Drone laws Puerto Rico (How to Register and What are the Rules)

On a global scale, the FAA regulates who, how, where and when drones can be used. The use of drones is restricted to hobbyists in most countries while at the same time closing off a variety of commercial opportunities.

There are however exceptions such as Canada where commercial pilot certificates are not required or China, which is integrating drones into their national airspace. In spite of numerous legal hurdles, Puerto Rico has taken steps to facilitate regulatory procedures by establishing economic incentives for drone operations.

It is also one of only two states that do not limit the number of permits that may be issued to individual or corporate entities in Puerto Rico; thus making it a preferred location for businesses that are seeking to operate drones on a larger scale.

Drone Laws Puerto Rico

Rules And Laws You Need To Follow When Flying Your Drone In Puerto Rico

There are several important rules and laws you need to follow when flying your drone in Puerto Rico. These are:

• You must stay away from national parks. The government has said that drones should not be flown over any of the island’s national parks, which includes El Yunque Rainforest and Guanica Dry Forest. Flying over these areas can cause damage to wildlife or interfere with scientific research done in these areas.
• You must always fly at least 100 feet away from people, animals, structures and crowds of people (e.g., stadiums). This is so you don’t hurt anyone while you’re using your drone or scare animals into running onto roads where they can get hit by cars. It also prevents anyone from being able to take pictures with their cell phone cameras without permission because they won’t be able to zoom in close enough without getting too close for comfort!
• You must not fly above 400 feet above ground level unless there is no other option available due to weather conditions such as foggy weather etcetera… If this happens then please contact us ASAP so we can obtain approval from our local government agency before proceeding further.”

Federal Law Requires You To Register 

The federal government has set a number of rules for drone use, including how commercial and recreational drones can be used. If your drone weighs more than half a pound, you are required by federal law to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Registration is free and can be completed online.

If you don’t register your drone before flying it in Puerto Rico or other places where drones are banned, then you could face penalties as severe as fines up to $250,000 or imprisonment for up to three years in prison.

The Faa’s Rules For Class G Airspace Apply To Puerto Rico

The FAA’s rules for class G airspace apply to Puerto Rico. Class G airspace is uncontrolled, meaning there are no air traffic controllers involved. You can fly in class G airspace at any time, without having to contact the FAA or get their permission first.

However, if you plan on flying within 5 miles of an airport or heliport (including over a city), you must contact that airport beforehand and let them know what kind of aircraft your drone will be using and how you plan on using it.

Get Atc Clearance

You must get ATC clearance before entering or leaving class B, C, D, and E airspace near San Juan.

ATC is used to coordinate flights in and out of airports. Air Traffic Control (ATC) coordinates with other ATCs to ensure safe flight patterns. The FAA rules regarding ATC in Puerto Rico are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

You Cannot Fly Over Military Bases 

You may not fly over military bases including the Naval Station in Ceiba. The reason for this is simple: drones can be mistaken for missiles, and protecting military personnel and equipment is of critical importance. Additionally, some military bases have been declared restricted airspace with no exceptions.

You will find a complete list of all military bases in Puerto Rico below:

You Cannot Fly Over The Vieques Wildlife Refuge

You Cannot Fly Over The Vieques Wildlife Refuge at any time of year. The Vieques Wildlife Refuge was established in 2001 as a protected area for endangered species and migratory birds, and thus is off-limits to recreational drone operators.

The refuge is one of the only places on Puerto Rico where you can see nesting sea turtles and humpback whales, so it’s important that this special place remains safe from drones.

National Parks Are Off Limits To Drones 

The territory has three National Parks which are off limits to drones unless you have permission to enter them. These parks include El Yunque National Forest, Toro Verde, and Caribe Hilton San Juan Golf Course. If you plan on flying your drone in one of these areas, it is important that you follow the rules set by each individual park. For example, if entering Toro Verde National Park on a weekday between 6:00AM and 9:30AM and 2:00PM and 4:30PM (except for Saturdays), then a permit is required from the Department of Natural & Environmental Resources (DNER).

You may also be fined for not following any other rules such as no flying over people or structures within 100 feet of ground level within designated zones like historical sites or monuments; flying near airports; disrupting traffic flow; interfering with rescue operations by emergency responders; endangering wildlife/harming wildlife habitat; damaging historic resources like archeological sites or burial grounds under any circumstances whatsoever etcetera..

Guánica State Forest And The Carite State Forest

In addition to the prohibited areas, drone flyers are not allowed to operate in any other restricted area. These include the Guánica State Forest And The Carite State Forest. The restriction applies regardless of whether you’re using your drone for commercial purposes or for recreational flying. If you’re caught flying a drone in these two forests, you can expect to be penalized by law enforcement officials with fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per violation.

There is no exception this rule!

