Key Facts
- Strict Ban for Unauthorized Flights: All drone flights in Galápagos protected areas require explicit permission. Recreational or tourist drone use is effectively prohibited without a permit ambiente.gob.ec derechoecuador.com.
- Authorized Uses Only: Drones may be allowed only for limited purposes (scientific research, search-and-rescue, official conservation work, or authorized media projects) under Park approval derechoecuador.com.
- Special Permits Needed: Any drone operation requires permits from both aviation and environmental authorities. Galápagos regulations mandate that all drone use have Park Directorate authorization ambiente.gob.ec, and Ecuador’s DGAC requires Galápagos flights to have local government Council approval aviacioncivil.gob.ec.
- Restricted Zones: Galápagos National Park covers almost the entire archipelago, so drones are banned in most areas derechoecuador.com. Only a few designated visitor sites on inhabited islands allow permitted flights derechoecuador.com.
- Strict Enforcement: Park rangers and aviation officials closely monitor compliance. Violators risk fines, drone confiscation, and other penalties under Ecuadorian law derechoecuador.com aviacioncivil.gob.ec.
- Recent Regulatory Updates: Ecuador overhauled its drone laws in 2024 (DGAC Resolution No. 0019-2024) es.scribd.com. In early 2025 DGAC clarified that any Galápagos drone permit must include local government (Galápagos Special Regime Council) authorization aviacioncivil.gob.ec.
Overview of Drone Regulations in the Galápagos Islands
Drones in Ecuador are regulated by the Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGAC) under national aviation law. In March 2024 the DGAC issued Resolution 0019-2024, a comprehensive update to the rules for remotely piloted aircraft (RPAS) es.scribd.com. However, the Galápagos Archipelago has a special conservation and legal status, so it imposes additional restrictions.
Specifically, Galápagos park regulations explicitly require authorization for drone use. Ecuador’s Environment Ministry published visitor rules stating that “the use of drones requires authorization from the Galápagos National Park Directorate” ambiente.gob.ec. In other words, visitors must treat drones like any other controlled activity – they are allowed only if pre-approved by the Park. The Park’s official resolution (June 2019) details that drones may be authorized only as a specialized tool for certain activities: scientific research, search-and-rescue, park management, and authorized media projects derechoecuador.com.
Ecuador’s general DGAC rules also apply. A DGAC permit for aerial work or professional photography is normally required to fly a drone. Crucially, the DGAC has made clear that Galápagos is an exception: a DGAC-issued drone permit cannot take effect without an accompanying Galápagos government authorization aviacioncivil.gob.ec. In practice, this means even if someone obtains the standard drone permits on the mainland, they still need the green light from Galápagos authorities before flying.
Legal Status by User Group
Tourists and Recreational Users
Tourists and hobbyist pilots are not allowed to fly drones anywhere in Galápagos without permission. Galápagos park law specifically bans all recreational drone use derechoecuador.com. The 2019 resolution makes clear that any drone activity not listed as an authorized use is prohibited, explicitly singling out “recreational use” as forbidden derechoecuador.com. Although travelers may carry a drone into the islands (it won’t be confiscated at customs if it’s stowed), flying it without authorization would break the law. In effect, bringing a drone yields no special flying privileges – guides commonly advise tourists to leave drones at home.
Researchers and Conservationists
Authorized scientific and conservation teams are an important exception. Biologists, government scientists, and NGOs can apply to use drones for research and monitoring. The Park’s regulations explicitly list “scientific” purposes among the allowed uses derechoecuador.com. Applicants must submit a detailed research permit application to the Galápagos Park Directorate. This application must justify the drone’s role (e.g. ecological surveys, species monitoring) and demonstrate the operator’s qualifications and experience. Flight operations under the permit are conducted under strict conditions, including mandatory oversight by a park ranger derechoecuador.com derechoecuador.com. If approved, these special-use permits allow drones only for the stated project, typically with one or two drones at a time.
Commercial and Media Operators
Commercial drone use (e.g. for filming or photography projects) is tightly controlled. Film crews, media outlets, and professional photographers must obtain a special drone permit from the Park. The Galápagos resolution states that drones used for any news, commercial, or informational filming are only allowed at certain designated “visitor site” locations and only with Park approval derechoecuador.com. These approved sites are all on the inhabited islands – for example, Tortuga Bay, Los Gemelos, and the tortoise reserve on Santa Cruz; El Junco, Punta Carola, and other spots on San Cristóbal; Sierra Negra, Volcán Chico, Tintoreras, etc. on Isabela derechoecuador.com. Any other commercial drone activity is illegal without explicit Park permission.
