Short answer: Yes you can fly your drone in mexico. Pack it and go.
Details: I saw a post or two with misinformation causing people to leave their drones at home when going to mexico. So I setup and account here to share some info. What you are about to read is actual info from a gringo living here with their family who has traveled all over Mexico, driven in flown in, flown out and gone to Columbia with their drone and used in in their videos from all those places.
Mexico is really good and much of what you here about it is false. You will not believe me until you visit yourself and I understand that. I got sick of all the rules in the USA, including our drone rules and moved to Mexico permanently. Forget mainstream articles in English about mexico. If they are not purposely creating false info, they are nearly always operating on fundamental misunderstanding of Mexico's language and culture. Translation are often wrong or details left out. They have far more personal freedom here and everything is not enforced under threats of violence. Heck even a park ranger in the USA can be scary!
THE ACTUAL RULE. Yes there is something written. It is here (in spanish... http://www.sct.gob.mx/transporte-y-medicina-preventiva/aeronautica-civil/3-servicios/35-rpas-drones. This is not new and dates back to 2017. DGI even has an official store in Mexico city. Mexico loves tourists and does not harass them much. The purpose of the rule is unclear. What is clear is that it's not being actively enforced. I doubt this rule is even intended for travelers, it's likely just badly written.
No matter. THIS IS NOT a big concern to tourists. Mexico and its rules are NOTHING like the USA. I can tell you right now that almost no one is registering their drones here. Most people from the USA do not understand that mexico is not like the USA. They don't say, "look a law was made we have to obey". All but the most government sycophants here think, "that law is stupid, find a way to ignore it". They don't live in fear of rules like we often do in the USA. Yes the bureaucracy sucks. But Mexicans know that. There are actually people called a Gestore who you pay to get around Mexican bureaucracy for you by skirting rules. These are not criminals, they have shops and are a bit like hiring an attorney.
I'm not saying come down and flaunt rules. I'm saying these kind of rules are treated more like old laws in the USA that say you can't chew gum on Sundays. The only time my things have ever been looked at in mexico was private Airport security on the way out to Columbia. They didn't even blink. If anyone ever claims they were fined for flying a drone, they gear was confiscated ext. Demand proof because they are probably lying. For some reason people love telling wild stories about what happened to them in Mexico.
The only way I could see them trying to enforce this is if you made a spectacle or caused an accident in Mexico City for example. Understand that mexico city is bigger than New York where you can't even fly drones. if they did pester you even in CDMX they would likely just say you can't fly it here. Mexico is NOT the rumored county where if you question police you disappear. Statistically police are far less violent here and especially towards tourists. In some towns police are not even allowed to write tickets to tourists. If someone give you trouble you can film, you can say no, usually you can walk away.
Now I'm not suggesting this, but for example, Mexicans run from cops all the time. If a cop shot someone for that like we see the USA, they would be charged immediately with murder. If someone tells you you have to pay tax on your personal electronics you tell them no. There are personal exemptions in the in the law especially for electronics and they are outside their authority in most cases. They are trying to rip you off. Look up rules on this if you feel you need details.
Bottom line. There is ZERO active drone enforcement I have seen anywhere and I fly mine all the time in public and so do the Mexicano's.
WHAT IF someone approached you on flying a drone that was public official? They first have an obligation under Mexican law to speak YOUR language or get someone who can. One time I was approached by a cop who was cleanly looking for a small bribe (not drone related). I simply refused to speak Spanish. He got annoyed and went back to his car in a huff and I simply drove away without so much as showing a licence. That was not dangerous or crazy, it's mexico and it's a beautiful far more relaxed place than most of us are used to.
IF a cop actually put out the effort and language skill to try and harass me and tried to tell me I could not fly I would say that filming is a right in the mexico Constitution.
IF he suggested he could confiscate it (a tactic ignorant cops use here at times) I would laugh.
IF he he got aggressive I would tell him he was acting like a cartel member, pack up and simply leave and that would be the end of it. There would be no fine, because he would never even get my name. That's the reality if Mexico. I've been to 10 Mexican States, some of them on the USA DO NOT VISIT LIST. People rarely have any issues visiting anywhere in mexico. Use common since, take your drone, film stuff, maybe get a can of pepper spray just in case and enjoy.
IF you get bullied turn on a camera and stand up for yourself. The Constitution de Mexico lists far more protections for non citizens than the USA one does and says you have the SAME rights as a citizen. Unlike the movies and news stories would have you believe you don't disapproving into a secret prison because you told a crooked cop to shove off. You can reject this, stay at home and worry about what rule government invented. or head down to mexico and enjoy like without always looking over your shoulder like the rest us. Happy flying and I hope this helped.