Do Not Fly Your Drone Near Forest Fires 

You may not fly your drone within a five-mile radius of any emergency operation, including forest fires. If you are unable to avoid flying near an emergency operation, you must notify the emergency responders on the ground immediately before flying. You may also not fly your drone near any law enforcement operation or within a five-mile radius of any law enforcement officer investigating or monitoring a situation that could endanger life or property.

You must notify airport authorities before flying your drone within three miles of an airport in Puerto Rico.

Registration Of Drone In Puerto Rico

Register Your Drone And Fly It In Puerto Rico

You can register yourself or get help from any expert to register your drone and fly it in Puerto Rico.

If you register your drone, then you can fly it in Puerto Rico.

If you don’t register your drone, then you cannot fly it in Puerto Rico.

Register With The Faa

To register your drone, you need to go to the FAA’s website. There, you’ll find a link to the “Register Your Drone” page and instructions on how to fill out the form. Once you’ve completed the form, you will receive your certificate of registration and registration number in the mail within 20 business days. This certificate is proof that your drone has been registered with the FAA, and it should be kept with your other important documents so that TSA agents can see it when they check baggage at security checkpoints or if police officers stop you for speeding while driving near an airport.

Registration lasts for three years from the date of purchase or importation into Puerto Rico (whichever comes later), after which time owners must renew their registration if they plan on continuing using their drones commercially or privately in Puerto Rico during this extended period without interruption (for example: if someone buys a new drone during year four but doesn’t use it until year six). Owners should also know that each model needs its own individual registration number—even if two models appear similar from afar—so those who have multiple drones will have more than one certificate with unique numbers printed onto them as well as identification tags tied onto these items’ frames (which must remain visible at all times).

Identify Your Drone

Your drone must be registered before you can fly it outdoors. Your drone is an aircraft under US law, so the registration process is similar to that of other aircrafts. You may register a drone if:

• It weighs less than 0.55 lbs (250 g) and doesn’t require a license
• It weighs between 0.55 lbs (250 g) and 55 lbs (25 kg)

If your drone weighs more than 55 pounds, it must be registered through the FAA’s UAS portal or a designated hobby shop or online site.

Weigh Your Drone

Weight is important for your registration process. The weight of your drone determines which category it falls under and, in turn, the fees you will have to pay. The categories are as follows:

Light – Under 2 pounds (0.9 kg)

Standard – 2-25 pounds (0.91-11 kg)

Commercial – 26 pounds or more (12 kg or more).

To find the weight of your drone, simply take it out of its box and weigh it on a scale at home or use an app like My Weigh Mini Scale if you don’t have one available at home. Once you know how much your drone weighs, you may proceed to register it with FAA so that you can fly safely in Puerto Rico!

Figure Out What Kind Of Pilot You Are

You may be a recreational drone pilot or a commercial drone pilot. Knowing the difference is important, because it’s possible that the registration process for each type of pilot will vary.

If you are a recreational drone user, then your job is to fly drones for fun and pleasure only. You can use them to take photos and videos of family members, friends and pets. You do not need an FAA-issued remote pilot airman certificate (which costs $150), or any other kind of official certification—as long as you stay within the guidelines outlined in Part 107: Recreational operating rule requirements, which include flying under 400 feet above ground level (AGL) with visual line-of-sight (VLOS).

Choose A Registration Option

The FAA has two options for drone registration: online and by mail. You can choose to register your drone online if it weighs less than 0.55 pounds (250 grams). This will allow you to immediately get a confirmation email from the FAA that your registration is complete. If you do not have access to a printer, you can still print out your confirmation email and keep it with your drone at all times after registering online.

If you want a hard copy of proof that you registered, or if your drone weighs more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams), then we recommend that you register by mail instead of using our online system. By doing so, we’ll mail out a registration certificate directly from us—which means there’s no guarantee as far as when it will arrive in the mail!

Complete The Registration Process

The Puerto Rico drone registration process is easy to complete.

• Follow the instructions to register online or by mail.
• Pay the $5 registration fee using a credit card, debit card or PayPal account.

Are Drones Allowed In Puerto Rico

Drones Are Allowed In Puerto Rico

There are rules to follow, and they vary depending on which area you’re flying in. For example:

• If your drone weighs more than 11 pounds (5 kilograms), it must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is true even if it’s only going to fly at an altitude below 400 feet (120 meters).
• You can use your drone for fun or for business purposes like taking pictures or videos of property or other buildings/places. If a person’s face is identifiable in any photograph or video taken by a drone, then that person has to give their consent before the shot is taken, otherwise it could be considered “stalking”.
• You cannot fly within five miles (eight kilometers) of an airport without first getting permission from the FAA—and even then there are restrictions on how high up in the air your craft can travel!

There Are Some Restrictions

However, there are some restrictions. Drones must be flown within visual line of sight (VLOS). Operators must use their drone within the limits of their pilot’s license and only fly during daylight hours.

Drones cannot be flown over public gatherings such as sports events or concerts. They cannot also be flown within 5 miles of an airport without special permission from the FAA.