Government and Official Operations
Ecuadorian government agencies (such as the Navy, Coast Guard, or park service) may conduct drone flights for official missions like security patrols or emergency response. However, these operations are not exempt from Galápagos rules. In practice, government bodies coordinate with the Park Directorate and still follow the standard permit process. For example, a navy vessel using a drone for maritime surveillance must file a permit request and fly only under Park-specified conditions. There is no blanket exemption – all flights, even official missions, must follow the same permit process.
Permitting Process
Obtaining a legal drone permit for Galápagos involves both aviation and environmental approvals. First, the operator must secure the standard DGAC permit (for aerial work, filming, or research). However, DGAC explicitly treats Galápagos as a special case: its regulations require that any Galápagos drone permit include local clearance aviacioncivil.gob.ec. In other words, DGAC will not issue the final permit until the operator obtains authorization from Galápagos authorities.
In parallel, the operator applies to the Galápagos National Park Directorate (DPNG). This requires submitting a formal authorization request to the Park Director. The application must describe the project’s purpose, proposed flight plans, equipment details, and pilot qualifications. For scientific proposals, the Park’s rules mandate including a technical justification for the drone’s use and evidence of the operator’s experience derechoecuador.com. The applicant must also list the drone’s model and verify it meets safety criteria (for example, using a multi-rotor design with automatic return-to-home GPS) derechoecuador.com.
If the Park Directorate approves the request, it issues a written authorization with strict conditions. The permit explicitly covers flights only within the Galápagos National Park and Marine Reserve derechoecuador.com. It will specify exactly which sites can be used, the dates and times of operation, the maximum altitude, and other limitations. Crucially, the park rules require that all authorized flights be accompanied by a park ranger (who can halt the flight if conditions become unsafe) derechoecuador.com. Finally, the DGAC will only finalize the aerial work permit once it has received the Park’s (and Council’s) approval.
Operators should apply well in advance. While the law does not set a hard deadline, in practice pilots are advised to submit applications weeks or even months before the planned flight. (For example, conservation organizations recommend 30–60 days’ notice for DPNG processing darwinfoundation.org.) Once granted, the permit document must be carried by the operator during flight and all conditions strictly followed.
Restricted and No-Fly Zones
Because nearly all of Galápagos is protected, there is effectively no open flying area without explicit permission. The Galápagos National Park covers well over 97% of the land and surrounding marine reserve, meaning that virtually any unauthorized drone flight would violate park regulations.
The 2019 park resolution explicitly lists the only visitor sites where drones may operate by permit derechoecuador.com. These approved sites are all on the main inhabited islands and include specific beaches, lagoons, trails, and viewpoints. For example, on Santa Cruz Island the list includes Tortuga Bay, Los Gemelos, the giant tortoise reserve, and other marked sites; on San Cristóbal it includes El Junco, Punta Carola, and coastal flats; on Isabela it covers Sierra Negra, Volcán Chico, Tintoreras, and others derechoecuador.com. Flying a drone outside those designated zones (for example, over an uninhabited beach or wildlife nesting area) is not authorized.
In addition to conservation restrictions, standard aviation no-fly zones apply. DGAC rules prohibit drone operations within 5 nautical miles (≈9 km) of any aerodrome es.scribd.com. In Galápagos this bans flying in the airspace of Baltra, San Cristóbal, and Isabela airports. Military or other restricted zones are likewise off-limits without special clearance. Furthermore, all flights must be in daylight, maintain visual line-of-sight, and obey other DGAC operational rules. In practice, this combination of restrictions means very few areas remain where drones can legally fly without express permit.
Penalties for Violations
Violating Galápagos drone rules can have serious consequences. The Park Directorate is explicitly charged with enforcement: the 2019 resolution directs DPNG to “monitor and control” compliance with the drone provisions derechoecuador.com. If an unauthorized drone is spotted, rangers can order it down immediately. The drone may then be confiscated on the spot, and the operator can be fined under environmental regulations. The park’s rules even warn that any official authorizing improper drone use would themselves be sanctioned derechoecuador.com. In short, DPNG can impose fines and revoke permits for violations.
From the aviation standpoint, flying without the required permits is also an infraction. DGAC’s regulations prescribe fines, certificate suspension, and confiscation of the aircraft for illegal RPAS operations. News reports indicate such fines can reach several hundred to over a thousand dollars per violation. In effect, an unpermitted drone flight in Galápagos could trigger both environmental penalties and aviation penalties against the operator.
