NEW LAW IN MEXICO AS OF OCTOBER 2023

Vue D’Oiseau · Nov 10, 2023

I will be traveling to mexico next week, arriving at Cancun airport. Now that Mexico allows tourist or foreigners to bring drones under 250gms I'm thinking about it. The only requirement is to register your drone. I've looked into their AFAC ( civil aviation federal agency) website to get more info but it's all in spanish. I've called the consulate in my city to find any info, no luck there. It would be nice to have the form to register my drone prior to arriving at the airport, but so far I' cant find anything. I assume I would have to register it at the AFAC counter if there is one at the airport. I've heard there might be a tax on bringing drone inside , I also need the invoice of purchase.
Any suggestion on how to register or to proceed.

Cafguy · Nov 10, 2023

I know it sounds obvious but you should find someone who knows Spanish.
I say this because many government forms from Mexico are Only worded in Spanish.

MS Coast · Nov 10, 2023

Translate.google.com

Daytona500 · Nov 10, 2023

Looks to be a real PITA

Yorkshire_Pud · Nov 10, 2023

MS Coast said:
Translate.google.com

seconded

rexster1505 · Nov 10, 2023

When was the date of this information? Last I read was you have to be a Mexican citizen to register any drone regardless of weight.
That being said, I've brought several different drones from a Phantom 4 Pro+ to my Mini 3 Pro just this last September. And not had one problem at the Cozumel airport. And they were not registered for Mexico.

shb · Nov 10, 2023

Don't seem to be any good options. I would try google translate first. If the process is too hard, I would fly without registering. Just find a place where no cops will see you take off or land. Their cops tend to be lazy and probably don't even know the drone laws. If you get caught maybe you can bribe them. I heard in Mexican jails they mainly serve Mexican food. So that's good!

dart106 · Nov 11, 2023

Daytona500 said:
Looks to be a real PITA

Not to mention costly, depended on who is collecting “fees”.

Cafguy · Nov 11, 2023

dart106 said:
Not to mention costly, depended on who is collecting “fees”.

CHURCH!!
Just a small reminder, If you break the laws in a foreign country and are jailed Your countries consulate can do very little to help get you out of jail. and Its Mexico - food for thought
The fine for flying a non registered drone in Mexico is probably -How much you have plus How much your family can send you plus taxes.

n3ntj · Nov 11, 2023

There are laws in Mexico?

Blairsville · Nov 11, 2023

n3ntj said:
There are laws in Mexico?

Only if you are law abiding. The Cartels have Carte Blanche.

spsphotos · Nov 11, 2023

Blairsville said:
Only if you are law abiding. The Cartels have Carte Blanche.

My thought exactly. You'd have to be extremely careful where you fly. You don't want the cartels thinking you are spying on them....would be a death sentence.

n3ntj · Nov 11, 2023

Blairsville said:
Only if you are law abiding. The Cartels have Carte Blanche.

My point exactly. The cartels run Mexico, not the gov't.

drone_dh · Dec 1, 2023

I never thought twice about the friggin cartels... yeah, I think I'll leave the drone home. Sigh....

n3ntj · Dec 2, 2023

Seems like it would be easier to leave the drone at home.

FlySkyJumper · Dec 3, 2023

Vue D’Oiseau said:
I will be traveling to mexico next week, arriving at Cancun airport. Now that Mexico allows tourist or foreigners to bring drones under 250gms I'm thinking about it. The only requirement is to register your drone. I've looked into their AFAC ( civil aviation federal agency) website to get more info but it's all in spanish. I've called the consulate in my city to find any info, no luck there. It would be nice to have the form to register my drone prior to arriving at the airport, but so far I' cant find anything. I assume I would have to register it at the AFAC counter if there is one at the airport. I've heard there might be a tax on bringing drone inside , I also need the invoice of purchase.
Any suggestion on how to register or to proceed.

You're just fine to operate your drone no problem in Mexico. I didn't have to register my Mini 3 pro. This was After I checked with the AFAC. Always check with local authorities just in case, but typically they will try to extort you out of money sadly. It is just what it is.