In addition to these rules and regulations, it is important that you always use common sense when operating your drone in Puerto Rico:

Recreational Drone Pilots 

To fly a drone in Puerto Rico, recreational drone pilots can operate the devices without special permission in most places.

• Don’t fly over crowds or near airports.
• Don’t fly at night.
• Don’t fly within 5 miles of an airport.
• Don’t fly higher than 400 feet above ground level (AGL). The FAA considers 400 feet AGL to be the lowest altitude for manned aircraft and public safety issues may arise if you are operating your drone at this altitude or lower, so please adhere to this guideline.
• If your model weighs more than 55 pounds, you will need approval from the FAA before flying it outdoors because of size and/or weight restrictions applicable to all unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operated under Part 107’s small UAS rule (Section 336).

Private And Commercial Drone Owners

To fly over restricted airspace, crowds of people or near airports, drone owners must apply for permission.

• Flying over Restricted Airspace: The FAA has specific regulations that apply to the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in controlled airspace. If you’re an operator flying a UAS and want to fly in controlled airspace, you must notify the FAA prior to operating in that area and obtain an authorization (called a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization). Some operations may require prior approval from the military installation controlling that space.
• Flying Over Crowds: You may not operate a UAS directly over any person not associated with your operation without first obtaining their consent. If you are using First Person Viewing (FPV) goggles or similar devices as part of your operation, you must keep them on at all times while operating your UAS so that you can see exactly what it is seeing when making decisions about flight paths and altitudes.
• If someone does not want their image taken by anyone else wearing FPV goggles or similar devices then they should not be present during any part of the flight where this might happen because there is no way around it – even if other people are present who do not mind being photographed there will still be images taken from above which will show some sort of group activity going on below them!
• This also applies if someone does want their image taken but only by certain people wearing FPV goggles or similar devices – those people should understand that even though only one person is using said device right now there could be others nearby doing so at any given moment which means everyone else needs serious consideration too before deciding whether they want themselves photographed with these particular individuals involved.”

Appropriate Priorities In Mind When Registering A Drone

You need to keep the appropriate priorities in mind when registering a drone with the FAA. If you’re at least 13 years old, you can register your drone by going online and filling out a few forms. You’ll have to have your drone with you during this process because it will be needed for identification purposes. Make sure that the information provided on your registration form is accurate: if it isn’t, then penalties may apply!

If you fail to register your drone before flying it in Puerto Rico (or any other state or territory), then there may be stiff penalties that are levied upon you. It’s important that these rules are followed so as not to risk any legal problems while flying drones in Puerto Rico.

Frequently Asked Question (drone Laws Puerto Rico)

Can I Fly A Drone In Puerto Rico?

Let’s start with the basics. You should know that it is illegal to fly a drone in Puerto Rico without permission from the FAA. However, there are some exceptions.

You can fly a drone if you are:

• An American living in Puerto Rico and carrying out activities for your business or organization; or
• A resident of Puerto Rico who operates a model aircraft for hobby purposes (this does not include using any commercial purpose).

Where Can I Fly A Drone In Puerto Rico?

If you want to fly your drone in Puerto Rico, you must follow the rules of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA offers guidelines on where and how long people can operate drones within the United States. The FAA also has a database filled with all sorts of information related to aviation safety and other important topics that all drone pilots should know.

The following are some general rules:

• You cannot fly a drone outside of line-of-sight. This means that you will need to be able to see your drone at all times as it flies through the air, so keep this in mind when deciding where you will take off from or land at.
• You cannot fly a drone within 5 miles of an airport without permission from air traffic control towers or other authorized representatives from each airport involved before takeoff (if applicable). It’s also important that you don’t fly any closer than 500 feet above ground level unless otherwise instructed by these same authorities (again if necessary).
• If someone could get hurt because of something happening with one of these machines then it is illegal for them too operate one anywhere near others like parks or playgrounds where children often play soccer etc…

What About Flying A Drone As A Foreign Citizen In Puerto Rico?

If you are a foreign citizen and you would like to fly a drone in Puerto Rico, then you will need to get a drone license from the FAA. To obtain this license, simply visit the FAA website and fill out their application. This can be done with or without an attorney; it is up to you as an individual whether or not having legal representation is right for your particular case.

Are There Any Age Restrictions When Flying A Drone In Puerto Rico?

In Puerto Rico, there are no age restrictions when it comes to flying a drone. It is up to you and your child’s safety as well as how mature they are.

Drone flying is not just for kids! It can be a great hobby for adults too. All young people need to do is take their time and learn about the drone before flying it so that they don’t cause damage or harm in any way.

Conclusion

One of the best drone laws in the U.S., Puerto Rico allows for the use of drones in a variety of settings, from all types of businesses to various government agencies, as well as individuals. What’s more, nearly anyone can fly a drone here; commercial and drone operator licenses are not required, nor are they even available. Some restrictions do apply, however, ranging from geographic limitations to height restrictions to bans on certain kinds of models.