Photography & Drones — Costa Rica

Fly your drone only in uncontrolled airspace away from built-up areas and outdoor crowds, keep it within your line of sight, no more than 500 m from you and no higher than 120 m (400 ft). Every drone under 25 kg must carry a permanently fixed, plainly legible ID plate showing its serial number plus the owner's or operator's name and phone number. Costa Rica's data-protection and privacy law still applies to any aerial images you capture.

The RAC-RPAS itself contains no fine - the words "sanción", "multa" and "infracción" do not appear in the decree. What it does provide: for holders of a certificado de explotación / Certificado Operativo, a complaint about capturing or publishing images without consent triggers a DGAC technical investigation and a recommendation to CETAC to open proceedings to cancel the operating certificate under art. 13 ff. of the Ley General de Aviación Civil, and the complainant may separately pursue court action.