Can I fly a drone at Iguazu Falls?

Direct answer: No. In Iguaçu National Park (Brazil) and Iguazú National Park (Argentina), recreational drone use is banned. Permission exists only for management, research or institutional production with prior authorisation, which is effectively never granted to tourists. Outside the parks you can fly, but under rules: in Brazil the governing regulation is RBAC nº 100, new since June 2026, and Foz do Iguaçu has an international airport, which restricts the airspace.

In both parks, the answer is the same

The falls sit between two national parks, and both ban tourist drones. You cannot fly recreationally on the Brazilian or the Argentine side without prior authorisation, and that authorisation almost never comes through for personal use.

Brazilian side (ICMBio). ICMBio Ordinance nº 956/2026, from February 2026, is explicit: "Recreational use of unmanned aircraft, such as drones and UAVs, is prohibited throughout the park area." The equipment is admitted only for management, protection, research, monitoring or institutional communication, with authorisation from the unit's administration, or under research authorised via SisBio.

Argentine side (APN). The National Parks Administration states that "overflight by engine-powered aircraft inside protected areas is prohibited" under the National Parks Law (Law 22,351). Rangers patrol the boardwalks and the Devil's Throat, and the rule covers the whole park.

And in Paraguay?

The third side of the border usually gets left out of this conversation, and it should not be. In Paraguay a drone is not legally a toy: DINAC, the civil aviation authority, requires mandatory registration of the aircraft in the National Aeronautical Registry. Use is governed by regulation DINAC R1103, established by Resolution nº 2170.

To fly near an airport, an aerodrome or within the city, you must request authorisation from DINAC, stating the flight zone, coordinates and intended altitude. In other words: crossing the bridge with a drone in your backpack and taking off in Ciudad del Este is not legal by default.

So where can you fly around Foz do Iguaçu?

Outside the parks, yes, but under rules, and Brazil's rule changed recently. In June 2026 ANAC published RBAC nº 100, replacing the former RBAC-E nº 94. Much of the content circulating online still cites the old rule.

What applies to ordinary flying:

• Registering the aircraft in SISANT, ANAC's system. Drones up to 250 g were given simplified treatment under a separate resolution.
• Airspace authorisation through SARPAS, DECEA's system. SISANT says which drone it is and whose; SARPAS says where and when you may fly.
• A maximum height of 120 metres, flight within visual line of sight, and no flying over uninvolved people.

The catch in Foz: the city has an international airport, and the surrounding area is controlled airspace. That is precisely where an infringement is most serious, and where most people get caught assuming it is "just a quick flight".

Why the park rule is so strict

It is not pedantry. The boardwalks are crowded, drone noise startles birds and other wildlife, and an aircraft falling into the crowd or the canyon is a real risk. Add the scenic helicopters already sharing the sky with the falls.

What if I am a photographer or content producer?

The exception exists, but it is for production and research, not for a tourist with a drone in their bag. On the Brazilian side the request goes through the park administration, within ICMBio's image-capture process, and it takes time. Do not count on clearance on the day.

The practical advice

Leave the drone at the hotel. Taking it into the park exposes you to being stopped by inspectors, having the equipment seized, and being fined. The best images come from a phone or a handheld camera: the boardwalks already deliver angles a drone would only reach with a permit.

If you want to fly outside the parks, sort it out before the trip: registration, airspace authorisation and checking the airport zone cannot be done on the day.