Italy and Greece drone regulation

Maxonio · Jun 8, 2017

Hexagon said:
Thx to @Nasko who finally got the form you are now able to save time by getting the form directly from here. SO, if you plan to visit Greece for vacations and you want to go by the book (totally up to you) here it is:

OFFICIAL REPLY, DETAILS AND FORM

Dear Sir,
Thank you for contacting Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA).
Since January 1st 2017 a new regulation concerning Drone operation in Greece is in place (Official Government Gazette ΦΕΚ Β’ 3152/30.9.2016, attached in EN Version).
All Drones with flight capability >50m must be register. Registration in HCAA’s Data Base requires Greek Tax Registry identification.
For citizens of EU countries national state registration is accepted. For non EU countries citizens CAA’s approval & registration policy will be considered. (I think they mean 'will be used instead')
In order to operate a Drone in Greece there is a general rule permitting drone operation in a distance as shown in the picture below. Flights are prohibited beyond sunset and above persons and infrastructure (at least 50m distance) and all safety measure must be undertaken. All national and EU Data Privacy legislation must be observed.

Drone flights are permitted in areas (Free Flying Zones) where no restrictions applies (Civil Aviation, Military, Security, Archaeological, etc). This information can be retrieved using a new on-line application that can be found in our website: http://dagr.hcaa.gr.

All other fights (> 50m in free flying zones) must be approved by HCAA. An application form can be filled and send via email. The application form is attached.
In the form you have to include drone Registration No and if this is N/A you have to submit full drone details (S/N, Model, characteristics, etc.). Flying area in WGS84 coordinates must be stated.
All personal details must be included (Name, ID, Address, etc) and a valid Mobile Number in order HCAA or local authorities (Local ATC units, Police, etc) may contact you.
We inform you that you have the obligation to inform the local authorities (Police and Municipality Authorities) for your flights.
As far as your flight plan, in Free Flying Zones, you can send it, via email, maximum 3 days prior to your flight and you will receive HCAA’s response.
We hope that the above mentioned information will be helpful to you and we remain at your disposal for any additional questions.

View attachment 13927 View attachment 13928

@Hexagon thanks a lot for all your help with figuring this out for all of us.

I will be traveling to Crete in July and also planning to visit Santorini. In the registration form there is a requirement for registration number. We don't have such thing in Canada. Any suggestion on what should i do in this case? Is it a must to have one in order to be able to fly in Greece?

Thank you,

WeSoFly · Jun 9, 2017

Nasko said:
ok guys...so i've been here in Santorini already for 4 days...the only one place that i saw the sign "NO DRONES" was at Oia...
so far haven't seen any police or security person in the whole island ...
I did fly my Mavic from my hotel ( at Imerovigli ) twice...i did once from the highest point of the island for the Sunset...and also i just did it for another Sunset from the top of the Volcano (Skaros Rock). Also i did it from the Catamaran once we stop for a swimming and diving( did the famous Catamaran sailing tour for the island)
I think all of you will be fine as longest fly smart and not over peoples heads or private balconies.

The other passengers and boat crew did not mind? I am going on the catamaran today.

Nasko · Jun 9, 2017

WeSoFly said:
The other passengers and boat crew did not mind? I am going on the catamaran today.

not at all...they were so curious and happy so you'll be fine...just enjoy and that's it...i was scary to do the "Follow me" mode even if i wanted so bad ...so i did fly only when we stoped for swimming and lunch.

Hexagon · Jun 9, 2017

Maxonio said:
@Hexagon thanks a lot for all your help with figuring this out for all of us.

I will be traveling to Crete in July and also planning to visit Santorini. In the registration form there is a requirement for registration number. We don't have such thing in Canada. Any suggestion on what should i do in this case? Is it a must to have one in order to be able to fly in Greece?

Thank you,

Do you have any kind of registration number? By the book they ask for a reg no. at the registration request in Greece, off the record I think that even if you dont register you will be fine. However, if you have some sort of registration you can use it somehow. I can call them on Monday and ask them. As long as I remember they require foreign reg. no. details.

