Someone in the group mentioned I shouldn’t stress about traveling to Mexico with my drone. I want to say, don’t listen to anyone who thinks luck is all you need!
Today was my first time flying internationally with a drone. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I know there will be comments saying I messed up… whatever.
I’m sharing this because knowledge is key, and I hope it helps someone avoid what I went through.
My wife and I just arrived in Cancun, Mexico. We went through passport control, picked up our bags, and then headed to customs.
It turns out customs officials are trained to spot DJI bags. One tapped my shoulder and asked if I had a drone. Of course, I said yes—never lie to customs unless you want trouble.
I brought my Mini 2 Pro since it doesn’t have remote ID and I hardly ever fly it. If they seized it, I wouldn’t be too bothered.
I had my receipt and FAA registration with me (I have a UAS 107 certificate, so I register all my drones). The officer showed me a rule that if it’s under 250g and for recreational use, there’s no tax. But since it was valued at $599, I had to cough up 19% tax to bring it in—about $110.
Honestly, I almost told them to just keep it. I was frustrated.
I’m glad I didn’t bring my Mavic 3 Pro. That tax would have been ridiculous!
If I had known, I would not have used the DJI bag or at least put it in another bag. Sure, there’s still a chance I’d have been stopped regardless; we were clearly profiled.
I just wanted to share this for anyone planning a trip to Mexico. Be aware of what you might face.