Uruguay UY
Uruguay is one of the more permissive countries in South America for tourist drones: DINACIA classifies drones under 25 kg launch weight as 'small DAOD', which need no registration or permit at all for recreational/sport flying, up to 120 m AGL, subject to general no-fly-zone rules. The main hurdle is instead at the border: radio-emitting equipment, including drones, formally falls under URSEC's radio-equipment authorization regime, most clearly documented for shipped packages, with a specific personal-use ('Persona Física') process available.
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 Uruguay.
- Bringing your drone in
A drone carried as personal luggage should be declared under Uruguay's general traveler customs allowance. Formally, drones are radio-emitting equipment subject to URSEC authorization; the clearest documented process (via the VUCE single-window platform) covers shipped/imported packages, where a URSEC certificate must be obtained before the package clears customs, with a homologation fee reported around UYU 852 when required. Uruguay's general IVA (VAT) rate is 22% (a reduced 10% rate applies only to specific staple goods, not electronics). URSEC (Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones) requires authorization/homologation for radio-emitting equipment such as drones. A specific 'Persona Física' (individual) track exists for this, suggesting a traveler could complete it themselves, but reviewed sources describe the process mainly in the context of shipped packages rather than a drone carried in checked/carry-on luggage — it is not clearly confirmed whether casual tourist luggage is checked against this requirement in practice. 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
Small DAOD (drones up to 25 kg launch weight) flown recreationally/for sport need no DINACIA registration or permit — free flight up to 120 m (400 ft) AGL · Medium DAOD (over 25 kg up to 260 kg empty weight) must be registered with DINACIA's Directorate of Operational Security and receive an identifying number; large DAOD/RPAS (over 260 kg empty weight) fall under fuller aeronautical requirements · Fly in daylight only, within visual line of sight (VLOS)
Flying
- Small DAOD (drones up to 25 kg launch weight) flown recreationally/for sport need no DINACIA registration or permit — free flight up to 120 m (400 ft) AGL
- Medium DAOD (over 25 kg up to 260 kg empty weight) must be registered with DINACIA's Directorate of Operational Security and receive an identifying number; large DAOD/RPAS (over 260 kg empty weight) fall under fuller aeronautical requirements
- Fly in daylight only, within visual line of sight (VLOS)
- No flying over populated areas or concentrations of people, in airport traffic zones/aerodrome vicinity, or in prohibited/restricted areas, without express Aeronautical Authority approval
- No carrying passengers or conducting international operations without express authorization
- No flying near military installations
- Commercial/professional pilots are certified through a DINACIA-recognized Authorized Drone Institute (IDA) and obtain a DAOD Operator Permit
Commercial use: Commercial or medium/large DAOD operation requires DINACIA registration, a DAOD Operator Permit obtained via an Authorized Drone Institute (demonstrating aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency and emergency handling), and — per some sources — liability insurance, though a firm insurance mandate is still described as under development.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Depends on use Drones up to 25 kg launch weight flown recreationally need no registration at all — this covers essentially every consumer tourist drone. Only medium DAOD (over 25 kg up to 260 kg empty weight) and larger RPAS must register with DINACIA's Directorate of Operational Security. No fee or foreigner-specific process was found for this (rarely relevant to tourists) registration tier. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | No Not required for small DAOD (recreational, ≤25 kg). No pilot test or license is required to fly a small DAOD (up to 25 kg) recreationally. A DAOD Operator Permit, obtained through a DINACIA-recognized Authorized Drone Institute (IDA), is required for commercial operation or for medium/large DAOD. |
| Remote ID | No No broadcast Remote ID mandate was found in reviewed sources. |
| Insurance | Unknown Not required for small/recreational DAOD. Sources describe civil liability insurance as 'recommended' for other categories, with firmer requirements described as still under development — no confirmed statutory minimum was found. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Unknown Tourists with an ordinary camera drone (well under 25 kg) can fly recreationally in Uruguay with no DINACIA registration or permit at all, subject to the standard daylight/VLOS/no-fly-zone rules. The main friction point is customs/URSEC formalities for radio equipment, which are more clearly documented for shipped packages than for a drone simply carried in luggage — declare it on arrival if in doubt. This makes Uruguay one of the more straightforward countries in the region for a casual tourist drone flight, in contrast to neighbors like Chile, Argentina or Colombia that require online registration. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Small DAOD (recreational/sport) | ≤ 25 kg launch weight | No registration, permit or pilot test required. Daylight, VLOS, ≤120 m AGL, avoid populated areas, airport zones and restricted areas. |
| Medium DAOD | > 25 kg – 260 kg empty weight | DINACIA registration required (identifying number issued); DAOD Operator Permit needed to operate. |
| Large DAOD / RPAS | > 260 kg empty weight | Full aeronautical-style requirements apply. |
Import & export
- A drone carried as personal luggage should be declared under Uruguay's general traveler customs allowance. Formally, drones are radio-emitting equipment subject to URSEC authorization; the clearest documented process (via the VUCE single-window platform) covers shipped/imported packages, where a URSEC certificate must be obtained before the package clears customs, with a homologation fee reported around UYU 852 when required. Uruguay's general IVA (VAT) rate is 22% (a reduced 10% rate applies only to specific staple goods, not electronics).
- URSEC (Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones) requires authorization/homologation for radio-emitting equipment such as drones. A specific 'Persona Física' (individual) track exists for this, suggesting a traveler could complete it themselves, but reviewed sources describe the process mainly in the context of shipped packages rather than a drone carried in checked/carry-on luggage — it is not clearly confirmed whether casual tourist luggage is checked against this requirement in practice.
- 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 reports of routine drone confiscation at Uruguayan airports for tourists carrying a personal drone were found in reviewed sources.
- If shipping a drone to Uruguay separately (rather than carrying it), arrange the URSEC/VUCE certificate first, since packages can otherwise be held at customs.
Export
- No drone-specific export controls beyond Uruguay's general rules were found; not expected to affect ordinary consumer/prosumer camera drones.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Not stated as time-limited in reviewed sources for medium/large DAOD that do require registration |
|---|---|
| Not required for small DAOD (recreational, ≤25 kg) | Not needed |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 22 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Flying in Uruguay as a tourist Visitors
- Confirm your drone is under 25 kg
Almost every consumer camera drone qualifies as 'small DAOD' — no registration or permit needed for recreational flying.
- Fly by the general rules
Daylight only, VLOS, at or below 120 m AGL, and avoid crowds, airport zones and restricted/military areas.
- Declare the drone at customs if asked
Carry it as normal luggage; formal URSEC radio-equipment authorization is most clearly required for shipped packages rather than carried luggage.
- Skip commercial-style paperwork unless you're working
A DAOD Operator Permit and DINACIA registration only apply to medium/large drones (over 25 kg) or commercial operation.
- Check current rules on DINACIA's site before your trip
DINACIA periodically issues new advisory circulars interpreting the drone rules — worth a quick check close to your travel dates. Open
Sources
- DINACIA — Registro de Drones · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- DINACIA — Permisos de Operador RPAS · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- FreeDrone — Normativa de Drones en Uruguay 2026 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- VUCE — URSEC: Certificado para habilitar el ingreso al país de equipos radioeléctricos (Persona Física) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Galante Pro — Regulación de los drones, sensores y otros dispositivos similares en Uruguay · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−5
- Mandatory insurance−2
- Night flight banned−8
- Duty + VAT ≈ 27 %−16
- Radio / type certification−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works