Colombia CO
Colombia regulates drones under Aerocivil's RAC 100: drones above roughly 250 g need Aerocivil registration and (for anything beyond basic open-category flying) a certified pilot and flight authorization. Since a DIAN customs overhaul took effect on 11 January 2026, bringing a drone into Colombia at all has become the harder part — drones may now only enter through Bogotá's El Dorado airport or the Cartagena customs district, need an advance import declaration, and can no longer be shipped by courier or post; drones arriving through any other airport risk confiscation. Foreigners can register a drone online with just a passport, typically within 5-10 business days.
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 Colombia.
- Bringing your drone in
Since DIAN Resolution 000242 of 2025 took effect on 11 January 2026, drones (including personal/tourist drones) may only enter Colombia through Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado (Bogotá) or the Cartagena customs district; entry through any other airport risks confiscation with no reclassification option. Travelers must present an advance import declaration (reported as requiring form 530) and be ready to show proof of prior ownership (invoice/receipt) and proof of any applicable taxes paid. Reviewed sources do not describe a simple duty-free personal-baggage exemption for drones under this new regime — some describe recreational tourist drones as needing the same formal import declaration as commercial shipments. Radio-transmitting drones fall under CRC (Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones) equipment homologation for operation on Colombian telecom frequencies; mainstream consumer models sold through official channels are typically already homologated. Reviewed sources did not clearly confirm a separate homologation step for a single drone carried by a tourist as opposed to commercial import volumes. 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 above roughly 250 g must be registered with Aerocivil via the Plataforma UAS before flying; some sources cite a 200 g threshold instead of 250 g — treat any drone near this size as requiring registration to be safe · Open-category recreational flying is generally limited to drones up to 25 kg, VLOS, at or below 122 m (400 ft) AGL and no more than 750 m horizontally from the pilot · Keep at least 2 km from military, police, prison, presidential and critical-infrastructure sites, 3 km from heliports, and 6 km from airports (61 m/200 ft altitude ceiling in the 6-9 km band around airports)
Flying
- Drones above roughly 250 g must be registered with Aerocivil via the Plataforma UAS before flying; some sources cite a 200 g threshold instead of 250 g — treat any drone near this size as requiring registration to be safe
- Open-category recreational flying is generally limited to drones up to 25 kg, VLOS, at or below 122 m (400 ft) AGL and no more than 750 m horizontally from the pilot
- Keep at least 2 km from military, police, prison, presidential and critical-infrastructure sites, 3 km from heliports, and 6 km from airports (61 m/200 ft altitude ceiling in the 6-9 km band around airports)
- No flying over crowds, in prohibited/restricted/danger/training areas, or in any zone marked as a no-drone zone
- Flying in National Natural Parks (Parques Nacionales Naturales, e.g. Tayrona, Cocora) requires a prior PNN filming/photography permit — apply at least a month ahead, pay an evaluation fee, and expect roughly 5-15 business days for a decision once the request is accepted
- Night flying and BVLOS fall outside the standard open-category rules and need a specific Aerocivil authorization
Commercial use: Commercial or higher-risk operations need a RAC 100-certified remote pilot (trained through an Aerocivil-authorized ATO), aircraft registration, an approved operational permit (commonly quoted at 30-60 business days, longer for complex cases), and mandatory third-party liability insurance (commercial guidance cites roughly COP 300-500 million+ cover depending on aircraft weight).
