IMPORTANT NOTICE: Drone Operations Prohibited in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

AUTHORIZATION STATUS: CRITICAL PERMIT REQUIRED (RECREATIONAL FLIGHTS 100% BANNED)

• Recreational / Amateur Flights: Completely forbidden. There is no instant or paid online permit available for tourists anywhere inside the park boundaries.
• Commercial, Media, or Research Flights: Allowed ONLY under strict, advance analysis. You must hold a formal environmental license issued by ICMBio and a cleared flight plan from DECEA at least 45 days prior.

Operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV/drone) inside this federal preservation sanctuary without prior official clearance is illegal due to strict environmental protection laws, public safety along canyon trails, and severe geographical aviation hazards.

🗺️ Geographic Map Boundaries (Where it is prohibited)

The flight ban applies to the entire official polygon of 240,611 hectares (2,406 km²) of the National Park, spanning across the municipalities of Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Cavalcante, Teresina de Goiás, Nova Roma, and São João d’Aliança.

• Canyon and Waterfall Sectors: Includes the Saltos do Rio Preto (120m and 80m drops), Cânion I and II, Cariocas Waterfall, and the complex riverbeds.
• Trekking Trails Corridor: Absolute no-fly zones along the Trilha dos Saltos, Trilha dos Cânions, and Sete Setas trail networks.
• High-Altitude Cerrado Plateaus: High-exposure zones characterized by intense wind gusts where drone thermal and motor failures are common.

📜 Key Regulations and Specific Legal Articles

• ICMBio Normative Instruction No. 61/2020: Federal administrative ordinance governing all Conservation Units in Brazil, completely banning recreational remote-controlled aviation inside National Parks.
• Federal Law No. 9,605/1998 (Environmental Crimes Act - Art. 29 & 40): Penalizes any acoustic action that alters wildlife behavior. High-frequency drone noise induces intense stress and defensive fleeing in vulnerable Cerrado species, such as the Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), the Jaguar (Panthera onca), and rare nesting macaws.
• DECEA ICA 100-40 & Weather Hazards: The complex canyon topography generates severe vertical wind shear and microbursts. Drones face extreme risks of immediate connection loss and battery drainage, leading to crashes into inaccessible ecological zones.

⚖️ Penalties for Violations

Failure to comply with these federal regulations will result in immediate legal actions:

1. Immediate Equipment Seizure: Physical confiscation of the drone, remote controller, and all storage media by ICMBio Federal Rangers or Environmental Authorities.
2. Administrative Financial Sanctions: Severe environmental fines applied by ICMBio starting at R$ 5,000.00 under Federal Decree 6,514/08.
3. Criminal Penalties: Detention and criminal prosecution under Article 261 of the Brazilian Penal Code for endangering air transport safety.

🎥 Official Media and Research Licensing (How to request)

For institutional, scientific, or licensed commercial cinematography:

• Permits must be requested at least 45 business days in advance through the official ICMBio SISBIO System.
• Pilots must obtain specific airspace clearance via the DECEA SARPAS system, matching the precise coordinates of the intended sector.

Thank you for protecting the Cerrado wildlife, respecting public safety along canyons, and helping preserve the natural integrity of Chapada dos Veadeiros.