Chile CL
Chile regulates drones under DGAC's DAN 151 (operations over populated areas) and DAN 91 (non-populated areas). Drones under about 250 g flown privately in non-populated areas face few restrictions, but anything from roughly 750 g up (the size of most tourist camera drones) needs DGAC registration and an RPAS Operator Credential, and both the online registration portal and the credential process are built around a Chilean RUT (tax ID), which makes self-service registration difficult for short-term visitors in practice.
Your plan
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You're good to go, just follow the local rules
- No registration needed
A 249 g drone with camera doesn't need to be registered in Chile.
- Bringing your drone in
Travellers should declare a drone carried as personal luggage on the customs form on arrival; reviewed sources describe this as routine and do not report drones being confiscated at the airport when declared. A drone imported/shipped separately (not as accompanied luggage) falls under Chile's general import regime, subject to the standard 19% IVA and any applicable duty depending on tariff classification and trade agreements. Radio-transmitting drones fall under SUBTEL's telecommunications equipment certification regime; mainstream consumer models sold through official channels are typically already certified by the importer/distributor. Since a February 2026 rule change (Resolution 737), short-range wireless devices (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) only need a compliance declaration/QR code rather than prior individual certification, which likely covers most consumer drones, but this was not separately confirmed for drones specifically. Batteries: Carry-on only for spare lithium batteries. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares); over 160 Wh not permitted on passenger aircraft.
- Before each flight
Drones under about 250 g flown privately, away from people and below the height of obstacles within 50 m, face the most flexible conditions and generally don't need DGAC registration · Drones 250 g – 750 g may be flown for private/recreational purposes on private property, up to 50 m above ground/obstacles, without DGAC registration or authorization, but not over populated areas or third parties · Drones from about 750 g up to 9 kg operating over populated areas need DGAC registration under DAN 151, an RPAS Operator Credential, and (for many operations) prior DGAC authorization; DAN 91 covers similar or heavier RPA over non-populated areas with no fixed weight ceiling
Flying
- Drones under about 250 g flown privately, away from people and below the height of obstacles within 50 m, face the most flexible conditions and generally don't need DGAC registration
- Drones 250 g – 750 g may be flown for private/recreational purposes on private property, up to 50 m above ground/obstacles, without DGAC registration or authorization, but not over populated areas or third parties
- Drones from about 750 g up to 9 kg operating over populated areas need DGAC registration under DAN 151, an RPAS Operator Credential, and (for many operations) prior DGAC authorization; DAN 91 covers similar or heavier RPA over non-populated areas with no fixed weight ceiling
- Stay within visual line of sight (VLOS), generally up to about 500 m from the pilot, at or below 130 m AGL for registered operations
- Keep at least 30 m horizontal / 20 m vertical distance from uninvolved people and property not under the operator's control
- Night flying is not permitted under the standard recreational/DAN 151 framework
- No flying within roughly 1-2 km of airports/aerodromes, over emergency operations, or near government/military installations
- CONAF prohibits recreational drone flights inside national parks and other protected wilderness areas (e.g. Torres del Paine); flying there requires prior written CONAF authorization, normally reserved for research or approved commercial filming, not casual tourist use
Commercial use: Commercial operation requires the RPAS Operator Credential regardless of weight, DGAC registration of the aircraft, mandatory third-party civil liability insurance (or a notarized liability undertaking) approved by the aeronautical authority, and — for larger or more complex operations — an Air Operator Certificate (AOC/CEO).
Registration & classes
| Registration | Depends on use Chile moved to a fully online RPA registration system (servicios.dgac.gob.cl/rpa): create an account, fill in the six-part aircraft form (owner, aircraft data, MTOM, parachute status), upload documents as PDF, pay, and receive a digitally-signed National RPA Registry certificate. The account-creation step asks for a Chilean RUT with verification digit; guidance on using a 'RUT para extranjeros' (foreigner tax ID) exists but that ID itself typically requires a formal application to Chile's Servicio de Impuestos Internos, which is not realistic to obtain during a short trip. No official registration fee amount or processing-time figure was found — a fee is charged but the amount is not published in reviewed sources. Drones under about 750 g used privately outside populated areas do not need to go through this process at all. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Sometimes (mixed, from 750 g) RPAS Operator Credential (Credencial de Operador de RPAS) — DAN 151 exam. Required for operating registered RPA (roughly 750 g+ over populated areas) and for any commercial use regardless of weight. Delivered through a DGAC-authorized training center combining theory (DAN 151, DAN 91, meteorology, aerodynamics) and practical flight assessment; minimum passing score commonly cited as 75-80%. Credential validity is about 24 months, renewable by re-examination. DGAC updated its official exam question bank in March 2026 (ED 1/2026). Course fees are set by private training centers and vary; no fixed official fee was found. Not required for drones under the registration threshold flown privately in non-populated areas. |
| Remote ID | No No broadcast Remote ID mandate was found in reviewed sources. Traceability for registered RPA relies on the physical registration number (matrícula) marked on the aircraft and the DGAC registry record. |
