Drone rules in Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: bylaw 20 and Bahamas registration

A drone looks harmless from the cockpit of a boat. Over a protected park it is an aircraft, and the Bahamas National Trust has a bylaw about it. This page covers what that bylaw says, who to ask, and the Bahamas civil aviation rules that apply on top of it.

What the park bylaw says

The Trust’s bylaws define “aircraft” to include a drone while it is in the air¹. Bylaw 20 then sets the rule for parks. This is the text:

No person shall, unless authorized – take off in any aircraft from a park; or fly or hover over a park at a level of less that one thousand feet.¹

The words that matter are “unless authorized”. Two actions need that authorization: taking off from the park, and flying or hovering over it below 1,000 feet¹. The bylaw makes an exception for emergencies as authorized by the Bahamas National Trust¹. The same bylaws add that the operator of an aircraft must at all times comply with any laws in force governing civil aviation¹.

The civil aviation limit for drones is 400 feet above the ground², and the bylaw’s restricted level is 1,000 feet¹. A drone kept under the civil aviation limit is therefore always inside the restricted level, so every drone flight over the park needs authorization before it goes up.

How to ask for authorization

Ask the park office. Call “Exuma Park” on VHF channel 09³. The park office is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to noon on Sunday³.

Be ready for a slow start. The office is on a remote small island, so contacting it can sometimes be challenging³. Try again later rather than launching while you wait. Do not fly until you have authorization.

State clearly what you plan to do: where the boat is, the drone model, and the time you want to fly. Short, specific questions are easier to answer on a radio channel shared with other boats. Our VHF channels guide lists the other channels you will hear around the Exumas, and the Warderick Wells headquarters page covers the office itself.

Bahamas civil aviation rules

Park authorization is only half of it. The Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas (CAA-B) requires that all drones be registered². Recreational registration has two fee options: $30 with 5 business days of processing, or $50 expedited with 2 business days².

Drones over 249 grams need a UAS certificate, or certification from the country of origin². The CAA needs at least five business days, excluding Saturday and Sunday, to complete a drone authorization request².

Rule	Requirement
Registration	All drones must be registered2
Recreational fee	$30 in 5 business days, or $50 expedited in 2 business days2
Weight	Over 249 g: UAS certificate or home-country certification2
Height	Not above 400 ft or 122 m above ground level2
People	Not over or within 165 ft (50 m) of any person2
Property	Not over private or public property or a dwelling without prior permission2
Commercial use	Separate fees apply2

Recreational flying must be for recreational purposes only, and you should keep the drone in your visual line of sight². Get an airspace authorization before flying in controlled airspace².

Before you launch

Run through four checks before the drone leaves your hand. Is it registered with the CAA²? Do you have authorization from the park office, by VHF 09³? Are you keeping to the height limit of 400 feet above ground²? Is anyone within 165 feet (50 m)²?

If the answer to any of those is no, leave the drone in its case. The park protects birds and other wildlife, and the park has high bird activity³. Read the full set of park rules in the park rules guide and see wildlife in Exuma Park for what you share the park with.

For everything else the park covers, use the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park hub. Rules change, so confirm with the park office before you fly.