Ecuador

UAS Regulations

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Ecuador   /  Dirección General de Aviación Civil published drone rules in Nov. 2020 [in Spanish]: https://www.aviacioncivil.gob.ec/ecuador-ya-cuenta-con-un-reglamento-para-el-uso-de-drones/

[UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION TO ENGLISH] The General Directorate of Civil Aviation issued the Operating Regulations for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) better known as drones. The document was issued on November 4, 2020 and applies to aircraft whose maximum take-off weight is greater than 0.25 kilograms and less than or equal to 150 kilograms.

The DGAC document obliges drone owners to register their aircraft and take out insurance to respond for damages caused to third parties as a result of their flight activities. This can be $ 3,000, $ 6,000 and $ 12,000 depending on the maximum takeoff weight.

The regulation establishes that drones may not be operated in the vicinity of aerodromes, State security areas, heliports, intangible areas, among others. The minimum distance to approach these controlled airspaces is 9 kilometers. The maximum flight height, according to the document is 400 feet (122 meters), above the ground, and that the hours allowed to operate are between "sunrise and sunset", and in adequate meteorological conditions to be visible.

Likewise, the document details the conditions of responsibility for the operations and the operator.

The regulations are here: https://www.aviacioncivil.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2020/11/5-DGAC-DGAC-2020-0110-R-Reglamento-de-RPAs.pdf