| Insurance | Depends Third-party civil liability insurance (or, as an alternative, a notarized undertaking to assume liability for third-party damage) is required for commercial operations and for DAN 151/DAN 91 authorized flights, with minimum cover set by the DGAC. Not required for drones under the registration threshold flown privately in non-populated areas, though general civil liability for any damage caused still applies to everyone. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Unknown Chile's online RPA registration portal and the RPAS Operator Credential process are both built around a Chilean RUT; a 'RUT para extranjeros' is mentioned as an option in some guidance, but obtaining one generally requires a formal application to Chile's tax authority (SII) that is impractical for most short tourist trips — no source confirms a fast passport-only path for visitors. In practice this means many tourists with a typical camera drone (roughly 750 g and up) will struggle to legally register and fly outside the private-use exemption during a short visit. A drone under about 250-750 g can be flown for private, recreational purposes away from people and populated areas, up to 50 m above obstacles, without registration — this is the most realistic option for visitors. National parks (e.g. Torres del Paine) ban recreational drone flights outright; CONAF authorization is needed and is not routinely granted for tourist filming. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Under ~250 g | < 250 g | Most flexible recreational conditions; general safety rules and no-fly zones still apply, but this weight is not the main registration trigger in Chile the way it is in some neighboring countries. |
| 250 g – 750 g, private use | 250 g – 750 g | May be flown without DGAC registration for private/recreational purposes on private property, away from people, up to 50 m above obstacles within a 50 m radius. Not permitted over populated areas or third parties. |
| ~750 g – 9 kg over populated areas (DAN 151) | ~750 g – 9 kg (populated areas) | DGAC registration, RPAS Operator Credential, and (for many operations) prior authorization required. VLOS, ≤130 m AGL, distance limits from people, no night flight. |
| DAN 91 — non-populated areas | any weight over non-populated areas | Separate DAN 91 framework with no fixed weight ceiling; still needs registration and credential for larger/complex operations, with authorization requests submitted at least ~10 days ahead. |
Import & export
- Travellers should declare a drone carried as personal luggage on the customs form on arrival; reviewed sources describe this as routine and do not report drones being confiscated at the airport when declared. A drone imported/shipped separately (not as accompanied luggage) falls under Chile's general import regime, subject to the standard 19% IVA and any applicable duty depending on tariff classification and trade agreements.
- Radio-transmitting drones fall under SUBTEL's telecommunications equipment certification regime; mainstream consumer models sold through official channels are typically already certified by the importer/distributor. Since a February 2026 rule change (Resolution 737), short-range wireless devices (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) only need a compliance declaration/QR code rather than prior individual certification, which likely covers most consumer drones, but this was not separately confirmed for drones specifically.
- Batteries: Carry-on only for spare lithium batteries. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares); over 160 Wh not permitted on passenger aircraft.
- No evidence was found of drones being routinely seized at Chilean customs when declared; this differs from the DGAC registration/credential barrier that applies once you try to fly a larger drone.
- Exact duty rates for a separately shipped/commercially imported drone were not confirmed against Chile's current tariff schedule; VAT (IVA) is 19%.
Export
- No drone-specific export controls were found beyond Chile's general dual-use/strategic goods rules, which are not expected to affect ordinary consumer/prosumer camera drones.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Not stated as time-limited in reviewed sources; tied to the specific aircraft (matrícula/registration certificate with QR code) |
|---|---|
| RPAS Operator Credential (Credencial de Operador de RPAS) — DAN 151 exam | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 19 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying in Chile as a tourist Visitors
- Check your drone's weight
Drones roughly 250 g – 750 g can be flown for private recreational use, away from people and populated areas, up to 50 m above obstacles, without DGAC registration.
- Know the registration barrier for bigger drones
Drones from about 750 g up need DGAC registration and an RPAS Operator Credential, both built around a Chilean RUT — realistically hard to arrange as a short-term visitor. Open
- Declare it at customs
Declare the drone as personal luggage on arrival; reviewed sources report no routine confiscation when declared.
- Avoid national parks and protected areas
CONAF bans recreational drone flights in parks like Torres del Paine without prior written authorization, which is not typically granted for casual tourist filming.
- If in doubt, contact DGAC before travelling
Email or check the DGAC drone-operations page for the current registration process and any foreigner-specific guidance before your trip. Open
Sources
- DGAC — Operación de Drones · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Aerotest.cl — Regulaciones y Normativas de Drones en Chile · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- DroneMedia — Cómo registrar un dron en Chile con el nuevo sistema de la DGAC · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- CONAF — restricciones para uso de drones en áreas silvestres protegidas · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Aerotest.cl — Seguro obligatorio para drones en Chile según la DGAC · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Drone-Traveller — Drone rules and laws in Chile · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−5
- Pilot test (mixed)−8
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Night flight banned−8
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 24 %−14
- Radio / type certification−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works