Bill 567.

Summary.

The bill would regulate productive operations involving unmanned aircraft throughout the Republic of Panama in the agricultural, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture sectors. It would apply to individuals and legal entities operating them. It defines unmanned aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft systems, their operators, standard scenarios, technical aircraft classes, and the open, specific, and certified categories of operation. It also defines restricted zones, operator licenses, operational authorizations, and operating areas delimited by coordinates. The conditions for each category depend on risk and requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority (Autoridad de Aeronáutica Civil).

The bill creates the National Registry of Agricultural UAV Operators, administered by the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario) in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority, and requires registration by operators engaged in the regulated activities. It requires approved technical certification for operations in productive areas, including training in standard scenarios, flight protocols, traceability, and aviation safety. The Ministry of Agricultural Development, together with the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (Consejo Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria de Panamá) and the Civil Aviation Authority, would set criteria for approving training programs.

The Ministry of Agricultural Development would prepare and publish a national map identifying safe flight areas, restricted zones, and operational corridors. Every operation would have to follow preflight, flight, and postflight protocols, including a digital record, equipment maintenance, and a technical report. The bill prohibits operations in protected areas, urban centers, and ecologically sensitive areas, or without express authorization from the Civil Aviation Authority. It requires civil liability insurance covering harm to third parties, crops, infrastructure, public property, and the environment. It holds operators responsible for material, personal, environmental, and financial harm caused during operations, except where force majeure or a technical failure certified by an accredited entity is proven.

As incentives, the bill would allow an income tax deduction of up to one hundred percent of investment in drones for the covered uses, subject to tax regulations. It exempts their purchase from the Tax on Transfers of Movable Goods and Services (ITBMS), subject to prior technical certification by the Ministry of Agricultural Development. It also directs state banks with agricultural lending portfolios to establish preferential credit for equipment purchases, technical training, and related projects.

The bill creates the National Agricultural UAV Council (Consejo Nacional UAV Agropecuario) as a coordinating body comprising representatives of the aviation authority, the ministry, universities, producer associations, and civil society organizations. The ministry would chair it and provide its technical secretariat, with temporary delegation of the chair for certification or aviation safety matters. The Council would coordinate policies, propose standards, promote training, define zoning criteria, and assess environmental and social effects. Institutional coordination assigns territorial and training functions to MIDA, and aviation safety, certification, and drone registration functions to AAC; it provides for collaboration by SENACYT and participation by local authorities. The Council could issue binding recommendations for that coordination.

The bill classifies minor and serious violations. Minor violations include operating without documentation, insurance, or certification, failing to enter a flight in the digital system, and neglecting maintenance; fines would range from B/. 100.00 to B/. 500.00. Serious violations include flying in prohibited zones, causing damage, repeated operation without insurance or certification, falsifying information, and endangering human life; penalties would be B/. 1,000.00 to B/. 5,000.00 plus suspension of registration. The Ministry of Agricultural Development would impose penalties with due process and the right to a defense. Operators would have to follow environmental practices protecting soil, water, flora, and fauna while using resources efficiently.

The Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would issue regulations within six months of promulgation and allocate resources to oversee implementation. Earlier certifications issued by accredited institutions would be recognized after ministerial validation. The proposed law would take effect six months after its promulgation in the Official Gazette. Its provisions concern the named public institutions, agricultural producers, forestry, fishing, aquaculture, technical training, state banks, and drone suppliers.