There are 5 requirements to fly a drone in Spain that are established as of December 31, 2020.
From my experience flying drones for some years now, I know very well what are these 5 requirements to fly a drone in Spain, and especially in Mallorca, where I live and where I have flown more assiduously.
So if you are thinking about flying a drone in Mallorca I recommend you to read my article to fly your drone with peace of mind on the island.
Remember that ignorance of the rules does not exempt you from responsibility, this means that not knowing the drone flight regulations does not exempt you from blame and punishment if you violate and break the rules when flying a UAS, for this I recommend you to know all the changes that have occurred with the new Royal Decree 517/2024.
Fines for flying a drone can be quite heavy. Familiarise yourself with these requirements and avoid unpleasant surprises.
The provision and operation of some rules of the administration of each autonomous community may be different, so before flying a drone in Spain you should be well informed of possible prohibitions and restrictions by consulting the Enaire Drones map.
The 5 requirements to fly a drone in Spanish territory
Register as a drone operator
This requirement, in my opinion, is the most important requirement of all for flying a drone in Spain.
Depending on the type of drone you want to fly, you are required to register as a drone operator with AESA to fly a drone in Spain. You only have to register as a drone operator once and you can fly a drone in any EU country.
If you live in an EU country outside Spain and you are already registered as a drone operator, you don’t have to worry about re-registering in Spain.
Don’t confuse operator registration with a licence to fly drones. Find out what type of drone you can fly without a licence.
If you are finally obliged to register as an operator or you want to do it on your own account, at the end of the registration process you will get an operator number according to European regulations.
This number + the 3 secret digits that you can find in your AESA profile make up the remote identification number that you must enter in your drone if you have acquired it after 1 January 2024. If your drone is from before this date you should check if you need a remote identifier to be able to fly it.
This number should be somehow present on your drone with a simple sticker, in a visible way.
Obtaining a drone licence
If you fly a drone of less than 250gr recreationally, it is not mandatory to obtain a license to fly drones in Spain, although it is highly recommended that you obtain one. An aeronautical training in drones gives you security by knowing the rules and regulations of flight; apart from giving value to our hobby and profession.
If you fly a drone professionally or your drone weighs more than 250 grams, it will be mandatory that you take at least the basic theoretical drone course offered by AESA (A1-A3) in order to obtain the minimum license to fly drones in Spain.
If your flying scenarios become more intricate and more demanding, and depending on the type of drone you will be flying, you will need to obtain more specific piloting licences.
Drone insurance
Obtaining third-party civil protection insurance for drones is another very important requirement for flying a drone in Spain, as it will protect us legally from problems that we may cause to third parties during our operation with the UAS.
Following the amendment of the Air Navigation Act (art. 11 and 127), and the entry into force of the new Royal Decree for unmanned aircraft, it is compulsory to have insurance only for some drones and in specific categories of flight, see this information in the section of my article on compulsory civil liability insurance in RD 517/2024.
Fines for flying drones will vary depending on the purpose of the operation and the MTOM of the aircraft being flown.
EASA establishes a minimum amount that a liability insurance has to cover, which is measured in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), regardless of whether the operation is recreational or professional.
Taking into account that one SDR = €1.20, the amounts will be based on:
- Drones with a MTOM of less than 20Kg, and in accordance with Royal Decree 31/2001, which sets out the Air Navigation Law, establishes a minimum amount for damages of 220,000 SDR = 264,000€.
- For drones with a MTOM (maximum take-off mass) of 20Kg or more and up to 500Kg, Regulation 785/2004 establishes a minimum damage amount of 750,000 SDR = 90,000,000,000€.
To fly a drone in Spain, it is not necessary to have permanent insurance, only the appropriate insurance for each flight. Although I always advise to have one. Coverdrone is the one that offers you the best prices in the market.
Current drone regulations
Knowing the drone regulations in force and respecting them is an essential requirement, as you will avoid causing problems to the environment around you, whether they are people or things, regardless of whether you have civil protection insurance or not.
The current drone regulations governing the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) address the 3 categories of flight: open, specific and certified. In this drone blog we are going to deal only with the first two.
If you are just starting out in the world of drones, the category you are most interested in being aware of is the ‘open category’. This category is the most permissive or least restrictive and where you can fly without a permit. Very important to read about the ‘open’ category of drones.
Flying a drone in Spain is subject to regulations that depend on the type of drone you are flying, so check in this article which drone you want to fly before you start your operation.
Knowing and interpreting drone flight zones
Of the 5 requirements to fly a drone in Spain that I have talked about in this article, this last one represents the practical part of all the others, and consists of familiarising yourself with the Enaire Drones map, which is fundamental for where you can legally fly a drone in Spain.
Parts of the Enaire Drones map
Here are the parts of this map that you need to be aware of and know how to interpret:
- Aerodromes, airports, ultralight activities and heliports: Aerodromes and heliports have more local control and some even have their own flight permit applications. They tend to be more lax in terms of requirements.
- Prohibited (P), Restricted (R) and Dangerous (D) areas
- ZEPA areas (Special Bird Protection Areas)
- Zone restricted to photographic flight (ZRVF): Here you will be able to fly your drone but you will not be able to take pictures unless you have a permit approved by the Ministry. To get it, you must fill in this application to fly in areas restricted to photographic flight and send it to the CECAF (Cartographic and Photographic Center – Air Force).
The response time of this organism is between 5-10 working days. - NOTAM (Notice To Airmen): These are notifications issued by the different aeronautical authorities to inform pilots about changes or restrictions at airports, procedures or events along a route. These changes are temporary and have a start and end date and time.
- Military zones Critical Infrastructure Protection, Environmental Protection and NOTAM.
