🇻🇪

Venezuela

South America

INAC — RPA regime (Remotely Piloted Aircraft)

Venezuela regulates drones (officially called RPA) through INAC. Even for recreational/hobby flying you need a certificate from an INAC-approved training course, not just ownership of the drone: it must be registered, and anyone arriving from abroad must declare it on entry.

Operator registration

Yes, required

The RPA must be entered in the National Aeronautical Registry with INAC; anyone arriving from abroad is also required to file a drone country-entry declaration ('Declaración de ingreso de RPA al país'). No exemption for tourists was found.

Pilot license

Yes, required

Even for recreational use or as an observer you must be at least 13 years old and hold a certificate of completion from an INAC-approved RPA course (CIA): owning the drone isn't enough. Full pilot licences (age 18+, flight hours, medical certificate) are required for other RPA classes, but recreational Class 1 (Mini) is exempt.

Insurance

Recommended / conditional

An RPA liability policy certified by INAC is required (Circular CA-045-001), except for agricultural use.

Zones to avoid

Restricted, prohibited and dangerous zones published in the Venezuela AIP must be respected, including limits during Air Defense Identification Zone (ZIDA) activation; flying over military installations is forbidden without CODAI (Comando de Defensa Aeroespacial Integral) authorization.

What isn't 100% confirmed yet

Maximum altitude and weight thresholds are not stated on the official INAC site consulted: left out here rather than inferred from third-party sources. Some procedural details circulating online (96-hour advance notice, 72-hour validity, via CODAI, from Resolución N° 014412) were only read on a legal-text reproduction site, not the official Gaceta Oficial document itself, so they aren't reported as confirmed facts on this page. Temporary blanket drone-flight suspensions for security reasons have also been reported in recent periods: always check the current status on the INAC site before travelling.

Verify officially before flying

Source: INAC — Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil (Venezuela's Civil Aviation Institute)

Open official site

Last checked: 2026-08

Go deeper

Registration Pilot license Flight zones

🌬️ Pre-flight weather checklist 📍 City and attraction zones

Informational content, not legal advice. Zones and rules change constantly: always check the country's official website before every flight.