Is it allowed?

[Anthoman]

I own the DJI Mavic Mini: at least it’s the only one I am comfortable with bringing across the Mexico/Arizona Border. So many questions and so many concerns that I can’t get answers for online- so I turn for help!

What do I plan to do?
I simply plan to fly my drone over the beach around Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) near the resort: Las Palamas. I additionally plan to fly where we do ATV riding closer into populated areas but in an empty, large and rather spacious dirt area. Its not populated or have residential on the piece of land.
When do I plan to fly?
Daylight only.
Where?
Puerto Penasco, Mexico.

My questions are?
Can I bring my drone across the border?
Can I fly over the beach near Las Palamas Resort?
Is it ok the fly when not around people, within LOS and under the weight restrictions (and all other rules)?
Tips or other things I should know?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

You are apparently fine to fly sub 250g without registration, if your mini does comply there (no filter etc), which it should.
That's good because 250g and up a drone needs to be registered, and only Mexican citizens can apply for this.

If you comply with airspace regulations, airport buffer etc, and obey other drone regs, I'm guessing you could be alright to fly anywhere, apart from places Mexico has official drone bans on, those big places of cultural significance etc.
Quite likely, on private property (eg resort management) may not allow drone flight from their land, which could be overcome by walking onto a beach, best to check local rules on that, or others here might have first hand info.

Here's one of the links from a search I did (Mexico drone rules visitors).

Drone Laws in Mexico | UAV Coach (2021)

Have a great trip and hope you have some memorable flight videos / photos to share later.

 

[Starz]

Depends on the frame of mind of the man with the badge, as most things go in Mexico.

 

[realvue]

Good thing to do the research in advance. My understanding is that Mexican jails are not an enjoyable place to be.

 

[tlswift58]

Several previous articles on this too! Search is your friend.

 

[Anthoman]

You are apparently fine to fly sub 250g without registration, if your mini does comply there (no filter etc), which it should.
That's good because 250g and up a drone needs to be registered, and only Mexican citizens can apply for this.

If you comply with airspace regulations, airport buffer etc, and obey other drone regs, I'm guessing you could be alright to fly anywhere, apart from places Mexico has official drone bans on, those big places of cultural significance etc.
Quite likely, on private property (eg resort management) may not allow drone flight from their land, which could be overcome by walking onto a beach, best to check local rules on that, or others here might have first hand info.

Here's one of the links from a search I did (Mexico drone rules visitors).

Drone Laws in Mexico | UAV Coach (2021)

Have a great trip and hope you have some memorable flight videos / photos to share later.

Thank you! This set me in the right direction.

 

[Anthoman]

Depends on the frame of mind of the man with the badge, as most things go in Mexico.

Heard this a lot!

 

[Anthoman]

Good thing to do the research in advance. My understanding is that Mexican jails are not an enjoyable place to be.

Yeah! Not looking to explore that part of Mexico. lmao. However, it's a motivation to do that research.

 

[Anthoman]

Several previous articles on this too! Search is your friend.

Yeah; however, I wasn't finding recent or helpful information from any of them.

 

[Starz]

Heard this a lot!

I go to Rocky Point two or three times per year for some off-road races.
There are several drones flying at those events and I don’t know the particulars of whether those individuals have any form of registration(they are American)or permission to do what they are doing, so I can’t confirm their standing. My thought is they don’t have any specific permission or registration. The way I threat Mexico is I don’t take anything down there that I can’t afford to lose.

 

[hiflyer201]

Just returned Monday from Guaymas Sonora. I've been traveling down to that area several times a year and always take my drone. This time I flew a couple of times at the old Playa de Cortez and also in San Carlos at the marina from the long ago closed road to the old Catch 22 location and aerodrome. I've never had any kind of problem with the locals or the police but I never launch around people and I try to fly as quietly as possible. Both the Air's are screamers at high power settings
The baggage scanner at the airport told me that he also had a Mavic drone.
As a side note, surface winds were good in Mexico but we had hellacious headwinds all the way back and they continued right on down to the surface with gust's to 37. I'll post a photo of the GPS
Grounds speed lower left and instrument metered wind is indicated lower right with an arrow in white. One of those days where you could watch the trucks going by if we'd have been near a highway.

 

[hiflyer201]

 

[vindibona1]

FWIW I used to live in Mexico City and can state first hand that things aren't the same as in the US by a wide margin. You'll notice that to get any kind of permit to fly commercially in Mexico you have to be a Mexican Citizen BY BIRTH! Whatever rules you understand to be in a given area, print them out and have them with you. Hopefully you speak Spanish, but sometimes not speaking Spanish can work in your favor, depending on the circumstance. If you're flying always have a few thousand Pesos stashed away somewhere, Maybe let your wife, or companion hold onto the loot. Unilke in the US where they ticket you for minor infractions, they don'thave a bond card system like they have here and you can find yourself escorted to La Delegacion, the local police station. But the cops are often more than happy for you to pay the fine on the spot, if you get my drift. I got shaken down once for $1000mxn for making a left turn where I didn't know I couldn't. He wanted $2000mxn, but I told him I didn't have it and he's have to settle for $1000 (about $100 dollars US). The risk for anyone going to Mexico is to know that they play be a totally different set of rules than in the US- in so many ways. Flying in Mexico is probably one reason why I kept my Mini 1 and now have a Mini 2. I think the smaller drones are more widely accepted everywhere without jumping through a bunch of hoops- if there are hoops to be jumped through.

BTW... I love Mexico and would have moved there permanently but their immigration laws are tougher than ours... and you can't just walk across the border going south and pretend you need assylum. But Mexico is a lovely country and the people in general (not the cartel/gangster types) are a very kind people. Like most places it's the politicians that screw it up for everyone.

 

[archangel001]

Good thing to do the research in advance. My understanding is that Mexican jails are not an enjoyable place to be.

They aren’t that bad... now Mexican prisons tho. That’s a horse of a different color

 

[basyok]

You are apparently fine to fly sub 250g without registration, if your mini does comply there (no filter etc), which it should.
That's good because 250g and up a drone needs to be registered, and only Mexican citizens can apply for this.

If you comply with airspace regulations, airport buffer etc, and obey other drone regs, I'm guessing you could be alright to fly anywhere, apart from places Mexico has official drone bans on, those big places of cultural significance etc.
Quite likely, on private property (eg resort management) may not allow drone flight from their land, which could be overcome by walking onto a beach, best to check local rules on that, or others here might have first hand info.

Here's one of the links from a search I did (Mexico drone rules visitors).

Drone Laws in Mexico | UAV Coach (2021)

Have a great trip and hope you have some memorable flight videos / photos to share later.

Why "no filters"?

 

[sigi.stiemer]

General comment: Not everything that is allowed appears to be ethical or makes sense.

 

[DoomMeister]

Why "no filters"?

It puts you over the 250g weight.

 

[nreese]

Keep a couple of wads of Pesos in seperate pockets, and one roll in your sock. Small denominations, so it looks like a good wad. Be prepared to use them strategically.

 

[Drgnfli]

Heard this a lot!

Mexican cops are all on the take! Found that out while living in San Diego & visiting Mexico - never again!

 

[Altanore]

It puts you over the 250g weight.

Mine is still under 250g with a filter attached. Just depends on the filter you get I guess.