Drone Rules for Santos Dumont Airport

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro (rj) • Brazil

Praça Sen. Salgado Filho, s/n - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20021-340, Brazil

Lat: -22.9098 • Lng: -43.1638

Rules Edit History: Santos Dumont Airport

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May 26, 2026 2:19 AM Approved • added a box and description

Author: Vins (1007)

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Field	Before	After
Rule category	Ground	Air
Flight status	Unknown	NoFly
Summary	—	Critical No-Fly Zone covering Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ). All unauthorized drone flights are strictly prohibited within this airspace to eliminate collision risks with commercial jets and low-altitude helicopter traffic. Only exceptional operations with explicit DECEA clearance via SARPAS NG are permitted.
Mapped shapes	—	810099e4-0ea9-4250-a749-846768760cdb

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Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ), managed by Infraero, is one of Brazil’s most iconic and congested central airfields. Situated on a small peninsula directly in Guanabara Bay, it serves as a critical terminal for the high-frequency Rio-São Paulo air bridge, alongside frequent regional routes and intensive corporate helicopter traffic.

The airport's geographic positioning creates an incredibly sensitive operational environment. Arriving and departing commercial passenger jets navigate complex, low-altitude visual and instrument approaches tightly flanked by the Rio-Niterói Bridge, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the dense urban skyline of Rio de Janeiro's central and southern zones. Because aircraft share this constrained visual airspace with low-flying tourist and executive helicopters, any uncoordinated drone activity poses an immediate threat of a catastrophic mid-air collision. Consequently, spontaneous or recreational drone flights within the airfield perimeter, over the adjacent bay waters, or along the active urban approach funnels are completely banned under federal law (Brazilian Penal Code, Art. 261).

Regulatory Authorities: DECEA, ANAC, and Infraero.

Primary Framework: ICA 100-40 (DECEA) and Article 261 of the Brazilian Penal Code.

Flight Planning Portal: Ultra-high-security airspace grids, permanent geofencing boundaries, and strict flight authorizations are managed via SARPAS NG and Aisweb.

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+ Santos Dumont Airport (SBRJ), managed by Infraero, is one of Brazil’s most iconic and congested central airfields. Situated on a small peninsula directly in Guanabara Bay, it serves as a critical terminal for the high-frequency Rio-São Paulo air bridge, alongside frequent regional routes and intensive corporate helicopter traffic.
+ 
+ The airport's geographic positioning creates an incredibly sensitive operational environment. Arriving and departing commercial passenger jets navigate complex, low-altitude visual and instrument approaches tightly flanked by the Rio-Niterói Bridge, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the dense urban skyline of Rio de Janeiro's central and southern zones. Because aircraft share this constrained visual airspace with low-flying tourist and executive helicopters, any uncoordinated drone activity poses an immediate threat of a catastrophic mid-air collision. Consequently, spontaneous or recreational drone flights within the airfield perimeter, over the adjacent bay waters, or along the active urban approach funnels are completely banned under federal law (Brazilian Penal Code, Art. 261).
+ 
+ Regulatory Authorities: DECEA, ANAC, and Infraero.
+ 
+ Primary Framework: ICA 100-40 (DECEA) and Article 261 of the Brazilian Penal Code.
+ 
+ Flight Planning Portal: Ultra-high-security airspace grids, permanent geofencing boundaries, and strict flight authorizations are managed via SARPAS NG and Aisweb.
+