🖐 In this blog post we’ll share all drone law links & known rules about recreational & commercial drone laws in Peru (Lima & Machu Picchu). Give a 👍 at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience in the Peru Drone Forum. 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 Peru
Peru differentiates commercial & recreational drone uses. Be aware that you will also need to go through the country's customs process.
✅ In Peru, this would fall under the National Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) which reports to the Ministry of Transports & Communications, they can be contacted via:
Email: rpas-dgac@mtc.gob.pe
Phone: (+51) 1 615 7800, annexes 1523 or 1156 🕔 Monday to Saturday from 8.30 am to 5 pm & Sundays from 8.30 am to 2 pm.
✅ Peruvian authorities will differentiate your drone based on its weight:
less than 2 kg
more than 2 kg
Can I travel with my drone to Peru?
✅ Currently, there doesn't seem to be any restrictions on bringing drones within Peru as long as your import is considered as legitimate (generally one drone per person). This said Peru customs established a tax safety process to avoid smugglers importing drones without declaring them (you will essentially need to pay an 18% Tax deposit that you will get back once departing Peru).
How to retrieve my drone at Peruvian airport customs (Lima airport)?
First things first, you should declare it via this form upon arrival to avoid a "smuggler" fine (50% of your drone's estimated value) if found without your self declaration.
A VAT deposit (18%) of your drone's estimated value will be asked to you. Peruvian customs essentially secured themselves that you won't sell it in Peru without declaring the sale. Airport security will record the serial number of your drone & your personal details to ensure you are the owner upon return.
Once your holiday over, make sure to arrive earlier than usual to collect your VAT deposit back (🕔 You might need an extra 3 hours).
💲🕔 Note, you have 12 months to return, passed this period, your deposit will be forfeited by Peruvian authorities. 💡 Make sure you have your original drone receipt with you to show that you're the owner & that you bought it legally.
Catching a plane to visit Peru? Be compliant & get your fireproof lipo battery bags
Where can I fly my drone in Peru?
✅ We did not find an official fly zone map for drones in Peru "If you have more information about this, please share it in the Peru Drone Forum". Thankfully in the meantime, app.airmap.io has listed all flight zones in a convenient way.
Peru drone fly map
🚨 Fly away from urban areas and from Machu Picchu, flying drones to take photographs, can only be done with the authorization of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco.
🚨 Some bloggers have also reported no drone fly zones above archaeological sites.
Recreational Drone Use in Peru
✅ Good things first, you will not need to have a license to fly your drone in Peru for recreational use as long as you do not fly within restricted or controlled airspace. This said, there are rules while you're up there as you must fly:
with your drone's manual near you at all times
away from urban centres & crowds (you might be authorised if your drone weights less than 6 kg and is equipped of a drone parachute).
at a maximum altitude of 152 m & within sight at all times.
only during daytime & in good weather only.
at a maximum speed of 161 km/h
keeping at least 20% of your battery's charge when landing.
a drone that weights less than 25 kg (if heavier than 2 kg, you must register it first).
30 m away from any building or infrastructure including roads, rails, energy plants, etc
away from crowds or congested & urban areas
at least 4 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.
Commercial Drone Use in Peru
🚨 Quite a few steps here as you will need to register your drone and have an operator's license to fly your drone in Peru. Note that most of the process isn't automatic adding considerable delays in obtaining all the paperwork today.
How to register my drone in Peru?
The process is a little longer than it should be as you will have to send an email/letter to the General Directorate of Civil Aviation. Remember, if you're flying a drone for recreational use that weights less than 2 kg, then you won't need to do the registration step.
In either case and when unsure, you can contact or send your form directly to rpas-dgac@mtc.gob.pe. Complete a sample letter (see below) to complete and send. You will need the following documents attached to complete the registration:
a copy of the company's certificate's (if applicable)
a copy of your drone's manual & a photo of your device (jpg only)
*we did not find it but we expect you should also send an ID copy
🕔 Note that it will take about 30 days to complete the registration process and there is a fee linked to it. If you have further information here, please share in the Peru Drone Forum.
✅ Once done, you will receive a registration card.
How to obtain my license to fly my drone in Peru?
First things first, you need to eligible by being at least 18 years young & speak fluent Spanish. Note that the license is only required when flying a drone for commercial use in Peru for the moment. From here, simply follow the steps from this official link.
To be successful, you will need to complete a theoretical exam of 2 hours and score at least 75% of good answers & have completed the registration step. If all good, complete this sample letter (below) & send to the Peruvian authorities.
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What do I risk for flying a drone illegally in Peru?
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 Peru's awesome landscapes & create videos like this one:
✅ Please leave a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in Peru! Have fun & safe flight!
💡 You're a local, have a question or want to share a travel experience? Head to our Peru 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 Peru (Airmap)