Drone Rules for Usina Hidrelétrica de Paulo Afonso - AXIA ENERGIA
The airspace over and surrounding the Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex (UHE Paulo Afonso / AXIA ENERGIA) on Avenida Bret Cerqueira (Alves de Souza, Paulo Afonso, BA) is classified as a Critical National Infrastructure Defense Perimeter and Urban Flight Safety Zone.
The Complexo Hidrelétrico de Paulo Afonso, now operated by AXIA Energia, is an engineering marvel and one of the largest hydroelectric clusters in Brazil. Situated on the São Francisco River, the complex features several power generation units, including pioneering massive underground powerhouses carved deep into the rock. The regional administrative and operational infrastructure extends significantly into the Alves de Souza neighborhood along Avenida Bret Cerqueira.
To legally operate a drone in any public buffer zone outside the immediate industrial perimeter of the Paulo Afonso complex, pilots must secure written permission from AXIA Energia, fully register the aircraft with ANAC, obtain mandatory third-party liability insurance (RETA), and obtain a formal digital airspace flight clearance via DECEA's SARPAS NG portal. Unauthorized operators flying inside the facility boundaries face immediate detection by active on-site security details, immediate asset confiscation, and federal prosecution for compromising essential public utilities and national infrastructure.