I would simply fly safe and away from crowd... If someone approaches you toggle sport mode and get the bird near you. 50 meters distance does not require any registration at all as long as you dont fly within a NFZ

Maxonio · Jun 9, 2017

Hexagon said:
Do you have any kind of registration number? By the book they ask for a reg no. at the registration request in Greece, off the record I think that even if you dont register you will be fine. However, if you have some sort of registration you can use it somehow. I can call them on Monday and ask them. As long as I remember they require foreign reg. no. details.

Unfortunately not. If you fly your drone fro recreational purpose here, you are not required to have a permit or registration. Only if you use your drone commercially. I guess I will just put "No applicable in my country" in the Registration Number line.

Hexagon · Jun 9, 2017

I see no problem, remember, 50m and outside nfz you are typically OK. Off the record and away from crowd you are SUPER OK... hope you have a great time in Greece... welcome!

WeSoFly · Jun 9, 2017

Update from Santorini: Took the Caldera Yachting tour, it was great, almost exactly the same as Santorini Sailing, saw many of the same boats along the way. We took the Sunset cruise.

Captain was very happy to grant permission to fly the drone right off the boat during the two swim sessions. It was incredible and easier than I thought to bring the drone back. I turned off landing assist as I read it can be a problem over water. Then I did a hand catch.

Due to wind I think the flight time was a little short but it was long enough. On the second,longer flight I experimented a bit with follow me mode and we walked around the boat and the drone followed no problem. However when it got around 29% or so I got low power warning and it stopped responding to the controls about 3 meters from the boat. It was just hovering (I put it back in normal
Mode first of course). I put it in sport mode and then it was responding again and I could bring it in. If anyone understands what was happening please share your insights.

I am new to drones but experienced in photography. My advice for those wanting great footage is higher shutter speed low ISO and open aperture to get good shots. I found that with open aperture the boat was a little over exposed but you got a gorgeous blue clear water you could see though to the stones underneath.

For a flight around the boat I couldn't figure out how to use the object of interest mode so I had to do that manually.

Loads of fun thanks @Nasko and @Hexagon.

I forgot memory card reader but I will share footage once I get one or get back home.

mildim · Jun 12, 2017

Thanks for all the reports !

kmd1984 · Jun 12, 2017

Hexagon, great work!

I am confused though... what and where do I register my drone/flight I went to this website:

Drone Aware - GR

hit ''Enter Application''
went to ''select baemap and layers''
then go to the bottom left and pick the drawing tool to draw an area where I plan on flying
then hit flight manager

... but I am not able to enter information in the application?!?!?! The application imported automatically the coordinates, but that is it.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong???

I tried using a different area, thinking that if I am in a restricted area, which according to the map I am not, it might not even let me apply for a flight!? However, same here. I am not able to fill the form?

thanks,

Kmd

Hexagon · Jun 12, 2017

kmd1984 said:
Hexagon, great work!

I am confused though... what and where do I register my drone/flight I went to this website:

Drone Aware - GR

hit ''Enter Application''
went to ''select baemap and layers''
then go to the bottom left and pick the drawing tool to draw an area where I plan on flying
then hit flight manager

... but I am not able to enter information in the application?!?!?! The application imported automatically the coordinates, but that is it.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong???

I tried using a different area, thinking that if I am in a restricted area, which according to the map I am not, it might not even let me apply for a flight!? However, same here. I am not able to fill the form?

thanks,

Kmd

are you a Greek citizen? If no there is no way you can register online. If yes then you can login via the left upper corner icon, the user icon. In order to login you need to register yourself via: Υ.Π.Α. - ΣμηΕΑ - Είσοδος

You register yourself and your drone. The second needs a little time since it is manually confirmed via an admin. Navigate yourself to all upper menu options in order to find registration steps. Not all very clear. Once bird and pilot registration is done, you may go back to the Drone Aware application and login via the user icon.

hope the best!

kmd1984 · Jun 12, 2017

Hexagon said:
are you a Greek citizen? If no there is no way you can register online. If yes then you can login via the left upper corner icon, the user icon. In order to login you need to register yourself via: Υ.Π.Α. - ΣμηΕΑ - Είσοδος

You register yourself and your drone. The second needs a little time since it is manually confirmed via an admin. Navigate yourself to all upper menu options in order to find registration steps. Not all very clear. Once bird and pilot registration is done, you may go back to the Drone Aware application and login via the user icon.

hope the best!

Let me think... I have a Greek Passport and I am still registered in the Village my parents are from, but I do not live in Greece. I guess that makes me a Greek citizen.

