Tulum Launches Drone Flights For Tourists

Last Updated 2 years ago

Real estate company Los Amigos de Tulum has announced that it will be the first business to start commercial drone flights in Tulum for tourists to enjoy. This is the first commercial drone flight of its kind to be offered to tourists in Mexico and the whole of Latin America. To make the flights even better, each journey will minimize CO2 emissions as the drones are powered by renewable energy. This will allow tourists to fully enjoy each flight, knowing they are contributing to the well-being of the natural environment.  

The idea was set into motion by the founder and president of Los Amigos de Tulum, Nico Wilmes. Wilmes initially paid half a million dollars to a Chinese manufacturer to create a prototype drone that would be safe and accessible for tourist use. However, the creation of the drones occurred prior to the start of the pandemic in 2020: Whilst Covid-19 initially delayed the project, Wilmes has expressed his elation at finally being able to offer these new flights to tourists:

“ We are excited about the project. A part of our team is in Mexico City carrying out the necessary procedures before the Federal Civil Aviation Agency starts doing flight tests here in Tulum”.

He also expressed that the new ‘drone flights’ are taking several other countries by storm, including China, Japan, the U.S, Qatar, and Austria.

The drones are set to hold two passengers, with a starting distance of 35km. This ride is an excellent option for tourists looking to soar above Tulum’s lush jungles and mangroves or spot beautiful wildlife along the city’s coast. There is even the potential to take the drones elsewhere in the Mexican-Caribbean, such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Cozumel.

Prior to creating drone flights, Los Amigos de Tulum was first and foremost a real estate giant in the state of Quintana Roo. The company has created various tourist accommodations in Tulum with spas, gyms, restaurants, and movie theatres – all running on sustainable energy to support the city’s ecosystem.

With the development of the new Tulum airport and Mayan Train, the company is set to generate even more popularity in the area by building additional tourist housing to accommodate the masses of visitors expected to arrive over the coming years.

Some hoteliers have expressed doubts about Tulum rising in popularity due to these new ventures, especially as construction of the new Tulum International Airport has been paused temporarily due to funding problems. Others are worried due to a recent increase in crime in the city, many instances of which have involved tourists.

However, despite some negative headlines, Tulum has set some new tourist records this past summer alongside Playa del Carmen, receiving 822 thousand vacationers in total. This is the highest number of visitors to stay in the two cities since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, signaling that tourism has truly recovered in the region.

At this moment in time, there is no confirmed date for the debut of these drone flights in Tulum. However, it is expected that after the test flights have been completed, the drone flights should be available for tourists to use at the beginning of 2023. Visitors looking to be one of the first groups of people to travel in the drones are reminded to follow Los Amigos de Tulum online.

Wilmes is confident in the new venture, expressing that the flights will ‘allow tourists to explore new areas that were previously difficult or impossible to reach’, letting visitors view the beauty of the Riviera Maya from a different perspective than ever seen before.  

Plan Your Next Cancun Vacation:

Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!

Choose From Thousands of Cancun and Riviera Maya Hotels, Resorts and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties

---

Subscribe to our Latest Posts

Enter your email address to subscribe to The Cancun Sun’s latest breaking news affecting travelers, straight to your inbox.

---