Honduras HN
Honduras regulates RPAS (drones) through the Agencia Hondureña de Aeronáutica Civil (AHAC), which has run a mandatory drone registry since a November 2019 regulation. Drones over 2.5 kg must be registered with AHAC for a one-time $10 fee; lighter camera drones are the more common tourist case and face fewer formal hurdles, but AHAC has warned that many operators fly without required certifications, and enforcement (including confiscation) around airports and sensitive sites is real. Bringing a single personal drone as a tourist is generally workable if you follow the basic flight rules and stay away from restricted sites.
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 Honduras.
- Bringing your drone in
Tourists can generally bring one personal drone into Honduras as ordinary travel gear; treat it as a declarable item if asked at customs. No drone-specific duty/VAT rate or a confirmed personal exemption threshold was found — some traveller reports describe drones occasionally being held at customs pending departure, so allow for that possibility, especially with larger or professional-looking equipment. Batteries: Carry lithium-ion/LiPo batteries in hand luggage only, with terminals taped or otherwise protected against short-circuit. Standard international limits (up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval, max 2 spares) are expected to apply, though not confirmed Honduras-specific.
- Before each flight
Fly at or below 120 m (400 ft) AGL, in visual line of sight, in daylight and good weather only · Stay at least 5 km from airports and 3 km from uncontrolled aerodromes; a 1 km buffer applies around heliports · Never fly over or film the Presidential House, National Congress, Supreme Court, other government institutions, electrical installations, penitentiaries, diplomatic missions, or military bases
Flying
- Fly at or below 120 m (400 ft) AGL, in visual line of sight, in daylight and good weather only
- Stay at least 5 km from airports and 3 km from uncontrolled aerodromes; a 1 km buffer applies around heliports
- Never fly over or film the Presidential House, National Congress, Supreme Court, other government institutions, electrical installations, penitentiaries, diplomatic missions, or military bases
- AHAC has increased patrols around airports and popular tourist areas; confiscation, fines, and criminal charges are possible for reckless flying or filming restricted sites
- Registration is required for RPAS over 2.5 kg (a $10 one-time fee), obtained from AHAC's office near Toncontín International Airport or by email
Commercial use: Commercial aerial work (aerial survey, filming for pay, etc.) requires AHAC certification as an operator/remote pilot and, per AHAC's own public notice, many local operators currently work without these certifications — do not assume paid work is informal just because it is common; using an uncertified provider carries legal risk for the client too.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Depends on use Under the regulation published in the Official Gazette on 27 November 2019, RPAS/drones over 2.5 kg must be registered with AHAC (one-time $10 fee) at its office 500 m north of Toncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, or by emailing the form to satramitestecnicos@ahac.gob.hn. Most consumer camera drones fall under this 2.5 kg threshold and appear not to require formal registration, though AHAC's registration portal and pilot registry suggest broader compliance expectations are being phased in — confirm current practice with AHAC before travelling with a drone near the threshold. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Sometimes AHAC RPAS pilot/operator registration. AHAC operates a separate remote-pilot registration alongside drone registration, primarily aimed at commercial operators. No public recreational pilot exam or fee schedule for tourists was found. AHAC has publicly warned that many operators currently provide aerial-work services without the required certifications. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No broadcast Remote ID requirement was found. Traceability for registered drones (over 2.5 kg) relies on the AHAC registration certificate rather than an electronic broadcast system. |
| Insurance | Unknown No confirmed public source on a statutory insurance requirement for recreational or commercial drone operation was found; likely relevant for commercial operator certification but not verified. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Unknown The 2.5 kg registration threshold applies regardless of nationality; no separate foreign-visitor registration track was found. If your drone is under 2.5 kg, you can generally avoid the registration question while still following the general flight rules and restricted-site bans. AHAC's registration office is in Tegucigalpa, near Toncontín International Airport — plan for an in-person visit or email submission if your drone needs registering and you are not flying into Tegucigalpa. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2.5 kg | < 2.5 kg | No AHAC registration confirmed as required. General operating rules (altitude, VLOS, daylight, distances, restricted-site bans) still apply, and AHAC's broader compliance push means practice may tighten. |
| 2.5 kg and over | ≥ 2.5 kg | Must be registered with AHAC ($10 one-time fee) and comply with the full RPAS operating framework, including any applicable operator/pilot certification for commercial use. |
Import & export
- Tourists can generally bring one personal drone into Honduras as ordinary travel gear; treat it as a declarable item if asked at customs. No drone-specific duty/VAT rate or a confirmed personal exemption threshold was found — some traveller reports describe drones occasionally being held at customs pending departure, so allow for that possibility, especially with larger or professional-looking equipment.
- No confirmed source on whether Honduras's telecom regulator (CONATEL) requires separate radio/type-approval homologation for personal drones.
- Batteries: Carry lithium-ion/LiPo batteries in hand luggage only, with terminals taped or otherwise protected against short-circuit. Standard international limits (up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval, max 2 spares) are expected to apply, though not confirmed Honduras-specific.
- Pack the drone in a padded case and be ready to declare it at customs; imports considered legitimate personal travel gear (generally one drone per traveller) are usually not an issue.
- A minority of traveller reports describe drones being held at customs until departure pending an ad hoc review — confirm current practice with AHAC or your airline before travelling if you have a valuable or unusual drone.
Export
- No drone-specific export controls were found; general Honduran foreign-trade and any applicable dual-use/strategic-goods rules would apply to specialised or military-grade UAV technology, not ordinary consumer drones.
Costs
| Operator registration | 10 USD (≈ €9.2) Validity: Not specified as time-limited in available sources |
|---|---|
| AHAC RPAS pilot/operator registration | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying in Honduras as a tourist Visitors
- Check your drone's weight
Under 2.5 kg: no AHAC registration confirmed as required. 2.5 kg or more: register with AHAC before flying.
- Register with AHAC if needed
Email the registration form to satramitestecnicos@ahac.gob.hn or visit the AHAC office near Toncontín International Airport; the one-time fee is $10. Open
- Avoid restricted sites entirely
Never fly over or film government buildings, the Presidential House, courts, penitentiaries, military installations, electrical infrastructure, or diplomatic missions.
- Keep to the basic flight rules
Stay at or below 120 m AGL, in sight, in daylight, at least 5 km from airports and 3 km from smaller aerodromes.
- Declare the drone at customs and pack batteries correctly
Carry it in a padded case, keep lithium batteries in hand luggage with terminals protected, and be ready to declare the drone if asked.
Sources
- AHAC — RPAS (drone regulation, registration and pilot registry) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Lexincorp — Regulation and Limitations on the Operation of RPAS or Drones in Honduras · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Proceso Digital — Aeronáutica Civil pone en marcha registro de drones · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−5
- Pilot test (unknown)−5
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−2
- Night flight banned−8
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 15 %−9
- Radio / type certification−4
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works