Drone Rules for Jericoacoara National Park
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Drone Operations Prohibited in Jericoacoara National Park
⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTICE: Drone Operations Prohibited in Jericoacoara National Park
Drone flights are strictly prohibited within the boundaries of the Jericoacoara National Park. Operating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones) in this coastal preservation zone is illegal due to federal environmental laws, migratory bird protection acts, and critical airport airspace safety corridors.
🗺️ Geographic Map Boundaries (Where it is prohibited)
The flight ban covers the entire official polygon of 8,850 hectares (88.5 km²) of the National Park, stretching across the municipalities of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Cruz, and Camocim.
- North Boundary: Includes the entire ocean shoreline from the village of Jericoacoara down to the Preá beach.
- South Boundary: Extends to the limits of the dunes and local lagoons (including Lagoa do Paraíso and Lagoa do Amâncio).
- East/West Limits: Borders the local environmental protection zones and the Malhada beach trail networks.
- Critical No-Fly Zones: Absolute enforcement at the Pedra Furada monument, Duna do Pôr do Sol, Árvore da Preguiça, and the core dune fields where 4x4 tourist vehicles circulate.
📜 Key Regulations & Specific Legal Articles
- ICMBio Normative Instruction No. 61/2020: This federal ordinance dictates that any recreational operation of unmanned aircraft inside National Parks is completely forbidden without a previously issued environmental permit.
- Federal Law No. 9,605/1998 (Environmental Crimes Law - Art. 29 & 40): Protects fragile coastal ecosystems. The high-pitched noise of drone rotors causes severe stress and nesting desertion among migratory and resident shorebirds that use the lagoons and beaches for feeding.
- DECEA ICA 100-40 & ANAC RBAC-94: The park sits directly inside the safety and approach corridor for the Jericoacoara Regional Airport (JJD / SBJE). Unauthorized drone flights in this area create an extreme risk of mid-air collision with commercial and private aircraft flying at low altitudes.
⚖️ Penalties for Violations
Anyone caught operating drones inside the park boundaries without authorization will face strict immediate legal action:
- Immediate Equipment Seizure: Confiscation of the drone, remote controller, and all storage media by ICMBio Federal Rangers or Environmental Authorities.
- Administrative Financial Sanctions: Fines starting at R$ 5,000.00 per infraction under Federal Decree 6,514/08.
- Criminal Penalties: Registration of a federal environmental crime report for damaging conservation units and violating civil aviation airspace safety codes.
🎥 Official Media & Research Licensing
Recreational flying is 100% banned. For institutional, scientific, or licensed commercial cinematography:
- Permits must be requested at least 45 business days in advance through the ICMBio SISBIO System.
- Pilots must obtain specific airspace clearance via the DECEA SARPAS system, matching the precise coordinates of the intended shoot and coordinating with local airport air traffic control.