Flying drone in Cuidad Juarez near border?

[dji30t]

Hi,


Has anyone flown drone in Mexico and is there strict enforcement near the border? Trying to get some visuals
of people gathering near the border wall in Cuidad Juarez as they cross. What are the requirements if you do fly?

I would rather shoot from US side but Border Patrol claims the area is federal land and don't want to get drone possibly confiscated.

 

[HamDrone]

Hi,


Has anyone flown drone in Mexico and is there strict enforcement near the border? Trying to get some visuals
of people gathering near the border wall in Cuidad Juarez as they cross. What are the requirements if you do fly?

I would rather shoot from US side but Border Patrol claims the area is federal land and don't want to get drone possibly confiscated.

How far back does the "Federal Land" extend? Would this be similar to a Federal/National park that you cannot take off from, but it is legal to fly over as long as you take off from outside the park?

 

[dji30t]

How far back does the "Federal Land" extend? Would this be similar to a Federal/National park that you cannot take off from, but it is legal to fly over as long as you take off from outside the park?

I was told from a colleague they claim federal land is about a football field away from the border wall and that is the same distance they keep people from documenting on the U.S. side. This is diffferent from Yuma, Arizona where CBP allows you to walk around the gap in the fence to document.

 

[dji30t]

Here is a view from Mexico side from local El Paso photographer

https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/12/12/PTX1/ee9e56bf-d2cf-4299-ad48-6d67c42412cb-Migrant_crossing2341.jpg?width=1320&height=742&format=pjpg&auto=webp

 

[Vic Moss]

There are no listed TFRs, NOTAMS, or restricted airspace around the border at El Paso. Ask them to show you the order that prevents you from flying over it on the U.S. side. They can close areas around the border to operating from, but I'm not seeing any official airspace issues.

As far as Mexico, unless you are a Mexican National, you can't fly anything larger than 250g.

By the way, that border has extensive UAS Detection equipment. So if you're going to fly, let them know. Otherwise, you'll be visited by green SUVs. ICE tried to tell journalists they couldn't fly drones at one point earlier this year. They were quickly told they can't do that. It's a violation of the First Amendment.

So technically it's legal (if you follow all FAA regulations), but you'll have to decide yourself if you want to chance it. Tell them you're a journalist. There is such a thing as citizen journalism. I'd do it if I was local, but I'd let them know ahead of time.

Ask them to show you the rule if they insist you can't fly there. Show them to TFR/NOTAM page and the FAA UAS Data Page below. Those are both official sources. And if you want to CYA even more, call 1800WXBrief before you fly and record the call. Ask them if there are any current airspace restrictions in El Paso.

 

[JimWest]

I spent a couple days earlier this year photographing the border fence in Guadalupe Canyon in southeast Arizona and in New Mexico, west of El Paso. This was after fence construction had stopped, and there were huge piles of unused fence materials in many locations. I was careful not to enter Mexican airspace, but flew right close the the fence. I was surprised not to see any Border Patrol officers at all. There were lots of cameras, so I assumed they knew I was there, but no one ever complained about what I was doing.