You can bring a drone to Chile, but where you can fly it as a tourist is limited. Chile's civil aviation authority (DGAC) regulates drones under its rules DAN 151 and DAN 91, and flying in populated areas requires a DGAC pilot credential and a registered drone, which is hard for a short visit. Chile's national parks, including Torres del Paine, prohibit recreational drone flights.
The DGAC rules
Chile was one of the first countries in Latin America to regulate drones. Two DGAC standards matter:
- DAN 151 covers drone operations in populated (urban) areas.
- DAN 91 is Chile's general flight rules standard, which drone pilots are also tested on.
According to Chilean coverage of the DGAC requirements, flying in populated areas needs a pilot credential (applicants must be 18 or older, declare training on their drone model, and pass a written exam on DAN 151, DAN 91, meteorology and aerodynamics), plus DGAC registration of the drone and an operation authorization. For most visitors, that rules out flying in Santiago, Valparaíso and other cities.
Where you can't fly
- Near airports and aerodromes.
- In prohibited, restricted and dangerous zones published by the DGAC.
- Near military installations.
- Over people, crowds and events.
National parks
CONAF, which manages Chile's protected wild areas, has said recreational and tourist drone use is prohibited inside protected areas because of the impact on wildlife. Drones are allowed there only for research, monitoring or professional filming that CONAF approves in advance. That covers Torres del Paine, the most common reason travelers ask, as well as other national parks and reserves. Park rangers have expelled visitors for breaking park rules.
What a tourist can realistically do
Outside cities and protected areas there is more open land, such as stretches of the Atacama Desert or the countryside around the Lake District. Even there, contact the DGAC before you go and ask what applies to a foreign recreational pilot with your drone. Keep flights low, in daylight, within sight, and far from airports and people.
The US State Department's Chile page has general entry and customs information for travelers.
Weather and batteries
Patagonia's winds are strong enough to overpower small drones, and the Atacama's altitude and cold mornings shorten flight time. Keep a large battery margin and read flying a drone in cold weather before a high-altitude trip.
Which drone to bring
If you bring one, keep it small and simple:
- DJI Mini 4 Pro: 249 g, omnidirectional obstacle sensing.
- DJI Mini 5 Pro: 249 g, 1-inch sensor for desert and mountain light.
- DJI Neo: 135 g; too light for Patagonian wind.
Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with Chile's DGAC before you travel.
See traveling with a drone for packing batteries, and drone laws by country to compare destinations.
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- Drone laws in Austria: flying there as a US tourist
- Drone laws in Bali (Indonesia): flying there as a US tourist
- Drone laws in Barbados: flying there as a US tourist
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