DGAC Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Permit path requiredRecreational rules are clear; commercial needs DGAC
Costa Rica can be drone-friendly, but parks, wildlife, towns, outdoor events, airports, and commercial shoots are where people get surprised.
The trip, step by step
- Bring it
- Park rules often matter more than customs for travel photographers. Permission from the land or park manager can be decisive.
- Register it
- Use DGAC drone services and the drone registry where your operation requires it.
- Fly it
- DGAC indicates recreational drones do not need registration, but pilots must follow AIC limits, daylight/VMC, distance, and no-over-people or town restrictions.
- Map check
- Check DGAC AIS/MAP, airport RPAS restrictions, heliports, national parks, and protected areas before launch.
Before you travel
- 01Confirm whether the operation is recreational or commercial/non-recreational.
- 02Use DGAC forms and registry services where required.
- 03Ask national park, wildlife-area, town, event, or private land managers before launching.
Operating notes
- Max altitude
- 120 m / 400 ft AGL in uncontrolled airspace unless DGAC authorizes otherwise.
- Commercial work
- Commercial/non-recreational use requires DGAC application/certification steps and can trigger drone registry or exploitation-certificate paperwork.