Portugal

fredgsy · Apr 28, 2017

Good afternoon. An experienced drone flyer (now); has anyone have experience taking their drone to Portugal. I would have hoped the same standard rules apply as flying in the UK. A bit paranoid taking the drone overseas for the first time though. Will be in Lisbon, Oporto and the Douro valley. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

mildim · Apr 30, 2017

I do not have personal experience but i found this post here

Drone Laws Portugal

Elessar · May 4, 2017

Yes that what mildim wrote is about it. Following regulations is not that complicated, the thing that bugs me is getting the permission to film and photograph. I've sent an mail and filled form but didn't get any answer from AAN.

Yragorn · May 13, 2017

Elessar said:
Yes that what mildim wrote is about it. Following regulations is not that complicated, the thing that bugs me is getting the permission to film and photograph. I've sent an mail and filled form but didn't get any answer from AAN.

Let us know for the filming and photography permission!

Virtualme · Jul 11, 2017

Sorry to drag this up again but did you end up taking your MP to Portugal?

I am away in 2 weeks there and am also a MP travel Virgin so trying to get as much info as possible. We are staying in Lagos and on Google maps there look to be loads of scenic and unpopulated areas to fly. Im just worries about taking it on the plane i.e. what are Portuguese customs / security like and where do i register to record video ?

Any help would be appreciated.

hockey9999 · Jul 11, 2017

I actually just got back from Portugal. We went to Porto, Lisbon and a different town in the south a bit east of Lagos called Lagoa.

I had no issues at all at the airport/customs. I'm from the U.S, though not sure that matters. Had my batteries in separate lipo bags, and Mavic in my backpack. Put them through the X-ray machine in a container just like you would a laptop.

Unfortunately couldn't fly much because of the wind, I was told by locals that it was unusually windy while I was there. Flew a bit at the beach though. Definitely wish I could have flown a bit in Porto and Lisbon..

I did not register to record video..

Micronx · Jul 11, 2017

I'm from Portugal

The site with the rules: Voa na boa

The most important:
Do not fly above 120 meters.
Do not fly at night
Do not fly over groups of people over 12
Do not fly over airports, military facilities, hospitals

NFZ: http://www.voanaboa.pt/Files/PortalReady/v000/Downloads/Regulamento-RPA-ver-3.0.kmz

newnan3 · Jul 11, 2017

Just got back from Portugal. I wish I'd brought all of my batteries as going thru security was a non-issue.

Only flew in fairly secluded and away from people areas. Was quite windy on a few flights but the MP handled it great.

Virtualme · Jul 12, 2017

where did you fly from>to Newman?

All of the rules are almost the same as the UK which i abide by anyway so they aren't the problem, its the filming rule i was most worried about. I am hiring a car to go north into the mountains where i intend to maybe film.

newnan3 · Jul 12, 2017

Virtualme said:
where did you fly from>to Newman?

All of the rules are almost the same as the UK which i abide by anyway so they aren't the problem, its the filming rule i was most worried about. I am hiring a car to go north into the mountains where i intend to maybe film.

I flew from the US to Portugal. On my return trip I went thru Germany, Italy and Turkey. No problem anywhere and I was never once asked about my Mavic or its lipos while going thru security.

Anterialis · Jan 29, 2018

Sorry for bringing this up again, but I see that one question was not answered:

How is your experience with applying to film with the drone? The flying part seems to be easy, but filming requires an application (one person here applied and never got an answer). Is this as easy as sending an email saying you will be filming sporadically in e.g. Lisbon during the week you will stay there? Or do you need to send an application every time you launch the drone (several times a day)? This is not clear to me after reading about the rules in Portugal..

Tbredhed · Jan 29, 2018

I am going to be Portugal Starting March 21 and plan on bringing my MPP, so I am very interested to hear the answer about filming.
I did talk to somebody here from the Portuguese consulate about flying my drone, he said I would have to register it but never mentioned anything about the permission to film.

Anterialis · Jan 29, 2018

I believe you do not have to register it, and you can freely fly as much as you want (standard European rules, e.g. max 400 ft / 120m AGL, no crowds, VLOS etc.). BUT if you want to film / record video, you will have to send an email to a specific address. I would like to hear from ppl who have gone through this process =)

rycardo · May 11, 2018

Hello,
Is there someone that had already requested to AAN the authorisation to take pics and videos and get an answer?

I have a spark, I don't if I need to request this authorization just when I want to make some records, or everytime I fly with mt Mavic (cause camera is built-in).

Tbredhed · May 12, 2018

I travelled to Portugal on March 21 this year and brought my MPP.
I wrote to AAN about the authorisation to film while in Portugal about 2 months before we left and never heard anything back. I ended up filming Castelo de Monsaraz Arena and the cliffs near Lagos. I did talk to a couple of locals that I saw flying drones and they said that as long as you were not flying in a city nobody would care. I did make sure to ask the tourist bureau at the castle about flying, which they did not have an issue with.

Hullie · Jun 9, 2018

I just came back from Lissabon. Just hours before I left to Portugal, I got an answer from AAN. They gave me a list with GPS coordinates where I could fly. Most touristic places in Lissabon in city!! (12 places I got) Height max 30meters and radius from 30m to 250m. Sometimes the police was standing not far away, but they didn’t do anything. I even talked the one and he said it is ok: you need to have the license. I kept away from flying above groups of people.

Great fun and beautiful pictures.

Cliff Ashcroft · Jul 4, 2018

Hullie said:
I just came back from Lissabon. Just hours before I left to Portugal, I got an answer from AAN. They gave me a list with GPS coordinates where I could fly. Most touristic places in Lissabon in city!! (12 places I got) Height max 30meters and radius from 30m to 250m. Sometimes the police was standing not far away, but they didn’t do anything. I even talked the one and he said it is ok: you need to have the license. I kept away from flying above groups of people.

Great fun and beautiful pictures.

Hi Hullie also a new member. I’m in Portugal the next tree weeks and will go the official route to apply via AAN but Incase I do not get a quick response would you be able to send me the list of Lisboa flyable local zones. Many thanks in advance.

Hullie · Jul 4, 2018

@Cliff Ashcroft I've send you a DM

coolben · Jul 19, 2018

Cliff Ashcroft said:
Hi Hullie also a new member. I’m in Portugal the next tree weeks and will go the official route to apply via AAN but Incase I do not get a quick response would you be able to send me the list of Lisboa flyable local zones. Many thanks in advance.

I am also going to Lisbon next month and i asked the national park/forest office, for flying at two spots in sintra but got denied there.
> I would appreciate the locations you advise/that are possible to requests..

Hullie · Jul 19, 2018

coolben said:
I am also going to Lisbon next month and i asked the national park/forest office, for flying at two spots in sintra but got denied there.
> I would appreciate the locations you advise/that are possible to requests..

Sintra is a military zone. It a no fly zone. See DJI’s map. Fly in Lissabon always in line of sight, 30-50m I would say.

Send them an e-mail again, that’s what helped me.