visitors, the majority migh stay away, not spending all the money they would likely spend while in the country. Really doesn't add up.

Ecuador spent millions for the Superbowl add this year. Good aerials taken at the beautiful sites of Ecuador and Galapagos could further their advertisement for tourismus, if they show up at Youtube. They should rather welcome us instead of punishing us.

Next we might have to pay tariffs for the cloths we are wearing, or the value of some realy expensive luggage, handbags, wrist watches...... not a pretty picture.

 

[witold]

Some countries are cracking down in a very draconian way. Have a look at recent developments in the Philippines.

When you look at actual customs rules, A LOT of countries are very strict - at least on paper. Personally, if I take 2 dslr bodies a P&S and some small Flipcam style video recorder - I am breaking customs allowances for many countries and could be facing import duty. There are very strict limits on what you can bring in. Developing countries tend to be the most strict.

That said, I've not had any issues ever with regular camera gear. Even in countries like Zimbabwe during touchy election times not even a semblance of a problem - even though I am often technically breaking customs allowances. Probably just luck on my part.

I am very dissapointed by this and started this thread to see what's going on in other countries, after we heard recently about Thailand.

What's the issue with Thailand?

 

[Volkhard]

Some countries are cracking down in a very draconian way. Have a look at recent developments in the Philippines.

When you look at actual customs rules, A LOT of countries are very strict - at least on paper. Personally, if I take 2 dslr bodies a P&S and some small Flipcam style video recorder - I am breaking customs allowances for many countries and could be facing import duty. There are very strict limits on what you can bring in. Developing countries tend to be the most strict.

That said, I've not had any issues ever with regular camera gear. Even in countries like Zimbabwe during touchy election times not even a semblance of a problem - even though I am often technically breaking customs allowances. Probably just luck on my part.



What's the issue with Thailand?

I heard Thailand us now charging $500., non-refundable,, to bring in any drone temporarily and adds some paperwork for some kind of temporary license. Someone in Thailand might be able to give more valid and detailed info.

 

[Chicago1]

Remove the blades and carry in baggage. Next, treat it like a Ronin - doesn't fly, it is hand held "gimbal" photography.

 

[witold]

I heard Thailand us now charging $500., non-refundable,, to bring in any drone temporarily and adds some paperwork for some kind of temporary license. Someone in Thailand might be able to give more valid and detailed info.

If that's true, it would be cheaper to just buy a Phantom over there. Prices are only a little big higher...

 

[Volkhard]

Remove the blades and carry in baggage. Next, treat it like a Ronin - doesn't fly, it is hand held "gimbal" photography.

They might get smart on that as well. Btw the props are removed as I use the Konzam backpack for air travel as ut is IMHO the right mix of sturdiness and protection as carry-on. I have hardcase for the PV2+ and it is pushing the carry-on issue with both size and weight.

 

[Volkhard]

If that's true, it would be cheaper to just buy a Phantom over there. Prices are only a little big higher...

Yes you are right, but I can help it ( must be the German in me), if a country is treating me like that, I rather visit another one, as there are so many to choose...

 

[dwcola]

Here is the footage from Nassau Bahamas from June 29 to July 4.

 

[o1biggen]

Appreciate the post. I'm headed to Costa Rica in August anyone have any troubles getting through customs there.

 

[go fast]

Just came back from Jamaica with my P2 with FPV , acessories & 3 batteries in a carry on backpack , never asked a question about it going or coming back.

 

[dcabrera1983]

Sadly I wasn't allowed to fly in Galapagos. Being that Galapagos is 97% a national park, we stayed in Santa Cruz and had guides take us to the different islands. The guides have already been notified by the National park office to not allow drone flights. Once I got notified about that, I emailed the National park office asking why. They said that they have been finding more and more drones that have crashed into inaccessible areas that not even the park rangers can access and now are just visible, unremovable trash. They also mentioned that people have been flying them while many other turists are around and people have started to complain about the annoyance and audio-visual degradation of the "Galapagos" experience. Sadly too many idiots are getting drones and have little common sense on how to use them. Just read the news....

 

[jtludwig]

I traveled from USA to South Korea recently and groaned when I saw my Phantom come off of the baggage claim wrapped in yellow police tape .

I talked with customs, they ran it through the x-Ray, and I was on my way in less than ten minutes.

I'm traveling to Rwanda this winter so it'll be interesting to see what happens there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhtmec2]

Well if you are traveling to Peru you now have to get a license from the ministry of transportation. They now consider the a regular aircraft. The customs guys grabbed 4 on my flight. You can go to the ministry and try for a license but it takes weeks if they give it to you. You also have a license fee that is expensive. I just had it put into the customs holding vault and will pick it up on my departure. Had a lot of flying scheduled in the jungle. Have been really bummed on the trip. If you cross the border with Ecuador or chile they do not check didly so you might get away with it. I have a house in Peru and am really bummed.....

 

[Frogdodger]

What about disassembling the drone and sticking it is your checked bag under the plane? Sounds like a pain in the butt, but that could work. Take the props off and the landing gear and any other things that can easily come off.. and scatter them in different areas of the suitcase...

 

[cheebs]

Appreciate the post. I'm headed to Costa Rica in August anyone have any troubles getting through customs there.

Flown in and out of Costa Rica with different drones since 2014, never a problem. I'm taking the Solo down in May.

 

[bhtmec2]

What about disassembling the drone and sticking it is your checked bag under the plane? Sounds like a pain in the butt, but that could work. Take the props off and the landing gear and any other things that can easily come off.. and scatter them in different areas of the suitcase...

All bags are x-rayed. They are actively looking. I worked there for more than ten years and working with airport security and customs was my job ..... It is not worth the headache as far as I am concerned. I am going to mail it to my old embassy office and pick it up next time to get around it....

 

[Frogdodger]

So it's as easy as that? Just mailing it to someone that lives there?

 

[NADM]

Well if you are traveling to Peru you now have to get a license from the ministry of transportation. They now consider the a regular aircraft. The customs guys grabbed 4 on my flight. You can go to the ministry and try for a license but it takes weeks if they give it to you. You also have a license fee that is expensive. I just had it put into the customs holding vault and will pick it up on my departure. Had a lot of flying scheduled in the jungle. Have been really bummed on the trip. If you cross the border with Ecuador or chile they do not check didly so you might get away with it. I have a house in Peru and am really bummed.....

Thanks for the heads-up. I am getting on a plane to Lima in a few days, I was planning on taking my P3, for some amazing footage. I have not seen a lot of video from Peru posted, I hoped to get some good video.

Looks like I will have to cancel that.

 

[bhtmec2]

So it's as easy as that? Just mailing it to someone that lives there?

Know. If you mail it to a private person they will seize it. As I said I would send it to my old office at the embassy. They can not touch that mail. Way big difference.

 

[Slash300zx]

If I have to pay one cent in tax to bring my drone with me as a tourist to any country, I won't go to that country period... it's my personal property so I do not need to pay taxes on something that I will be taking back with me when I return home... it's like charging me tax for bringing my clothes!

I can see maybe some countries making you get a temporary permit to fly the drone and if so, they would have to charge some sort of flat rate (even though it should be free) to everyone and not base it on the cost of the drone... that is just blatantly scamming tourists. When you come to the US as a tourist, you don't get charged taxes on anything you bring...