Post your best Photo From Mavic

Ettore · Dec 26, 2017

From Italy

HassoBoxhead · Dec 26, 2017

IvanG said:
Hello everyone. New forum member here, on my second Mavic as the first one was lost to a strong gust of wind (and lack of piloting experience) over the Gulf of Mexico... but that’s another story. I’ve been following the forum for seveal months, learning from everyone, so thank you all for that.

I just wanted to pitch in here to say that drones below 2kgs in weight are lightly regulated for non-commercial use in Mexico, so you can definitely fly your Mavic here if you follow the general, common sense safety provisions. Having said that, all archaeological sites are seriously regulated by INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia), a nation-wide federal authority with ample powers and a lenghty record of heavy handed enforcement. Chichen Itza is a highly visited and constantly monitored site, one of Mexico’s most important for sure, with thousands of daily visitors. I’ve been there many times and I would think finding a location from where to launch the drone to fly unnoticed would be a risky bet, to say the least...

General photography with handheld cameras is OK within archaeological sites in Mexico, but anything involving the use of a tripod or specialized equipment such as a drone requires applying for a permit and paying the corresponding fees. This is done ahead of time through INAH’s website, not at the gate. I would definitely not count on good luck depending on “the mood of the guard on duty”, nor would I recommend trying to “influence” that mood.

A recent instance of unauthorized drone use over Chichen Itza has been reported and widely discussed locally. The pilot took off from the terrace of a hotel near the site, and the photo went viral on the internet. There’s a grey legal area since Mexican aviation authorities have no provisions about flying over archaeological sites (it can be argued that INAH owns the site itself but not the airspace above it), so you may be able to do it and get away with it. But you can be sure that personnel at the site know what a drone is and will be quick to recognize this type of activity if they see someone flying a Mavic.
In fact, drones have rapidly become a common sight here in Mexico and most people know what they are.

Just my two cents worth from the Yucatan Peninsula, not telling you what to do or not, just hope you find the information useful.

Thank you for posting this information, it is really useful for those wishing to visit and film. It’s precisely this kind of on-the-scene advice from knowledgeable people that make this forum invaluable. Thanx again for posting!