In practice, tourists face immediate enforcement. Visitors caught flying drones have had their equipment seized and fines levied on the spot. Commercial or research operators risk having permits revoked and being barred from future approvals. Even one inadvertent breach (for example, briefly flying above an unauthorized area) could invalidate the permit. The combined legal and financial risks of violating Galápagos drone rules are therefore extremely high.
Recent Changes and Enforcement Trends
Drone policy in Galápagos has become stricter in recent years. The cornerstone change was DGAC Resolution 0019-2024 (March 6, 2024), which updated Ecuador’s entire drone framework es.scribd.com. This national resolution codified global best practices (line-of-sight, daylight-only, altitude limits, etc.) and reaffirmed that Galápagos is subject to the same overarching standards.
In late 2024 and early 2025, additional updates focused on Galápagos specifics. In December 2024 DGAC issued Normative Resolution 519-2024, emphasizing privacy and safety in drone flights; Ecuadorian media noted it bans drones from flying near people without consent (with fines reported around US$517 for violations). Then on January 2, 2025, DGAC issued Resolution DGAC-2025-0001-R explicitly addressing Galápagos. It states that operations in the Galápagos Islands “shall be conditioned on the presentation of updated authorization” from the Galápagos Special Regime Council aviacioncivil.gob.ec. This ensures local officials have final oversight of any drone activity.
On the ground, Galápagos authorities have been ramping up enforcement. The Park Directorate’s website, visitor briefing materials, and signage now prominently warn that drones are forbidden without permits. Conservation organizations and tour operators echo this in their guidance. Media accounts from 2023–2025 describe Galápagos rangers confiscating drones from tourists and issuing fines. Overall, the trend is clear: Ecuador is moving toward zero tolerance of unauthorized drone activity in the islands to protect their fragile ecosystems.
Regulatory Authorities and Enforcement Agencies
- Galápagos National Park Directorate (DPNG): The principal authority for drones in Galápagos. DPNG (part of Ecuador’s Environment Ministry) issues the special drone permits under park regulations ambiente.gob.ec derechoecuador.com. Park rangers enforce the no-fly restrictions on site, conducting patrols and inspections. Any drone flight within Galápagos protected areas must comply with DPNG’s conditions (rangers may fine or remove violators under environmental law).
- General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC): Ecuador’s civil aviation regulator. DGAC handles drone registration, pilot certification, and flight safety. It enforces airspace rules (e.g. banning flights near aerodromes es.scribd.com) and administers the general RPAS regulations. Critically, DGAC coordinates with Galápagos authorities: it will only finalize a drone operation permit for Galápagos after receiving the required Park and Council approvals aviacioncivil.gob.ec. DGAC can impose aviation penalties (fines, license suspensions, aircraft seizures) on unauthorized flights.
- Galápagos Special Regime Council: The local government of Galápagos. By DGAC policy, the Council’s endorsement is required for any drone project on the islands aviacioncivil.gob.ec. The Council evaluates projects for consistency with local conservation and development plans. Without the Council’s sign-off, the Park and DGAC permits cannot be granted or remain valid.
- Ministry of Environment (MAE): National environmental authority overseeing Galápagos. MAE issues the overarching park regulations (including the drone rules) through its Galápagos Directorate. While day-to-day enforcement is done by DPNG, MAE sets policy and can update regulations as needed.
- Other Agencies: In rare cases, Ecuador’s military or scientific institutions might operate drones related to Galápagos (for example, navy patrols or research). Even these operations must go through the standard Park/DGAC permit process. There is no independent exemption: all drone flights, official or private, must comply with Galápagos law.
In summary, flying a drone in Galápagos requires satisfying both DGAC and environmental agencies. DGAC covers safety and licensing, while the Park Directorate (and its parent MAE) enforce the conservation-based restrictions. The Galápagos Council adds a layer of local review. Together, these agencies ensure the archipelago’s strict protections are upheld.
Sources: Information in this report is drawn from official Ecuadorian regulations and publications. Key references include the Galápagos National Park visitation rules and drone resolution (Registro Oficial No.527, July 2019) and DGAC Resolutions 0019-2024 (March 2024) and 0001-2025 (Jan 2025) ambiente.gob.ec derechoecuador.com derechoecuador.com es.scribd.com aviacioncivil.gob.ec. These are complemented by guidance from Ecuador’s DGAC and Galápagos park authorities. This reflects the current state of the rules as of 2025.
