South America
Cuba
IACC — heavily restrictive regime (updated 2026)
Cuba maintains one of the most restrictive drone regimes in the world: use, import and export are forbidden except with prior technical authorization, effectively reserved for members of the Cuban Aeroclub or bodies approved by GEOCUBA.
Tourist flying effectively not allowed
For a tourist, bringing a drone to Cuba almost certainly means confiscation at customs. Resolutions 1/2026 and 2/2026 of the Ministry of Communications (Extraordinary Official Gazette No.66, 21 May 2026) classify drones into 5 weight tiers (up to 250g, 250g-7kg, 7-25kg, 25-150kg, over 150kg): all require prior MINCOM technical authorization, with no exemption for tourist/recreational use. If you own a drone, the safest advice is to leave it at home.
Zones to avoid
No-fly zones usually follow the same recurring categories (airports, military sites, protected areas, historic centers). For this country: Forbidden to fly over crowds and public events, military zones; forbidden within 8km of airports/runways; filming forbidden without explicit permission.
What isn't 100% confirmed yet
The general framework and the content of Resolutions 1/2026 and 2/2026 are confirmed by official Cuban sources (MINCOM FAQ on lahabana.gob.cu, Official Gazette). No dedicated IACC drone portal exists: the link reported remains the government's official gazette, where the resolutions are published.
Verify officially before flying
Source: IACC — Instituto de Aeronáutica Civil de Cuba (Cuban Civil Aeronautics Institute)
Last checked: 2026-09
Informational content, not legal advice. Zones and rules change constantly: always check the country's official website before every flight.