Drone Laws in Sint Maarten

Drone Laws in Sint Maarten

According to Sint Maarten’s national aviation authority, the Sint Maarten Civil Aviation Authority (SMCAA) flying a drone is legal in Sint Maarten, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact SMCAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: +1721 542-2337.

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Sint Maarten

• Do not fly over security-sensitive areas, airports, or critical infrastructure.
• The drone must be kept in-line-of-sight at all times, and when FPV goggles are used, a second person should act as the visual observer.
• Do not fly the drone above 120 meters AGL (393 ft).
• The drone must be kept within a range of 500 meters (1640 ft) to the operator or closer.
• Drones must be kept away from manned aircraft at all times.
• Never operate a drone over large groups of people.

Drone operators should ensure that:

• A safe distance is maintained from other drones and people.
• The drone is adequately insured.
• The drone is clearly marked with their contact information, name, address, and telephone number.
• The drone is not operated while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• The drone is not operated at night.
• The drone is only operated in good weather (not in clouds, fog).
• The drone is operated within its performance limitation and is not altered from original manufactured specifications.
• No photographs, videos or sound recordings of people and their properties are made, without their permission.
• When flying over other people’s property, not to fly less than 20meters above the property without the owner’s consent.
• Minors are accompanied by adults at all times when operating a drone.
• Approval from the Section Civil Aviation (SMCAA) is provided for commercial operations in the NO FLY ZONES.

For more information on Sint Maarten’s drone laws, see this page on the SMCAA website.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Sint Maarten? Send us an email at support[at]horizonap[dot]com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Sint Maarten can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in South Sint Maarten? Here you go: