Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) published a sweeping new drone regulation on 3 July 2026 that replaces the weight-based system introduced in 2017 with a risk-based framework modelled on EU standards. The move follows a series of runway closures at São Paulo/Guarulhos and Rio/Galeão earlier this year after hobby drones were spotted near final approach paths, causing dozens of diversions. The new rule classifies operations into three categories—Open, Specific and Certified—according to altitude, proximity to third parties and airspace complexity. Low-risk flights under 120 metres in visual line-of-sight will now fall into the Open category and require only online registration, while beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) missions, cargo drops and flights over crowds are pushed into the Specific or Certified categories that demand a detailed risk assessment or an ANAC-issued operator certificate.
![ANAC Tightens Drone Rules After Airport Incidents, Gives Operators Two Years to Comply]()
For international drone crews and consultants heading to Brazil, sorting out entry paperwork is just as critical as flight approvals. VisaHQ’s Brazil desk can expedite business visas, temporary work permits and even carnets for imported UAV equipment, helping teams stay focused on mission planning instead of embassy queues.
Commercial operators have two years to transition existing authorisations, but airport vicinities (a five-kilometre radius around runways) become ‘no-fly zones’ for recreational drones with immediate effect. The regulation also introduces fines of up to R$120,000 for interference with air navigation and allows airports to install counter-drone technology without prior ANATEL clearance—an important step for major hubs preparing for the 2027 Pan-American Games. For multinational companies that rely on drones for industrial inspections, mapping or last-mile deliveries, the new framework offers greater legal certainty and paves the way for routine BVLOS approvals. However, firms will have to create Safety Management Systems and file Standard Operating Scenarios with ANAC’s new digital portal, adding compliance overhead. HR and mobility managers should note that foreign-registered drones will require a temporary import licence if they remain in Brazil longer than 30 days. Expatriate drone pilots must validate their remote-pilot licences with ANAC before performing commercial flights—a process that now includes an online theory test available in English and Spanish.
For international drone crews and consultants heading to Brazil, sorting out entry paperwork is just as critical as flight approvals. VisaHQ’s Brazil desk can expedite business visas, temporary work permits and even carnets for imported UAV equipment, helping teams stay focused on mission planning instead of embassy queues.
Commercial operators have two years to transition existing authorisations, but airport vicinities (a five-kilometre radius around runways) become ‘no-fly zones’ for recreational drones with immediate effect. The regulation also introduces fines of up to R$120,000 for interference with air navigation and allows airports to install counter-drone technology without prior ANATEL clearance—an important step for major hubs preparing for the 2027 Pan-American Games. For multinational companies that rely on drones for industrial inspections, mapping or last-mile deliveries, the new framework offers greater legal certainty and paves the way for routine BVLOS approvals. However, firms will have to create Safety Management Systems and file Standard Operating Scenarios with ANAC’s new digital portal, adding compliance overhead. HR and mobility managers should note that foreign-registered drones will require a temporary import licence if they remain in Brazil longer than 30 days. Expatriate drone pilots must validate their remote-pilot licences with ANAC before performing commercial flights—a process that now includes an online theory test available in English and Spanish.