Details: I saw a post or two with misinformation causing people to leave their drones at home when going to mexico. So I setup and account here to share some info. What you are about to read is actual info from a gringo living here with their family who has traveled all over Mexico, driven in flown in, flown out and gone to Columbia with their drone and used in in their videos from all those places.
Mexico is really good and much of what you here about it is false. You will not believe me until you visit yourself and I understand that. I got sick of all the rules in the USA, including our drone rules and moved to Mexico permanently. Forget mainstream articles in English about mexico. If they are not purposely creating false info, they are nearly always operating on fundamental misunderstanding of Mexico's language and culture. Translation are often wrong or details left out. They have far more personal freedom here and everything is not enforced under threats of violence. Heck even a park ranger in the USA can be scary!
THE ACTUAL RULE. Yes there is something written. It is here (in spanish... http://www.sct.gob.mx/transporte-y-medicina-preventiva/aeronautica-civil/3-servicios/35-rpas-drones. This is not new and dates back to 2017. DGI even has an official store in Mexico city. Mexico loves tourists and does not harass them much. The purpose of the rule is unclear. What is clear is that it's not being actively enforced. I doubt this rule is even intended for travelers, it's likely just badly written.
No matter. THIS IS NOT a big concern to tourists. Mexico and its rules are NOTHING like the USA. I can tell you right now that almost no one is registering their drones here. Most people from the USA do not understand that mexico is not like the USA. They don't say, "look a law was made we have to obey". All but the most government sycophants here think, "that law is stupid, find a way to ignore it". They don't live in fear of rules like we often do in the USA. Yes the bureaucracy sucks. But Mexicans know that. There are actually people called a Gestore who you pay to get around Mexican bureaucracy for you by skirting rules. These are not criminals, they have shops and are a bit like hiring an attorney.
I'm not saying come down and flaunt rules. I'm saying these kind of rules are treated more like old laws in the USA that say you can't chew gum on Sundays. The only time my things have ever been looked at in mexico was private Airport security on the way out to Columbia. They didn't even blink. If anyone ever claims they were fined for flying a drone, they gear was confiscated ext. Demand proof because they are probably lying. For some reason people love telling wild stories about what happened to them in Mexico.
The only way I could see them trying to enforce this is if you made a spectacle or caused an accident in Mexico City for example. Understand that mexico city is bigger than New York where you can't even fly drones. if they did pester you even in CDMX they would likely just say you can't fly it here. Mexico is NOT the rumored county where if you question police you disappear. Statistically police are far less violent here and especially towards tourists. In some towns police are not even allowed to write tickets to tourists. If someone give you trouble you can film, you can say no, usually you can walk away.
Now I'm not suggesting this, but for example, Mexicans run from cops all the time. If a cop shot someone for that like we see the USA, they would be charged immediately with murder. If someone tells you you have to pay tax on your personal electronics you tell them no. There are personal exemptions in the in the law especially for electronics and they are outside their authority in most cases. They are trying to rip you off. Look up rules on this if you feel you need details.
Bottom line. There is ZERO active drone enforcement I have seen anywhere and I fly mine all the time in public and so do the Mexicano's.
WHAT IF someone approached you on flying a drone that was public official? They first have an obligation under Mexican law to speak YOUR language or get someone who can. One time I was approached by a cop who was cleanly looking for a small bribe (not drone related). I simply refused to speak Spanish. He got annoyed and went back to his car in a huff and I simply drove away without so much as showing a licence. That was not dangerous or crazy, it's mexico and it's a beautiful far more relaxed place than most of us are used to.
IF a cop actually put out the effort and language skill to try and harass me and tried to tell me I could not fly I would say that filming is a right in the mexico Constitution.
IF he suggested he could confiscate it (a tactic ignorant cops use here at times) I would laugh.
IF he he got aggressive I would tell him he was acting like a cartel member, pack up and simply leave and that would be the end of it. There would be no fine, because he would never even get my name. That's the reality if Mexico. I've been to 10 Mexican States, some of them on the USA DO NOT VISIT LIST. People rarely have any issues visiting anywhere in mexico. Use common since, take your drone, film stuff, maybe get a can of pepper spray just in case and enjoy.
IF you get bullied turn on a camera and stand up for yourself. The Constitution de Mexico lists far more protections for non citizens than the USA one does and says you have the SAME rights as a citizen. Unlike the movies and news stories would have you believe you don't disapproving into a secret prison because you told a crooked cop to shove off. You can reject this, stay at home and worry about what rule government invented. or head down to mexico and enjoy like without always looking over your shoulder like the rest us. Happy flying and I hope this helped.
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