Flying in Mexico

[firepilot131]

Does anyone know if there are restrictions in Mexico, specifically at the Baja1000 race? Thanks

 

[rvcosta]

Of you are not a México citizen with the new regulations you can not fly a Drone in México.

 

[paulrawlingson]

What rvcosta says is true, additionally it could cost you money for importing the drone within the country as its not considered as your normal camera gear allowance which means a potential 16% taxes will be asked on the retail price of your drone upon entry of the territory.

 

[Bajaus]

Don’t think it’s a problem. I take my Mavic Pro on Alaska Airlines a few times a year. Here is a shaky video (bad gimbal motor shaft) of my house that I made for the real estate broker that has the listing.

 

[sshephard]

I don't mean to ask a question that has already been answered but I think I've read most of what is posted here and elsewhere about the "new" 2018/2019 regulations about foreign citizens flying a drone in Mexico. And I'm still not sure what the truth is. So here are my questions:

1. Is is now true that only Mexican citizens can fly a small UAV (eg Mavic 2 Pro) in Mexico (so long as they have the proper license)?
2. If "Yes" to #1, can you point me to an official site that states this? (I've searched the Mexican Civil Aviation Authority site and have found nothing official)
3. If it is illegal for non-citizens to fly, what happens to my drone when I go through customs? (I'm assuming that possession of a drone isn't against the law)
4. Perhaps most importantly, given the absence of any authoritative, official evidence of the illegality of foreign citizens flying a drone in Mexico under the new December, 2018 regulations, what are your actual experiences since December of taking a drone to Mexico? I'd be especially interested in knowing the experiences of a US citizen going to Mexico in January with a drone.

Thanks.

 

[@PeteVee]

Drone Laws in Mexico | UAV Coach (2018)

I plan on taking a drone to the Mexican Baja peninsula in October of 2019, staying on a resort. From what the above link suggests, only commercial drone applications are illegal for non-mexican citizens.

 

[sshephard]

Drone Laws in Mexico | UAV Coach (2018)

I plan on taking a drone to the Mexican Baja peninsula in October of 2019, staying on a resort. From what the above link suggests, only commercial drone applications are illegal for non-mexican citizens.

Thanks, PeteVee. It seems that I had come across the source you link but I guess I didn't read it closely enough. I will be leaving for three weeks for a few places on the East Cape of Baja in less than two weeks and will be taking my Mavic 2 with me. I will try to give an update to my entry experiences one we are there. My wife and I went a year ago and I had my Phantom 4 Pro in a large, yellow wheeled drone case When I got to customs, I was asked to open the case. Once the customs official saw the drone she said, "Tax!" Before I could finish a polite protest, she said, "Next time." When I left Mexico three weeks later, I had locked the case with a TSA approved combination padlock. When I picked the bag up in MSP at baggage claim, the lock was gone. But nothing was missing from my case.

This time my drone will be in my camera bag so it will be much less conspicuous. Well see . . . .

 

[FlyRobFly]

Thanks, PeteVee. It seems that I had come across the source you link but I guess I didn't read it closely enough. I will be leaving for three weeks for a few places on the East Cape of Baja in less than two weeks and will be taking my Mavic 2 with me. I will try to give an update to my entry experiences one we are there. My wife and I went a year ago and I had my Phantom 4 Pro in a large, yellow wheeled drone case When I got to customs, I was asked to open the case. Once the customs official saw the drone she said, "Tax!" Before I could finish a polite protest, she said, "Next time." When I left Mexico three weeks later, I had locked the case with a TSA approved combination padlock. When I picked the bag up in MSP at baggage claim, the lock was gone. But nothing was missing from my case.

This time my drone will be in my camera bag so it will be much less conspicuous. Well see . . . .

I'm headed to Mexico in a few days...curious to see how your experience was? Thanks in advance!

 

[FlyRobFly]

Anyone have a post-December 2019 experience of actually going to Mexico with a drone? Headed to Cabo for a fishing trip and would LOVE to bring my new Mavic 2 Pro. Muchas gracias!

 

[sshephard]

Sorry for the delay in reporting back. In short, I had no trouble getting through Customs and with flying my drone while in the Baja in February. But I should say that I got the green light at Customs so no search of my baggage occurred. Also, I flew in pretty remote areas along the East Cape where I was very unlikely to encounter law enforcement. I did fly a couple times along the Costa Azul east of San Jose del Cabo and the hotel zone there without incident.

 

[FlyRobFly]

Sorry for the delay in reporting back. In short, I had no trouble getting through Customs and with flying my drone while in the Baja in February. But I should say that I got the green light at Customs so no search of my baggage occurred. Also, I flew in pretty remote areas along the East Cape where I was very unlikely to encounter law enforcement. I did fly a couple times along the Costa Azul east of San Jose del Cabo and the hotel zone there without incident.

Not a problem & thanks for the reply in any case! For the benefit of those reading, I got back from my trip last week and had the same experience...didn’t have to go to secondary inspection & zero issues getting the drone in. No problems during my trip...other than on the last series of shots I was going to get on the last day, I carried the drone in a canvas bag & jacked up the gimbel. Don’t have DJI Refresh. Lesson learned. Cheers, amigos!