Flying in Spain

[Deco]

Hi,

I’m due to fly in Spain in 4 weeks. I’ll be flying a C1 certified Mavic 3. EU rules state I can fly close (up to 5M in slow mode) to uninvolved people and in a built up area. Spanish laws are slightly different - can anyone link me definitive regs? I’m going to a wedding and have been asked to film the church, which is in a town; can I do that (if early in the morning and no one around)? I’ve read it’s ok, but max height is 20m.

Any guidance greatly appreciated.

D

 

[Jack0202]

Hoi,

Ik vlieg over 4 weken naar Spanje. Ik vlieg met een C1-gecertificeerde Mavic 3. Volgens de EU-regels mag ik dichtbij (tot 5M in langzame modus) vliegen naar niet-betrokken mensen en in een bebouwde kom. Spaanse wetten zijn iets anders - kan iemand mij definitieve regs linken? Ik ga naar een bruiloft en ben gevraagd om de kerk te filmen, die in een stad staat; kan ik dat doen (als het vroeg in de ochtend is en er niemand in de buurt is)? Ik heb gelezen dat het goed is, maar de maximale hoogte is 20 meter.

Elke begeleiding wordt zeer op prijs gesteld.

D

Hola Deco, ik woon in Spanje en ben lid van "Spanje Vandaag" zij publiceren artikelen over van alles en nog wat voor oa Nederlanders en laatst ook een artikel met betrekking op jouw vraag. Bij deze dus de link, ik hoop dat je er wat aan hebt Fijne tijd daar en met vriendelijke groet, Jack .

Dit zijn de regels om met een drone te vliegen in Spanje

Er zijn steeds meer mensen die een drone hebben en mooie foto’s en video’s willen maken vanuit de lucht, maar in Spanje moet je rekening houden met een aant ...

www.spanjevandaag.com

 

[OldGuy]

Hi,

I’m due to fly in Spain in 4 weeks. I’ll be flying a C1 certified Mavic 3. EU rules state I can fly close (up to 5M in slow mode) to uninvolved people and in a built up area. Spanish laws are slightly different - can anyone link me definitive regs? I’m going to a wedding and have been asked to film the church, which is in a town; can I do that (if early in the morning and no one around)? I’ve read it’s ok, but max height is 20m.

Any guidance greatly appreciated.

D

Follow the information/advice on this link.

Registro de operador de drones/UAS | AESA-Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea - Ministerio de Fomento

IMPORTANTE: Información relativa a la fecha de caducidad del certificado de registro de operador de UAS

www.seguridadaerea.gob.es

 

[OldGuy]

Follow the information/advice on this link.

Registro de operador de drones/UAS | AESA-Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea - Ministerio de Fomento

IMPORTANTE: Información relativa a la fecha de caducidad del certificado de registro de operador de UAS

www.seguridadaerea.gob.es

You should be able to translate the information into English. Also you should know that your drone and remote must carry identification plates. If you need more info on this let me know.

 

[Deco]

Thanks Jack0202 and OldGuy.

I’ve read most of that content and info from other sites, but it’s still not clear. My questions are as follows - if I have a c1 cert, an operator ID from an EU member state, appropriate training evidence, the drone/controller has the relevant info attached and I have liability insurance, can I:

1. Fly in an urban are (town) as long as I avoid overflight of people.
2. If the answer to the above is yes, what are the limitations (height, distance from people)
3. Can I fly at night? I’ve read yes, if drone is below 2kg, but height is restricted to 20m - is that correct?)

I appreciate I need to respect privacy laws / GDPR.

Rgds.

 

[OldGuy]

Thanks Jack0202 and OldGuy.

I’ve read most of that content and info from other sites, but it’s still not clear. My questions are as follows - if I have a c1 cert, an operator ID from an EU member state, appropriate training evidence, the drone/controller has the relevant info attached and I have liability insurance, can I:

1. Fly in an urban are (town) as long as I avoid overflight of people.
2. If the answer to the above is yes, what are the limitations (height, distance from people)
3. Can I fly at night? I’ve read yes, if drone is below 2kg, but height is restricted to 20m - is that correct?)

I appreciate I need to respect privacy laws / GDPR.

Rgds.

You should find the answer to your questions here Todo lo que deberías saber antes de volar tu dron.

I usually fly in the countryside away from towns etc. I have flown from the beach several times and around the odd castle but usually early in the morning. The only contact I have had with the police is when they wanted to see the ID plates on the drone and remote. Apart from that they were very friendly.

 

[Deco]

That’s good to know. I haven’t got my ID plates as yet. Did you make your own or order online?

I’ll have all of the paperwork with me, which I think may address any issues. As ever, it pays to be sensible and respectful of the surroundings.

 

[OldGuy]

That’s good to know. I haven’t got my ID plates as yet. Did you make your own or order online?

I’ll have all of the paperwork with me, which I think may address any issues. As ever, it pays to be sensible and respectful of the surroundings.

I get my plates online form Amazon.es https://www.amazon.es/SERVIVANT-For...-72-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1
They make them according to the type of drone you have and they are self adhesive and very small etc.