I always confuse Resident with Citizen, ha ha.

Anyhow, I will check the link you game me and see what happens.

Thanks,

Kmd

kmd1984 · Jun 12, 2017

EDIT:

I went here:

Υ.Π.Α. - ΣμηΕΑ - Είσοδος

then clicked on the big green bar and got here:

oauth2server

but there is no way to register. It only allows you to enter username and code, which I do not have???

I then went here:

Drone Aware - GR

and clicked the user symbol in the upper left corner.

It says that if I do not have my credentials yet, I should click here. I clicked and I end up here again:

Υ.Π.Α. - ΣμηΕΑ - Είσοδος

It also says that if I do not have a tax registration number, you should click here, and this page opens up:

https://dagr.hcaa.gr/docs/HCAA_UAS_FLT_request_editable.pdf

It is a pdf. Anyhow, the main question is, why can I not register, and/or, do I even have a tax registration number?

thanks,

Kmd

Hexagon · Jun 13, 2017

kmd1984 said:
EDIT:

I went here:

Υ.Π.Α. - ΣμηΕΑ - Είσοδος

then clicked on the big green bar and got here:

oauth2server

but there is no way to register. It only allows you to enter username and code, which I do not have???

I then went here:

Drone Aware - GR

and clicked the user symbol in the upper left corner.

It says that if I do not have my credentials yet, I should click here. I clicked and I end up here again:

Υ.Π.Α. - ΣμηΕΑ - Είσοδος

It also says that if I do not have a tax registration number, you should click here, and this page opens up:

https://dagr.hcaa.gr/docs/HCAA_UAS_FLT_request_editable.pdf

It is a pdf. Anyhow, the main question is, why can I not register, and/or, do I even have a tax registration number?

thanks,

Kmd

Unfortunately if you dont have a valid Greek 'taxisnet' tax registration number there is no way to register

kmd1984 · Jun 13, 2017

Hexagon said:
Unfortunately if you dont have a valid Greek 'taxisnet' tax registration number there is no way to register

My cousin told me today that I do not have one of those tax numbers. In that case, I should be OK to fly. At least that is my take on it, ha ha. Sure, I am staying away from crowds, airports, military and what not...

thanks for all the help!

Kmd

p.s. what is even worse than the new drone laws are the new laws on shooting ''things''. It used to be no big deal to take of magpies and what not, but these day, you can get in a lot trouble shooting birds and stuff like that.

EvelynitsuJ · Jun 15, 2017

Nasko said:
ok guys...so i've been here in Santorini already for 4 days...the only one place that i saw the sign "NO DRONES" was at Oia...
so far haven't seen any police or security person in the whole island ...
I did fly my Mavic from my hotel ( at Imerovigli ) twice...i did once from the highest point of the island for the Sunset...and also i just did it for another Sunset from the top of the Volcano (Skaros Rock). Also i did it from the Catamaran once we stop for a swimming and diving( did the famous Catamaran sailing tour for the island)
I think all of you will be fine as longest fly smart and not over peoples heads or private balconies.

Hi Nasko,
I'm a new Mavic flyer from Singapore. I'll be traveling to Greece end July and heading to Santorini in 1st August. Read that we can't fly the Mavic in Oia

I'll be staying there for 3 days.

Did they eventually get back to you on the form you filled ?

Nasko · Jun 16, 2017

EvelynitsuJ said:
Hi Nasko,
I'm a new Mavic flyer from Singapore. I'll be traveling to Greece end July and heading to Santorini in 1st August. Read that we can't fly the Mavic in Oia I'll be staying there for 3 days.

Did they eventually get back to you on the form you filled ?

Unfortunately they didn't get back to me...so i just did everything on my own without any permissions...i did not fly in Oia because i was there just for a couple of hours the first night for the sunset ...but i think if you take of from some side place avoiding ppl,you'll be fine.

oikonomoupetros · Jun 20, 2017

I will not register....no way.
It seems that every point of interest is a no fly zone....for instance Chalkidiki, Sithonia.

I ll keep on flying anywhere i want...BUT as far away from people...crowds and private areas.

I also am interested to see who they can handle this gimmick.
Once you call the police in remote areas they take about 2 hours to get there.....and i really doubt if they give a dam abour drones.