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 250 g) Register online through Aerocivil's Plataforma UAS: create a user account (approved by Aerocivil), then register the aircraft (make, model, serial number, photos). Reviewed sources disagree on the exact weight trigger — some cite 200 g, the more recent RAC 100 amendment guidance cites 250 g — so treat drones at or above 200 g as needing registration. Processing is commonly reported as taking about 5-10 business days for straightforward registrations; no official fee amount was confirmed in reviewed sources. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Sometimes (mixed) RAC 100 certified remote pilot (Piloto UAS certificado). Not required for basic open-category recreational flying within standard limits (VLOS, ≤122 m, away from restricted zones). Required for commercial operation and for any flight outside open-category limits, delivered through an Aerocivil-authorized training organization (ATO). No fixed official fee was found; training-center prices vary. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No broadcast Remote ID mandate was confirmed in reviewed sources. Traceability relies on the Aerocivil UAS registration record and physical marking of the registration number on the aircraft. |
| Insurance | Depends Not confirmed as mandatory for ordinary recreational/open-category flying in reviewed sources. Commercial operations need third-party liability insurance approved as part of the operational permit; industry guidance cites roughly COP 300-500 million or more in cover depending on aircraft weight and use, but this is not an official published minimum. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Yes Foreign visitors can create an Aerocivil UAS platform account and register a drone using a passport (a cédula de extranjería also works for residents); registration commonly takes about 5-10 business days. The bigger practical hurdle since January 2026 is getting the drone into the country at all: only El Dorado airport (Bogotá) and the Cartagena customs district are permitted entry points, with an advance import declaration required. Flying in National Natural Parks needs a separate PNN permit applied for at least a month ahead; this is not a quick same-trip option. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Category A (open/recreational) | ≤ 25 kg | Most recreational and light professional flying; registration required from roughly 200-250 g, VLOS, ≤122 m AGL, standard distance/no-fly-zone rules, no pilot certificate needed within these limits. |
| Category B | 25 kg – 150 kg | Requires an Aerocivil operational permit, certified pilot and liability insurance. |
| Category C | > 150 kg | Treated like a conventional aircraft: type certification and licensed crew required. |
Import & export
- Since DIAN Resolution 000242 of 2025 took effect on 11 January 2026, drones (including personal/tourist drones) may only enter Colombia through Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado (Bogotá) or the Cartagena customs district; entry through any other airport risks confiscation with no reclassification option. Travelers must present an advance import declaration (reported as requiring form 530) and be ready to show proof of prior ownership (invoice/receipt) and proof of any applicable taxes paid. Reviewed sources do not describe a simple duty-free personal-baggage exemption for drones under this new regime — some describe recreational tourist drones as needing the same formal import declaration as commercial shipments.
- Radio-transmitting drones fall under CRC (Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones) equipment homologation for operation on Colombian telecom frequencies; mainstream consumer models sold through official channels are typically already homologated. Reviewed sources did not clearly confirm a separate homologation step for a single drone carried by a tourist as opposed to commercial import volumes.
- 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.
- This is a major 2025-2026 change: DIAN Resolution 000242/2025 (effective 11 January 2026) restricts drone imports to two entry points, requires advance import declarations, and bans courier/postal importation of drones and drone parts, in response to security concerns (explosive-laden drone attacks) rather than ordinary tourism.
- Sources conflict on how strictly this applies to a single personal camera drone carried as luggage versus commercial shipments — some describe tourists as needing the same formal declaration as importers, others still describe simple customs declaration for personal recreational use. Confirm current practice with a Colombian consulate or DIAN before travelling with a drone.
- Exact duty percentage for drones was not confirmed against Colombia's current tariff schedule; VAT (IVA) is 19%.
Export
- No drone-specific export controls beyond Colombia's general dual-use/security goods rules were found; the 2026 DIAN measures target imports, not exports, of drones.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Not stated as time-limited in reviewed sources |
|---|---|
| RAC 100 certified remote pilot (Piloto UAS certificado) | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 19 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying in Colombia as a tourist Visitors
- Plan your entry point
Since January 2026, only enter Colombia with a drone via Bogotá's El Dorado airport or the Cartagena customs district; other airports risk confiscation. Carry proof of ownership (invoice/receipt).
- Register with Aerocivil before or soon after arrival
Create an account on the Plataforma UAS with your passport and register any drone at or above roughly 200-250 g; expect about 5-10 business days. Open
- Stay within open-category limits
VLOS, ≤122 m AGL, ≤750 m from the pilot, and respect the buffer zones around airports, military sites, prisons and heliports.
- Get a permit before flying in national parks
Tayrona, Cocora and other Parques Nacionales Naturales require a filming/photography permit applied for at least a month in advance — not feasible for a spontaneous flight.
- Avoid night flights and BVLOS without authorization
These fall outside the standard open category and need a specific Aerocivil authorization arranged in advance.
Sources
- Aerocivil — Aviación No Tripulada (UAS/Drones) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- DIAN — actualiza disposiciones y fortalece el control aduanero para el ingreso e importación de drones al país · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia — regula uso de drones dentro de los Parques · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Drone Authority — Colombia Drone Laws for Travelers (2026) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- ENTER.CO — ¿Cómo ingresar un dron a Colombia en 2026 sin que lo retengan en aduanas? · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- FreeDrone — Normativa de Drones en Colombia 2026 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (mixed)−8
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Night flight permit−6
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−10
- Long lead time (10 days)−8
- Import restricted−25
- Duty + VAT ≈ 24 %−14
- Radio / type certification−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works