Central America’s most urbanized country, Panama, is a beautiful vacation destination. The rainforests that cover the country are some of the most biologically diverse areas in the world.
Gatun Lake, Chagres National Park, and the great Canal of Panama are home to thousands of species of animals, birds, plants, insects, and much more. Every year, these tropical rainforests host the migrated species from North and South America.
The best time to visit the country is during the dry season, which lasts from December to March. The breathtakingly beautiful views will make the trip a memorable one.
The skyline of Panama City features some of the tallest skyscrapers. The city is close to the southern end of the Panama Canal. The Caribbean coastline hosts some wonderful tropical beaches and islands, which are major tourist attractions.
What Is The Best Way To Capture The View?
For those who love photography and videography, Panama has a lot to offer. To get the best views, one can always use a drone for photography or videography. With drones, you will get a more expansive view of the places you visit in the country.
Drones can give you a view of the city’s skyline and the coastline near the ocean. You can see the entire beach while you sit and relax in one spot. It is not possible to cover all areas physically, but with drones, you can cover all the areas you ever wanted to visit in this wonderful tropical country.
Benefits Of Using A Drone Over Traditional Cameras
- Versatility: Drones designed for travel purposes are small in size and lightweight. You can fly them in many areas and capture as many images and videos as you wish. They can be flown at different heights to give you a view of Panama City from different angles.
- Full HD Quality:With modern drones, you can capture full HD images.
- Application: You can use drones for still images or for video. You can also go live on your social media account with a video shot by drone. This useful gadget has got multiple applications.
- Minimal Interference: Drones will capture videos from a greater height, which means minimal noise. Aerial photography also means a better chance of avoiding disturbances in your images.
- Time: They are easy to set up and start as soon as you reach the destination. You can collect images of your destinations from all different angles.
Drone Laws That Every Tourist In Panama Should Know
Every country has regulations on the flying of drones. Before you get your drone flying on your Panama vacation, here are some important things you should know about drone laws in Panama:
General Drone Laws
- Do not fly over a crowd or people.
- Respect the privacy of others.
- Do not fly over airports.
- Do not fly in bad weather conditions or in the dark.
- Do not fly in restricted areas like military bases or government offices. Also, do not use in areas where photography is prohibited.
These are rules that every drone flyer, whether for recreational or commercial purposes, should follow.
When flying drones during a vacation, one needs to follow the laws for recreational drone use.
Is A Permit Needed For Recreational Drone Use?
The answer is no. But official registration of the drone is a must in order to use it.
Foreign Operators
So, if you are a tourist in the country and want to fly a drone, you will need to get permission to do so in person. Basically, a drone operator should obtain official permission to fly a drone, according to local laws.
To get permission, you will have to provide information regarding the time and number of days for which you will be using the drone, and also regarding the drone’s movements.
How To Bring Drones On An Airplane?
Drones should be brought only in carry-on luggage or hand luggage when traveling by air. Also, you should never pack drone batteries in your checked luggage. Airlines consider lithium-ion batteries dangerous items because they can catch fire. If you violate these rules, you may have to pay a hefty fine or penalty.
Airlines are liable for up to $1000 of your items if lost. So, if your drone is more than that amount, it is advisable that you have it delivered through a courier service like DHL. There is always a chance of losing your belongings when traveling, especially if you have multiple connecting flights. Therefore, if you are carrying a drone on your vacation, always have it in your carry-on luggage.
What Drones Can You Bring On A Vacation?
Buying drones can be overwhelming, given the number of options available on the market. If you are planning to bring a drone on your vacation, then there are a few things you should keep in mind before buying one.
- How to Choose a Drone
Some drones come with a camera while some do not. The ones with the camera are much more expensive, but the image quality is the best that you can get. You can also attach a separate camera with any drone, but then you will be compromising the image or video quality. So, choose wisely.
- Practice
Drone photography requires some practice before you can capture great vacation pictures.
- Weather
Always check the weather conditions before you start flying your drone. Panama has pretty heavy rain most of the year, so you have to be careful with drone use.
- Legal Use
If you are a tourist, then never even think of breaking any laws while flying your drone. First, get yourself registered and then fly it safely within the limits.
- Compact Design
Make sure the drone fits in your luggage and that it is not too heavy to carry around.
Best Drones For Your Panama Vacation
DJI Spark Selfie Drone
This drone is one of the best available for travel purposes. It lets you capture images at a professional level. It is easy to launch and control. It only requires the tap of a button on your phone or tablet. You can also capture images at a really fast rate. It has great focus and can cover all angles and directions.
It is small in size and fits perfectly in your hand luggage.
Check the current price on Amazon here.
DJI Mavic Mini Combo
This drone by DJI is more professional. It weighs as much as your mobile phone and fits easily in your bag. The battery life is also good. You can always carry a power backup when traveling. It can be controlled with your phone if the two devices are compatible.
This product is much more expensive when compared to the previous one. However, the price is worth the quality.
Check the current price on Amazon here.
Best Locations For Drone Photography
Some locations in Panama look best when captured aerially. Here are a few of them:
- San Blas Islands
- Panama City
- Panama Canal
- The Bocas de Toro Province
- The Playa Blanca
- Panama Coastline
- Portobelo, Colon Province
- Isla Escudo de Veraguas
Hot Spots In Panama:
