Regulations and Administrative Requirements (RBAC 100, ICAO Annexes, ANAC Norms)
The regulatory stack you must be able to cite
Brazilian remotely piloted aircraft operations are governed primarily by RBAC 100 (Regulamento Brasileiro da Aviação Civil, issued by ANAC), which classifies UAS by maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) and by the purpose/risk of the operation. Learn the weight bands and what each unlocks: the lightest band (up to 250 g) is essentially unregulated for recreational flight; the 250 g–25 kg band is the workhorse category for commercial work and requires registration when used commercially; above 25 kg and for operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), above 400 ft AGL, or over people, an authorization or special approval from ANAC is required, often with a project-specific risk assessment.
Concepts to master
- Registration of the aircraft in ANAC's system (SISANT) and, where applicable, remote pilot licensing - the certificate category depends on the operation, not just the aircraft.
- RPAS operator certificate / authorization versus the pilot's personal licence: questions frequently swap these.
- ICAO Annexes provide the international framework: Annex 2 (Rules of the Air), Annex 7 (Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks), Annex 8 (Airworthiness), Annex 10 (Telecommunications), Annex 11 (Air Traffic Services), Annex 13 (Accident Investigation), and Annex 19 (Safety Management). Annex 2 is the usual hook for right-of-way and minimum-distance questions.
- Interface with DECEA (airspace/ATM rules, ICAO-based) and with ANATEL (radio spectrum for control links). A question that names the wrong agency is a classic trap.
Traps and a rule of thumb
Watch for: "registration equals authorization" (false); assuming recreational exemptions apply to commercial flights (they do not); confusing notification with prior approval; and ignoring that a change of operation (new area, new payload, night) may void an existing approval. Rule of thumb: if the operation changes weight band, distance from people, altitude ceiling, or line of sight, re-check whether you need a new ANAC authorization before flight.