Yes, you can fly a drone in Honduras, including on Roatan, but drones over 200 g must be registered with the Honduran Civil Aviation Agency (AHAC) first. AHAC's drone regulation, RAC-RPAS (April 30, 2026 edition), gives visitors staying less than 90 days a provisional permit for recreational flying. Then you fly in daylight, below 400 ft, within sight and outside airport zones.
The visitor permit
Under RAC-RPAS 9.005, anyone who plans to fly a drone heavier than 0.200 kg in Honduras must register it with AHAC, residents and foreigners alike. For visitors there is a simpler route:
- Foreigners (and Hondurans living abroad) entering for less than 90 days register the drone under a provisional permit.
- It covers only open-category (recreational) flights.
- It lasts for your stay, up to 90 days.
- It applies to drones over 200 g and under 2 kg, and you can use it only once a year.
That fits a DJI Mini 4 Pro or Mini 5 Pro (249 g). The 135 g DJI Neo is under the 200 g line. Get the current application process and fees from AHAC before you travel; the regulation is posted as a PDF on the AHAC site.
Open category rules
RAC-RPAS 5.015 lists what you can't do with a recreational drone (200 g to 25 kg):
- Fly without good visibility or beyond visual line of sight.
- Fly higher than 400 ft (122 m) above the ground.
- Fly at night.
- Fly in controlled airspace, restricted or danger zones, or drone flight restriction zones.
- Fly within a rectangle 6 km out from the center of each runway and 1 km either side of the centerline at international airports. Toncontín (Tegucigalpa) has a larger 9 km zone.
- Fly within 4 km of smaller aerodromes and airstrips (Utila has its own smaller rectangle) or 1 km of helipads.
- Fly over public events or crowds, or over places the owner has closed to drones.
- Fly two drones at once, drop objects, or fly for pay.
Roatan and the Bay Islands
Roatan's Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport is on the south shore near Coxen Hole, and its protection rectangle runs 6 km out along the runway in both directions. West Bay and West End are popular for drone shots; check your position against the airport zone and stay clear of the cruise ship terminals and crowded beaches. Resorts and dive shops may set their own rules for their property.
Mainland highlights
The Copán ruins, the beaches of Tela and the Pico Bonito area draw visitors. Copán is an archaeological site, so ask the site administration before flying.
The State Department's Honduras page has safety and entry information.
Which drone to bring
- DJI Mini 4 Pro: 249 g, fits the visitor permit.
- DJI Mini 5 Pro: 249 g, 1-inch sensor for reef and lagoon colors.
- DJI Neo: 135 g, under the 200 g registration line.
Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with AHAC before you travel.
See traveling with a drone for flights and batteries, and drone laws by country for other 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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