My wife and are going on a cruise, leaving out of Tampa, headed to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan Honduras, and Grand Cayman. The cruiseline said there is no issue bringing the drone onboard their ship, it just has to remain in our suite until we reach port. Does anyone have any helpful insight as to any "Law Issues" we might run into just trying to get some vacation footage?? Thanks in advance
Using Your Drone In A Foreign Country
- Thread starter Stealth_1961
- Start date
You'll need to research each location you intend to fly in. Sometimes it's just not worth the effort and/or the risk. Some countries will require you pay a fee/tax on the item as you're leaving as-if you purchased it in country. You may want to carry Proof Of Purchase with you.
Thank you, appreciate the insight. Definitely don't want to do anything wrong or risk confiscation.
Here's a reply I found by googling "Cozumel+Drone Rules":
Mexico requires drones to be registered. sct.gob.mx/transporte-y-medicina-preventiva/…
Mexico forbids flying even registered drones over cultural or historical areas (so no flying over San Gervasio or any other Mayan ruins, including the ones at Punta Sur). Pilots have had their drones confiscated for flying over Tulum, for example. Anything that gets too close to cruise ships (including boats, divers, or snorkelers) will trigger a significant response. The Faro Celerain lighthouse in the Punta Sur park would probably be considered to be in a historical area. I'm not sure about the lighthouse near the car ferry.
The primary NFZ (which is for both the civil airport and the military airport, so you're unlikely to have an exception request granted) covers most of San Miguel. It ends about 100 meters north of Calle 23 Sur (so it covers the Catholic church on 20 Av) and extends to pretty far north (I haven't checked because my house is just to the south of the NFZ...).
The small civil airport Aerodromo Capitan Eduardo Toledo is very near El Cedral, Money Bar, and Sky Reef, so you are supposed to have clearance from the tower before flying in that area. I have not tried flying there and have no idea how to get ahold of the "tower" for clearance or how responsive they are. There's usually an airshow there in March or April, and the skies are very busy during that. Last year it was held on the mainland, but this year, who knows.
The east side should be fine.
If you're bringing expensive consumer electronics into Mexico, strongly consider having a receipt with you so you can show it's "old". It's been the subject of debate whether drones fall under the duty exemption for photographic equipment - nothing says they do, nothing says they don't. Any DJI drone, and many others, will be significantly above the personal exemption amount and I know some people have been charged duty bringing a drone into Mexico.
Mexico requires drones to be registered. sct.gob.mx/transporte-y-medicina-preventiva/…
Mexico forbids flying even registered drones over cultural or historical areas (so no flying over San Gervasio or any other Mayan ruins, including the ones at Punta Sur). Pilots have had their drones confiscated for flying over Tulum, for example. Anything that gets too close to cruise ships (including boats, divers, or snorkelers) will trigger a significant response. The Faro Celerain lighthouse in the Punta Sur park would probably be considered to be in a historical area. I'm not sure about the lighthouse near the car ferry.
The primary NFZ (which is for both the civil airport and the military airport, so you're unlikely to have an exception request granted) covers most of San Miguel. It ends about 100 meters north of Calle 23 Sur (so it covers the Catholic church on 20 Av) and extends to pretty far north (I haven't checked because my house is just to the south of the NFZ...).
The small civil airport Aerodromo Capitan Eduardo Toledo is very near El Cedral, Money Bar, and Sky Reef, so you are supposed to have clearance from the tower before flying in that area. I have not tried flying there and have no idea how to get ahold of the "tower" for clearance or how responsive they are. There's usually an airshow there in March or April, and the skies are very busy during that. Last year it was held on the mainland, but this year, who knows.
The east side should be fine.
If you're bringing expensive consumer electronics into Mexico, strongly consider having a receipt with you so you can show it's "old". It's been the subject of debate whether drones fall under the duty exemption for photographic equipment - nothing says they do, nothing says they don't. Any DJI drone, and many others, will be significantly above the personal exemption amount and I know some people have been charged duty bringing a drone into Mexico.
I was going to take mine to Madeira as you can fly them but need to pay to take photos or video so I will just use my DSLR.
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