so ive been planning this trip to costa rica for like 6 months now and just realized i never actually looked into the drone rules there. bringing my mini 3 pro. from what i can tell you need some kind of permit from DGAC but every source i find online is either outdated or contradicts the last thing i read. anyone actually flown there recently?

also wondering about the national parks specifically, la fortuna area near arenal. i know most parks worldwide are a no-go but hoping someone has firsthand experience rather than me just guessing from google

went there in february, can confirm the national parks are pretty much all off limits officially. we flew near the lake outside the park boundary and it was fine, nobody said anything. the DGAC permit thing is real but i honestly never got one and didnt have issues, though i wouldnt tell you to skip it cause its probably not worth the risk if someone decides to make your life difficult

the bigger pain was just the humidity honestly, had to be really careful about where i stored the batteries overnight

not costa rica specifically but i flew in panama last year and the rules are similarly confusing in central america in general. what i do now before any trip is just email the local aviation authority directly, takes a few days but you get an actual answer you can screenshot and show someone if needed. probably wont help for next month tho lol