What do you think of these 5 requirements to fly a drone in Spain? Have you flown in any other country and have an interesting comparative opinion to share? Tell us about it!
If you want me to do an article on how to interpret the Enaire Drones map, leave it in the comments. You can also send me any questions you may have, I will be happy to answer them.
14 Responses
Pregunta! Estoy en España por unos cuantos días, quiero volar mi mini 4 pro pero tengo entendido que necesito registrarme y tener aseguranza para daños de terceros. Cuál aseguranza me recomendarías! Gracias in advance!
Hola Eric,
Siento no haberte respondido antes, me pillaste fuera de Mallorca este fin de semana.
Respondiendo a tu pregunta sobre los seguros para drones, es de obligado cumplimiento tener un seguro de responsabilidad civil que cubra daños a terceros en España, independientemente de la categoría en la que pilotos ya sea recreativo o profesional. Aquí puedes leerlo.
La aseguradora que yo recomiendo es COVERDRONE:
Así que para mí sin dudas esta compañía es la mejor.
Espero haberte ayudado.
Un saludo,
Javier
Hi Javier,
i looked on the Enaire Map of Mallorca and as i understand it, its not forbidden to fly a <250gr Drone in some areas of the Serra de Tramuntana for recreational purposes. Is that correct?
By the way, muchas gracias for your informations.
Best regards
Marco
Hi Marco.
I’m glad the information given in this website is helpful for you, that’s my goal.
As you said in mostly all Sierra de Tramuntana you need to get a drone flight permit for recreational and commercial purposes. The difference is that for recreational purposes will be for free.
Take into consideration that your flight permit could be banned if your flight plan affect some a protected species of bird or that you choose to fly in an area that is in the process of breeding. So check properly the flight area before apllying for a flight permit.
Bests regards,
Javier
Can I obtain a student visa if I register to take a drone pilot license in Spain?
Hola Tatiyana,
As fas as I know both things have nothing to do.
Contact Police in Spain and ask them.
Have a good day,
Javier
Hi,
I am tourist in Spain, can i fly drone in Spain? I am using Enaire Map, is it so that most grey zones on the map are open category? I have a DJI mini pro 4 drone, weighs less than 250 g with camera, do I have to apply for a flight permit in the open category zone?
Hi Fadi,
To fly safely follow these steps
Let me know if something is not clear after following these steps.
I hope it helps.
Javier
Hei Javier,
Thanks a lot for answering. Well, I live in Fuengirola, Spain. I am using the Enaire map. I chose the beach in Fuengirola, it is not busy at all in this season, there is always someone walking there. I got the following information before flying check whether the flight area is located in an urban environment: Recreational area, publicly accessible (residentional areas, buildings, sport, beaches etc.)… If the flight takes place in any of these areas, UAS operators subject to the registration obligation must notify the Ministry of Interior in advance of their flight at least 5 calendar days before the scheduled start date of the operation.
There is no information about how to contact the ministry of interior or who to contact.
Well, the area is a sand beach that is about 50 meters wide. The buildings are at most 100 meters away from the beach, so I guess that I cannot fly the drone there, although it is a small one, less than 250 g, but I have seen people flying drones there and I saw several drone videos shot there, so how can someone shoot a drone movie of buildings that are not 150 meters far from the point of flying the drone?
How do I know if I am subject to the registration obligation, the rules are so intricate and it says the ministry of interior, so it is not the EASA? Is it the police?
And thanks a lot for the website and for all the help and information.
Fadi
Hi Fadi,
All the info you need is on my blog, read carefully the links between articles.
Yes, to fly close beaches and public places, it’s better to ask for permission to Ministry of Interior for not having problems with police.
Answering your questions:
Yes, on my blog is everything you need, you just have to dive in it properly .
Here is the document. Fill it and give it at an official department of the spanish state.
You’ll find the answer here.
I hope it helps,
Javier
Hi. Thank you for an excellent article. Very informative.
I am coming to Majorca, Sa Coma next week and would like to fly my DJI AVATA 2 Drone. I have registered my drone with the Irish IAA and I hold an EASA Open Subcategory 1/2/3. I am just researching drone insurance cover.
Do I need to be aware of anything else before flying.
Thanks.
Hi Padraig,
First of all, thank you for your words, I’m glad my article helped you and for your generosity leaving me a tip on Ko-fi.
Regarding to your answer, if you checked Enaire Map, the tool for drone pilots in Spain in order for us to know where a pilot can fly legally a drone in Spain, it appears a red zone in Sa Coma, it means this is a zone where some sport activities can be carried out. Let me check with some authorities what’s going on these days in this area. As I have your email, ASAP I have the answer I’ll let you know.
Besides, if your intend is to fly in a population center (villages, cities) or ares occupied by people (beach or joy areas) you have to do a communication (not a flight permit, it means you don’t have to wait for an answer) to the Ministry of Interior at least 5 days before your flight.
Regarding to the insurance drone you can check my article where I talk about the best drones insurance in Spain, in money wise terms and coverage. This is the one I have nowadays.
I’ll keep you posted.
Javier
Hi Javier,
I have found the information on your site helpful, I have sent a communication to the Ministry of the Interior via a local Embassy in the UK but its been a couple of weeks and I have not yet heard anything back. Is that normal?
I will be in the Vera Playa/Mojacar area at the end of July so there is still time.
Thank you
Chris
Hi Chris,
Ministry of interior just expect from us (pilots) a simple communication, this means they won’t put in contact with you unless your operation is forbidden, as long as, they received your communication. The communication through embassy is officialy correct but I don’t know how this type of application works this way. I never heard anyone who did it so far, so I recommend you, when you are in Spain, to go to an official estatement and ask if they got your communication. Please let me know if this way worked out.
Javier