Operations will now be evaluated by the risk of the mission, and not just by the weight of the equipment
Drone operations in Brazil will now be classified according to the risk of the activity carried out, and no longer mainly by the weight of the aircraft. The change was approved this Friday (June 12, 2026) by Anac (National Civil Aviation Agency), which updated the sector’s regulations to follow the expansion of the market and the technological evolution of equipment. Read the of document (PDF – 166 kB).
The new model creates demands proportional to the degree of complexity of each mission. As a result, commercial activities considered to be of intermediate risk will require specific pilot qualifications, obtained through a theoretical exam made available by the agency itself in a virtual environment.
For operations classified as low risk, the rules remain close to the current ones. Activities with greater impact potential will continue to be subject to more stringent requirements, similar to those adopted in conventional aviation.
The review of standards was incorporated into RBAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation) 100, which now focuses on guidelines for unmanned aircraft. According to Anac, the update also harmonizes concepts and definitions used in Brazil with internationally adopted regulatory references.
IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATORS
Implementation will be carried out gradually. Operators will have up to 2 years to adapt to the new requirements and request operational authorizations when necessary. Pilots will be able to take the theoretical test required for certain operating categories until the end of 2026.
According to Agência Infra, Anac informed that documents issued under the previous regulation will remain valid. Certificates, registrations and authorizations granted before the new regulation came into force will not need to be renewed immediately.
