The National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) opened Public Consultation No. 3 on Tuesday, June 09, to update the rules for drone operations in Brazil. The new proposal suggests the adoption of Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation (RBAC) No. 100, which introduces an unprecedented approach in the country for the sector: performance-based regulation.
The draft regulation does not dictate detailed rules on how companies should operate, but sets out safety and performance objectives to be achieved. This gives operators and organizations more freedom to innovate, as long as they can demonstrate the effectiveness of their solutions.
One of the main changes suggested is the criteria used to classify drones, which now considers, in the RBAC proposal No. 100, the risk of the operation, and no longer just the weight of the equipment. Another new feature is the institution of the Operator Registration in the Specific Category (COE), which will be mandatory for some categories.
The COE will function as a license, proving that the operator has the technical capacity, organizational structure and adequate procedures to conduct activities safely. To obtain the COE, the operator will need to present to ANAC a risk analysis of the intended operation and prove that it meets the safety objectives established in the standard.
All details of the new regulation are available on the page Public Consultations on the Anac portal, where you can access the draft RBAC and the complementary documents of the public consultation. Any interested person or institution can collaborate with the update of the rules. Contributions can be sent through the electronic form available on the page until July 18, 2025.
Pioneering the regulation of drones
Brazil was one of the first countries in the world to adopt a standard for the operation of drones, in 2017, with the RBAC-E No. 94. The initial objective was to define guidelines to enable the development of technology and protect the safety of the population. Since then, the market has expanded. Today, around 125 drones are ed in the country, a 315% increase in eight years, according to data from the Unmanned Aircraft System (Sisant).
“Updating the standard was a natural trend. Today, we have applications that were unimaginable in 2017. Regulation needs to evolve to provide security for operations and people, in addition to fostering innovation so that new applications can be developed, strengthening the development of the sector,” declared the acting CEO of ANAC, Roberto Honorato.
Innovation in defining categories for drone operation
Based on operational risk, drone operations can be classified into three categories: Open, Specific or Certified, with regulatory requirements proportional to the complexity of each operation. In all cases, the equipment must be ed with Sisant.
In the Open category, operations represent low operational risk. The maximum takeoff weight will be 25 kg and the operator must follow basic safety rules, such as keeping the drone within the visual line of sight (without obstacles that impede vision) or extended visual line of sight, respecting the height limit of 120 meters, not flying over people not involved in the operation and following the guidelines for access to airspace defined by the Department of Airspace Control (Decea). Examples: flights, photos in rural areas and operations in places with few concentrations of people.
The Specific category considers the risk moderate. The operator must present to ANAC an operational risk assessment, preferably using the SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) methodology. Based on this analysis, mitigation measures compatible with the risks must be adopted. Depending on the type of operation, it will be necessary to obtain the Operator Registration in the Specific Category (COE). Examples: commercial operations, urban filming, infrastructure inspection, deliveries in controlled areas, light shows and operations in urban areas and with greater proximity to people.
This category also provides for the possibility of classifying operations into “standard scenarios,” operating models already accepted by the Agency, with specific and individualized criteria for that operation, which can simplify recurring authorizations, without submitting a risk assessment. Initially, ANAC defined two scenarios: agricultural aviation use and public safety and other agencies or entities controlled by the State.
The Certified category involves more complex and high-risk operations, requiring a level of safety beyond the limits of the SORA methodology. Requirements for operating in this segment include certification of the operator, drone and remote pilot; a detailed risk analysis; and mandatory insurance coverage against damages to third parties. Examples: flights beyond the visual line of sight (outside visual range) in densely populated areas, air taxis with drones, cargo transportation in urban centers, activities in controlled airspace.
Go to the Drones page, on the ANAC website and see the illustrative tables with the main changes in the operation and additional information about the proposal.
Rules for model aircraft and drones weighing up to 250g will be set out in a resolution
For the operation of model aircraft and drones with a takeoff weight equal to or less than 250 grams, Anac proposed the issuance of a specific resolution, with the aim of regulating this category in a manner proportional to the risk it represents.
Among the main points of the proposed resolution, the following stand out: the requirement for a minimum distance of 30 meters between the device, weighing more than 250 grams, and people not involved in the operation (except if there is a protective barrier or authorization), the operator's responsibility for any incidents, the flight limit of 120 meters above the ground and the non-obligation to the equipment in Sisant.
