Flying a drone in Brazil: the 2026 rules for tourists and hired pilots
Brazil’s drone rules changed in 2026: ANAC’s RBAC nº 100 replaced RBAC-E nº 94, and DECEA’s new ICA 100-40 requires a SARPAS authorisation for every flight, even under 250 g.
Flying a drone in Brazil is governed by three federal bodies — the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), the Departamento de Controle do Espaço Aéreo (DECEA) and the Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL) — and two of them rewrote their rules in 2026. Any guide written before June 2026 describes a regulation that no longer exists. This one sets out what changed, what a visitor bringing a drone has to do, and why a drone session booked here is flown by a Brazilian pilot who handles all of it.
What changed in 2026
ANAC's Resolução nº 805 of 15 June 2026, published in the Diário Oficial da União on 16 June 2026, approved RBAC nº 100, "Requisitos gerais para aeronaves não tripuladas de uso civil", as a full replacement for RBAC-E nº 94, the special regulation in force since 2017. The same Resolution waives one new requirement, the remote pilot's theory exam in paragraph 100.13(b), until 31 December 2026. DECEA followed with a new edition of ICA 100-40, approved by Portaria DECEA nº 2.094/DNOR8 and in force since 1 July 2026, which governs access to Brazilian airspace.
| Body | Rule | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| ANAC | RBAC nº 100, in force 16 June 2026 | Registration, categories, distance from people, insurance, pilot exam |
| DECEA | ICA 100-40, in force 1 July 2026 | Authorisation of each flight in SARPAS, restricted zones, weather |
| ANATEL | Homologation of the radio | Whether the drone's transmitter may be switched on in Brazil at all |
| ICMBio and the venue | Park protocols, private access rules | Whether a drone may take off at that particular place |
ANAC: registration, distance and insurance
Every drone of 250 g or more must be registered in SISANT, ANAC's drone register, whether it is flown for fun or for work. ANAC's SISANT guidance says a foreign visitor can register with a passport number, and RBAC nº 100 makes a registration valid for 24 months. Registration is free.
RBAC nº 100 does not apply to a drone of up to 250 g flown within sight and no higher than 120 m. Above that weight, the open category covers drones up to 25 kg flown within the pilot's sight, no higher than 120 m above ground, and at least 30 m horizontally from anyone who is neither taking part in the flight nor has expressly agreed to it. Every operation the regulation covers must carry third-party damage insurance, and from 1 January 2027 every remote pilot must have passed ANAC's theory exam.
DECEA: an authorisation for every flight
ICA 100-40 requires an authorisation in SARPAS, DECEA's online request system, before every flight — including flights with a drone of 250 g or less, which ANAC's rule leaves alone. DECEA's drone page links the system and the instruction. The table sets out the lead times the new ICA 100-40 sets.
| Situation | Lead time in SARPAS |
|---|---|
| Open-category flight away from aerodromes | 30 minutes |
| Small drone within sight crossing a flight restriction zone around an aerodrome or helipad | 4 calendar days, with a Termo de Coordenação |
| Earliest a request may be filed | 90 days before the flight |
ICA 100-40 also forbids flying in rain, strong wind or fog, requires navigation lights after dark, and requires the pilot to land at once when a crewed aircraft approaches. Flying near an aerodrome without authorisation is treated as an act of unlawful interference, which is a security matter rather than a fine.
ANATEL: the radio needs homologation
A drone's remote control and, often, the aircraft itself contain radio transmitters, and ANATEL's certification FAQ states that such equipment may not be used in Brazil until ANATEL has certified it. A drone imported for personal use is homologated unit by unit through a Declaração de Conformidade, and ANATEL has issued homologation certificates free of charge since 25 October 2019. A model that does not meet Brazilian spectrum rules cannot be homologated, so check before you pack it.
Parks and private venues
Federal parks run by the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) add a layer of their own. ICMBio's Instrução Normativa nº 12 of 11 March 2025 lets anyone photograph a federal park in areas and hours open to visitors, but a capture outside those areas or hours, or one that changes the visiting routine, needs a free special authorisation requested through gov.br. The parks' own protocols then decide drones. The Parque Nacional da Tijuca protocol, PROV nº 01/2024, allows no recreational drone at Corcovado or Sumaré, requires the park's authorisation for recreational flights at the Mirante Dona Marta, Paineiras and Parque Lage, sends recreational pilots at Pedra da Gávea and Pedra Bonita to the Clube São Conrado de Voo Livre, and requires the park's authorisation for any non-recreational flight.
Private operators decide for their own land. The Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar access rules forbid carrying or using a drone anywhere in the Sugarloaf complex, and many pousadas, beach clubs and resorts have their own policy, so ask before you plan a shot around one. The Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf guide covers those two landmarks in detail.
A tourist's own drone versus a hired pilot
| Step | A visitor flying their own drone | A booked drone session |
|---|---|---|
| ANATEL homologation | The visitor applies, unit by unit | Done for the pilot's drones |
| SISANT registration (250 g and over) | The visitor registers with a passport | Done, renewed every 24 months |
| SARPAS authorisation | The visitor files for every flight | Filed by the pilot, with any Termo de Coordenação |
| Third-party insurance | The visitor arranges it | Held by the pilot |
| Park or venue authorisation | The visitor asks | Requested by the pilot, with the venue's go-ahead |
Each booked session is flown by a Brazilian pilot who already holds every item in the right-hand column. See drone photo and video, from $300 for 60 minutes on location, 25 aerial photos and a 1-minute film within 7 days; drone wedding coverage, from $600 for 180 minutes, 40 aerial photos and a 2- to 3-minute film within 3 weeks; and drone real estate, from $450 for 2 hours on site. The Rio de Janeiro, Fernando de Noronha and Lençóis Maranhenses pages set out where flights usually happen, or book a session with your date and place.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to register a drone under 250 g in Brazil?
- A drone of 250 g or less needs no SISANT registration with ANAC in Brazil, and RBAC nº 100 does not apply to it when flown within sight below 120 m. Under DECEA’s ICA 100-40, in force since 1 July 2026, every flight of that drone still needs a SARPAS authorisation before take-off.
- Can a foreign tourist fly their own drone in Brazil?
- A foreign tourist can fly a drone in Brazil after ANATEL homologation of its radio, SISANT registration with a passport if it weighs 250 g or more, third-party insurance where RBAC nº 100 applies, and a DECEA SARPAS authorisation for every flight. A paid shoot for someone else is a different matter and is flown by a Brazilian pilot.
- Can you fly a drone at Christ the Redeemer or Sugarloaf Mountain?
- Recreational drones are not allowed at Corcovado under the Parque Nacional da Tijuca visitor protocol, and any non-recreational flight there needs the park’s authorisation. The Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar forbids carrying or using a drone anywhere in the Sugarloaf complex, so aerial shots of both are flown from authorised points elsewhere in Rio.
- How far ahead must a drone flight be authorised in Brazil?
- A drone flight in Brazil needs a SARPAS authorisation filed at least 30 minutes ahead away from aerodromes, or at least 4 calendar days ahead with a Termo de Coordenação inside a flight restriction zone around an aerodrome or helipad. DECEA’s ICA 100-40 accepts no request earlier than 90 days before the flight.