Taking my Mavic to Ecuador

[Ecuador Live]

You won't get hassled for flying your drone in Ecuador (unless of course you are doing something super obnoxious). People here have a "do what you want" sort of attitude and enforcement of rules and laws in general is pretty lax.

There are rules for flying drones issued by the DAC (Directorate of Civil Aviation), which basically restate the FAA rules... line of sight, dawn till dusk, 400 feet, refrain from drunk droning whenever possible, etc. I have linked to them here if you are interested.

As the guy above said, people here will probably be more interested in checking out your new tech, which is a novelty to most people here.

You'll have a great time flying your drone in Ecuador, there is some AMAZING scenery!

 

[paulrawlingson]

Glad to hear you guys made it through! I'm thinking about bringing in a Mavic on my next trip...I'm betting on an 80% chance of getting in without tax and 20% chance of having to pay up.

I was even considering a Spark just because the $499 price point puts it below the customs threshold of $500, so legally no import duties apply, but after buying all the accessories it seems like a Mavic is a whole lot more drone for a relatively small amount more money...unless you're a total beginner, if you're going to splash out for a Spark, might as well get a Mavic!

Another thing to be aware of in Ecuador is that if you are going to the Galapagos, you will not be able to fly your drone, they're banned there except for scientific use.

On the other hand, there are virtually 0 drone laws in Ecuador outside of the Galapagos (and obvious places like airports, etc.), and there is some amazing scenery wherever you end up (coast, mountains/volcanoes, jungle, etc.) so you will be rewarded with some pretty amazing footage!

I've had my Autel up 2,000 feet and 1.5 miles distant..no FAA here

Here's a little drone footage on my Ecuadorian vlog...using an Autel X-Star Premium..

.

Another thing...if you DO get stuck with the customs duty, or if you are the entrepreneurial type, or if you just want to upgrade, you could even sell it on your way out...they cost way more in Ecuador because of those customs duties/import costs/middle men.... this is what they are currently selling for in Ecuador... Dji Mavic Pro en Mercado Libre Ecuador. People here also use "OLX" alot, you can download it on your phone, post up a free classified, and probably sell it the same day if the price is fair.

Hi @Ecuador Live , love your video..! I was wondering if I could use it in my Ecuador drone post to show how beautiful your country is? Let me know, cheers!

 

[Hawkeye]

Wtf are customs for personal items? If you wear clothes that are over 500, do you pay taxes in Ecuador?

That $500 threshold applies for drones only. Different items have different restrictions, but definitely not your clothes (unless it becomes obvious that they are products for sale, like 20 instances of the same shirt, brand new with the tags on; etc.)

Here's the complete list from the Ecuadorian customs for the ones interested:

SPANISH (Original):

Viajeros por vía aérea (Aeropuerto) – Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador

Viajeros por vía aérea (Aeropuerto) |

www.aduana.gob.ec

ENGLISH (Translated):

Viajeros por vía aérea (Aeropuerto) – Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador

Viajeros por vía aérea (Aeropuerto) |

translate.google.com

Hope this hepls.
Cheers.

 

[Ecuador Live]

Hi @Ecuador Live , love your video..! I was wondering if I could use it in my Ecuador drone post to show how beautiful your country is? Let me know, cheers!

Hi there Paul, sure no problem, thanks for asking!
Feel free to grab whatever you want or you can let me know something specific that you see and I'll try to get the source file.
// Oh man, just saw this ost is over a year old... sorry for not responding, I must never have gotten a notification!

 

[paulrawlingson]

Hi there Paul, sure no problem, thanks for asking!
Feel free to grab whatever you want or you can let me know something specific that you see and I'll try to get the source file.
// Oh man, just saw this ost is over a year old... sorry for not responding, I must never have gotten a notification!

No worries mate and thanks, just updated the post with your video!
Ecuador Drone Rules 2020