Drone Rules for Balbina Dam
The airspace over and surrounding the Balbina Hydroelectric Power Plant (UHE Balbina) (Presidente Figueiredo, AM) is classified as a Critical Infrastructure Protection Zone and Environmental Reserve Buffer. Civilian drone flights are strictly prohibited directly over the dam structure, powerhouse, substations.
The Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina is a major hydroelectric facility located on the Uatumã River in the municipality of Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas. Managed by Eletrobras Eletronorte, the plant features a massive reservoir spanning over 2,360 square kilometers, making it a highly complex and sensitive ecological and industrial asset embedded deep within the Amazon rainforest.
To legally operate a drone in the open buffer zones near Balbina, pilots must secure explicit written authorization from Eletrobras Eletronorte, register the aircraft with ANAC, obtain mandatory third-party liability insurance, and file a formal flight plan via DECEA's SARPAS NG portal. Unauthorized operators flying within the structural perimeter face immediate intervention by site security, equipment confiscation, and severe federal prosecution under laws protecting essential public utilities and national infrastructure.