Plan

Travel check

Taking your drone on holiday? Pick your destination – Hoverpoint puts together from the country rules what you need to know and do before you travel.

DestinationDrone from your hangar (optional)

I live in an EASA state (EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)

Costa Rica

Outside the EASA area

Last checked: October 5, 2026

Am I allowed to fly there?

Basic rule

Allowed

Operator registration

Not required

According to the DGAC, you don't need to register the drone for purely recreational use; the authority does not name a weight threshold for this.

Your EU registration is not automatically valid here.

Competency certificate

Your EU competency certificate is not automatically recognised here. Whether you need a separate one isn't in the country rules – please check with the authority.

Insurance

Not required

The DGAC does not mention an insurance requirement for purely recreational flights; commercial operations have their own requirements.

Remote ID & marking

No information – please check with the authority.

Maximum altitude

120 m

Special rules

For tourists

In national parks such as Manuel Antonio, Arenal or Corcovado the conservation agency SINAC requires its own permit – and that is where most photo spots are.

Authority & sources

DGAC Costa Ricaofficial
DGAC Costa Rica – Aeronaves no tripuladas (Drones)official

Open country rules →

Does my drone fit?

Pick a drone from your hangar above to check its weight and class against the country's limits.

Batteries on the plane

Spare batteries in hand luggage only – each one protected against short circuits (terminal caps, original packaging or its own bag).
Up to 100 Wh: no approval needed.
Over 100 up to 160 Wh: only with the airline's approval, at most 2 spare batteries.
Over 160 Wh: not allowed on passenger aircraft.

Watt-hours (Wh) per batteryPrinted on the battery, e.g. "77 Wh".Spare batteries

Enter your battery's Wh – they are printed on the battery.

Airline

Pick your airline to see its rules for drones, batteries and power banks.

Airlines may be stricter – pick your airline below to see its rules.

Source: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations / Lithium Battery Guidance

To do before you leave

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Ask the authorityNot everything is settled in the country rules. Ask the aviation authority of your destination before you travel.
Check your insuranceAsk your liability insurer whether you are covered in your destination (cover abroad) and take proof with you.
Carry your documents digitallyCompetency certificate, registration and insurance at hand – for example in your EFB in Hoverpoint.Carry your documents digitally →
Check the geozonesHoverpoint has no official geozones for this country. Look up the authority's official map beforehand.
Download an offline mapDownload the map of your destination in the Hoverpoint app in advance in case you have no signal there.
Get your batteries travel-readyTape the terminals or pack each one separately, spares in hand luggage, keep the Wh label readable.

Your ticks are only saved on this device – per country.

The travel check is not legal advice and not official information – laws change and we cannot guarantee that everything is fully up to date. The aviation authority of your destination is authoritative. Please also check the official source before you travel.