🖐 In this blog post we’ll share all drone law links & known rules about recreational & commercial drone laws in Guatemala (Guatemala City). Give a 👍 at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience our Guatemala Drone Discussion Group. Keep in mind that the content below is updated to the best of our ability & does not replace official sources & your own research.
Recreational vs commercial drone use in Guatemala
Peru does not seem to differentiate commercial & recreational drone uses. However both uses are under strict regulation and you will need to register your drone in every case.
✅ In Guatemala, this would fall under the Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics (GDGCA) & they can be contacted via:
Office: 9 Avenida 14-75 Zona 13 Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora, Ciudad de Guatemala, Centro América, 01013, Guatemala
Email: drones@dgac.gob.gt
Phone: (+502) 2321 5000
Facebook 😍
Can I travel with my drone to Guatemala?
🚨 Currently, you need to declare your drone upon arrival at the airport. Additionally, you might need to register your drone - check here. According to the GDGCA's website, you will need complete this online form & request the pre-reservation of a badge at the airport customs' office within 8 working days upon your arrival in the country.
🚨 Be aware of the airline you purchase to travel as some main ones will only accept your drone on-board if its batteries are detached & placed in a firecase during travel time. Most airlines will have a battery voltage limit based on the recommendation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can find more info about a specific airline here.
💡 Smart! Get your drone batteries' firecase today and make sure you're complying with aviation safety rules.
Where can I fly my drone in Guatemala?
✅ We did not find an official fly zone map for drones in Guatemala "If you have more information about this, please share it in the Guatemala Drone Discussion Group". Thankfully in the meantime, app.airmap.io has listed all flight zones in a convenient way organised in a 3 colour legend.
Guatemala drone fly map
🚨 You should not fly above or near military installations & strategic infrastructure. Fly away from airports & any aerodromes or airports or in other sensible areas of the country. Avoid the country's borders & urban centres
🦅 National parks & reserves might be on a case by case permission & you might need to check directly with the local park or reserve authorities.
💡 Smart! Pack some spare drone batteries, you never know how close is the next power plug overseas. Also make sure you have a travel adaptor for Guatemala.
Recreational & Commercial Drone Use in Guatemala
✅ You will not need to have a license to fly your drone in Guatemala (if heavier than 100 g), if you hold one from overseas, this one should be recognised. With this in mind, there are rules while you're up there as you must fly:
at a maximum altitude of 122 m & within sight at all times.
only during daytime & in good weather only.
a drone that weights less than 25 kg
it is advised to subscribe to an insurance covering all risks.
a drone that is covered by an insurance.
at least 5.5 km away from public airports & give way to all other type of aircraft.
away from areas where its use could interfere with police or first responders.
avoiding sensitive areas including government or military facilities.
How to register my drone in Guatemala?
✅ Guatemala put in place an interesting feature allowing to check if your drone needs to be registered or not (to our knowledge, any drone heavier than 800 g should be registered today) - see here for yours.
🛬As you arrived at the airport, you had to ask for a pre-reservation badge & completed this online form to start the registration process, after then:
A distinctive or consecutive identification number will be assigned to you. This type of document is valid for the registration of the unmanned aircraft (UAV) as a Real Property before the General Registry of Property of Guatemala.
A badge will be assigned using the letters UAV-TG-XXX, where XXX is a consecutive number. This consecutive number corresponds to a strict chronological order granted by the RAN (Registro Aeronautico Nacional).
💡 You will have to place your identification number under the lower part of the left wing. If your drone doesn't have any "wing" , then the last 3 digits must be placed on a visible part of both sides. In both cases they must count internally or externally with a metal plate which indicates the following data: Model Series, Owner & Identification badge.
How to obtain my drone pilot's license to fly in Guatemala?
"We did not find much information about this, if you have some, please share in The Forum so we can update this post." 🌏 However, it seems that your overseas license will be recognised as long as:
you are the owner of the license
able to demonstrate your success in passing a theoretical and practical exam
you have a license for radio
have at least 5h of practical experience
What do I risk for flying a drone illegally in Guatemala?
The amount & scope of the fine will depend on the nature & severity of your infraction. The judges will also evaluate if you intentionally committed the infraction and/or if you had any commercial purposes to do such.
Keeping common sense & rules in mind, what are you waiting for?! Start flying above Guatemala's awesome landscapes & create videos like this one:
✅ Please leave a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in Guatemala! Have fun & safe flight! #guatemala #guatemalan #regulation #rule #rules #law #laws #legislation
💡 You're a local, have a question or want to share a travel experience? Head to our Guatemala Drone Discussion Group
Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information researched, we take no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage caused as a direct or indirect consequence of relying on this information. It is your responsibility to seek advice from qualified local & relevant authorities for needed information about airline drone policies.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links meaning we will get a commission if you decide to purchase via them. This has no costs for you but helps Dronemade stay free for all. If you need to buy anything on Amazon or DJI stores, think of us.
Sources
Other resources
Drone fly map Guatemala (Airmap)