Anatel Homologation of Drones for Manufacturers

The operation of drones in Brazil must follow conditions established by Anatel and ANAC. You will learn in this article what the requirements that manufacturers of drones must adhere to in order to have their equipment certified by Anatel, the local telecommunication agency.

Data from PwC shows that Brazil is the 15th largest drone market in the world, currently valued at USD 75 million, but with the highly anticipated regulations for drones published in May 2017 by ANAC, the National Civil Aviation Agency, it is expected that the market will gain momentum over the coming years. The aviation agency ANAC requires registration of drones used for professional purposes in areas outside parks and gardens..

Drones and their remote control units are only allowed to be legally commercialised in Brazil if the equipment is certified by Anatel. This process is often started by the manufacturer of the product or by its appointed representative in the country, in a process conducted by an OCD, an organisation accredited by Anatel to perform this process.

Technical requirements for Drone homologations

Anatel published regulation 506 in 2008 which establishes the requirements for equipment operating in the frequencies of 902-907,5 MHz, 915-928 MHz, 2.400-2.483,5 MHz and 5.725-5.850 MHz. This includes drones operating under the frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz which are the ranges used in drones that are most commonly available in the market. For the equipment, Anatel applies the following specifications depending on the digital modulation technology employed:

• Maximum peak output power of the transmitter cannot exceed 1 Watt
• Power spectral density peak, in any range of 3 kHz during any interval of time of continuous transmission, cannot exceed 8 dBm
• Equipment that makes use of transmission antennas with directional gain superior to 6 dBi, must have the maximum peak output power of the transmitter reduced by the corresponding quantity in dB that was exceeded from 6dBi

Anatel also sets requirements for average field intensities, also measured at a distance of 3 meters from the equipment, according to the table below:

The peak field emission cannot exceed the average value specified in more than 20 dB. Emissions out of the specified ranges, except for harmonics, must be attenuated in at least 50 dB from the fundamental level.

Summary of Anatel product homologation procedures

The homologation process is managed by an OCD, which is an independent company that will advise the manufacturer on what tests must be conducted for the certification of the equipment, and what laboratories are suitable to conduct the tests. Both the remote control, batteries and UAV may require separate testing procedures therefore choosing the right OCD to perform the evaluation is pivotal. Master Certificações has handled thousands of homologations of Anatel products and is recognised by Anatel as one of the top OCDs in the market.

Based on the results, the OCD will proceed to issue a conformity certificate, stating that the equipment is in accordance to local regulations. The Conformity Certificate is the base for the homologation of the product and is submitted to Anatel by the OCD. In addition to the Conformity Certificate, the agency may request additional documentation from the manufacturer during this step.

Once the homologation is approved, the homologation is issued and the product can be commercialised in Brazil. More details on the process can be viewed in the article “How to Obtain an Anatel Product Homologation”.

The homologation of the drone is initially valid for a period of 2 years, and renewals must be requested by the manufacturer at least 3 months prior to the expiration, otherwise the process of homologation will be suspended by ANATEL, preventing the commercialization of the product in Brazil. The renewal of the Anatel certificate is also conducted by the OCD. Certificates that have been suspended by ANATEL for more than 180 days will be cancelled by ANATEL. Starting the Drone homologation process with Anatel

If you are a manufacturer or a representative of a drone maker or other equipment that makes use of radio frequency under operation, we recommend getting assistance of an OCD as soon as possible. Master Certificações is an OCD with a decade of experience with Anatel homologations having worked closely with dozens of international manufacturers of consumer goods on their certifications in Brazil. Master Certificações handles certification of all categories of telecommunication products with Anatel, as well as certification of LED lamps and household appliances with Inmetro.