 

[Deco]

Thanks for the link - much appreciated

 

[DARKSeifer]

Easy, zoom in this map, if it's white you can fly in A1 with any <500g drone, or any C0 or C1 drone close to people but not over agglomerations of buildings or crowds of people.

If it's red, you can't fly (legally as a hobbyist/freelancer). Every major airport/city in Spain has Aeroscope and dedicated anti drone patrols. Also beware of karens, there's plenty of them here.

Tags are mandatory, but flying without them is only a 60€ fine, it's much worse if the drone falls where it shouldn't with all your personal data glued to it. You need a cheap insurance for the drone (Coverdrone is enough and it's around 18€), be a registered drone operator and get the A1/A3 for anything that weights more than 250g, but I'm not familiar on how to get it if you are a foreigner.

Even when flying on the white areas, I'd recommend to take off from remota areas, fly a battery and change location; or ideally, take off from a fenced private property, that's the way to ensure no one will bother you.

ENAIRE Drones

drones.enaire.es

 

[DARKSeifer]

1. Fly in an urban are (town) as long as I avoid overflight of people.
2. If the answer to the above is yes, what are the limitations (height, distance from people)
3. Can I fly at night? I’ve read yes, if drone is below 2kg, but height is restricted to 20m - is that correct?)

I appreciate I need to respect privacy laws / GDPR.

Rgds.

In Spain the current drone rules are a mixture of the european and the previous spanish rules, they havent still released the final rulement.

You can't fly over agglomerations of buildings but you can fly over scattered buildings/houses/farms/small houses. There's an exception from the 1036/2017 RD where you can fly right in the middle of urban areas that appear white on the Enaire map with a <250g drone, VLOS and up to 20 meters (drone to ground distance).

If there are no buildings around, you can fly normally in A1 with any C0, C1 or <500g drone. You can fly over uninvolved people in A1, but you should minimize it or try to avoid it.

There's not a specific distance with buildings in A1, leave 5-25m and you'll be good if the drone is C1, C0 or <500g. If the drone is heavier but can be flown under A2, the distance with buildings/people is >50m and if you are flying under A3, the distance is >150m

You can fly at night with the exact same rules as daylight, the only difference is that the drone needs to have at least a green flashing LED.

PS: Post a screenshot from the Enaire map of the area you want to fly, and I'll tell you more specifically what you can and cannot do on that specific area, legally speaking ofc.

 

[Deco]

In Spain the current drone rules are a mixture of the european and the previous spanish rules, they havent still released the final rulement.

You can't fly over agglomerations of buildings but you can fly over scattered buildings/houses/farms/small houses. There's an exception from the 1036/2017 RD where you can fly right in the middle of urban areas that appear white on the Enaire map with a <250g drone, VLOS and up to 20 meters (drone to ground distance).

If there are no buildings around, you can fly normally in A1 with any C0, C1 or <500g drone. You can fly over uninvolved people in A1, but you should minimize it or try to avoid it.

There's not a specific distance with buildings in A1, leave 5-25m and you'll be good if the drone is C1, C0 or <500g. If the drone is heavier but can be flown under A2, the distance with buildings/people is >50m and if you are flying under A3, the distance is >150m

You can fly at night with the exact same rules as daylight, the only difference is that the drone needs to have at least a green flashing LED.

PS: Post a screenshot from the Enaire map of the area you want to fly, and I'll tell you more specifically what you can and cannot do on that specific area, legally speaking ofc.

Many thanks indeed DarkSeifer - some great advice and knowledge.

Coverdrone insurance purchased
I am a registered Operator ID in Ireland and have a A1/A3 training cert from Luxembourg. I also have a UK GVC and A2 CofC. Just need to get my tags sorted.

Attached is my flying location. Nerja. I was hoping to get an early morning shot of a Church in the town - hopefully no Karens will be up at 7 am. Based on your info I’ll not be able to do that as the M3 is 899 grams - is the rule for flying in towns only applicable to drones < 250 grams? The rest of my shots should be out of town or at a hotel where we are attending a wedding - a local photographer has advised that taking drone shots there should not be an issue, but I’ll confirm with the hotel.

I am waiting on the C1 cert for my Mavic 3 - hopefully it’ll arrive in the next few days.

 

[Deco]

 

[DARKSeifer]

View attachment 166383

It's on the white area so you won't have any problem there except maybe a karen or some local cops asking, but it's legal.

On the building agglomeration you can fly with a <250g drone like the Mini series VLOS up to 20 meters based on the 1037/2017 RD, and if you are filming away of the dense edification area, you can fly normally in A1 with a C0, C1, or a <500g.

 

[Deco]

It's on the white area so you won't have any problem there except maybe a karen or some local cops asking, but it's legal.

On the building agglomeration you can fly with a <250g drone like the Mini series VLOS up to 20 meters based on the 1037/2017 RD, and if you are filming away of the dense edification area, you can fly normally in A1 with a C0, C1, or a <500g.

Thanks for confirming. Looks like no flying of my Mavic 3 in towns (agglomeration of buildings) .

All great advice - thanks again.