Quintana Roo
Drone photo & video · Bacalar
In short
Drone photo & video in Bacalar starts at $300: 60 min on location with a photographer who works in Bacalar, and 25 edited photos + a 1-minute edited film delivered to a private gallery within 7 days.
Why choose drone photo & video in Bacalar?
The colour bands of the Laguna de Bacalar only make sense from above. From the shore the lagoon looks blue; from 100 m up it shows the white sand shelves, the dark cenote holes and the channels in between. A drone session here is mostly about height and timing: midday sun brings out the bands, and early morning keeps the boats off the water. The pilot plans both in one session.
Worth knowing about Bacalar
INAH describes the Fuerte de San Felipe as a historic monument owned by the Nation, and the federal monuments law requires INAH permission to reproduce a historic monument for commercial purposes. An aerial of the Bacalar fort for a hotel, a brand or a listing is that kind of use, so it is cleared with INAH first; the lagoon itself is not.
What does the session in Bacalar look like?
- Open lagoon off the Costera
- The full sequence of blues from shore to deep water, flown from a hotel dock.
- Canal de los Piratas from above
- The palest water on the lagoon, flown early before swimmers fill the channel.
- Fuerte de San Felipe
- The star-shaped fort and its moat, framed only with INAH permission for commercial use.
What does drone photo & video in Bacalar include?
- 60 minutes on location, with the time in the air set by batteries and conditions
- 25 edited aerial photos
- A 1-minute edited aerial film with licensed music
- Flown by a local pilot under commercial liability insurance, with the drone registered with AFAC when it weighs over 250 g
- Photos and film delivered within 7 days
Permits at these locations: Fuerte de San Felipe: A historic monument owned by the Nation; commercial photography of it needs INAH permission, so ask the museum and the Centro INAH Quintana Roo before a session inside
FAQ — Drone photo & video in Bacalar
Can a drone fly over the Bacalar lagoon?
Yes, within Mexico's drone rules. A Bacalar drone session is flown by a Mexico-registered pilot under NOM-107-SCT3-2019: daylight only, within visual line of sight, below 122 m, at least 9.2 km from any aerodrome and clear of uninvolved people, which on the lagoon means swimmers and boats. Drones over 250 g need AFAC registration.
When do the Bacalar lagoon colours look strongest from a drone?
Around midday, with the sun high and the water calm, the Bacalar colour bands are at their strongest from above. Early morning gives softer light and an empty lagoon, so a Bacalar drone session often flies twice: at sunrise for calm water and again late morning for colour.