Rules and regs in Spain

[Yaros]

Hello, I'm a drone pilot from Mallorca and fly regularly in Spain. Drones Enaire is a very restrictive map, some areas are red where indeed you can fly, for example in some places around Barcelona. I personally rely on Airmap, with the "Recommended Guidelines for Spain" turned on! Also, I check DJI Flysafe because military bases aren't shown on Airmap.
And yes, you will need an A1 EU license even if your drone is less than 250 grams because the mini 2 has a camera, which is considered not a toy.
I hate AESA regulations, especially that you can't fly legally over cities, EASA is also very restrictive compared to FAA, also the C marking and stuff like that is extremely annoying and unnecessary.

 

[aleph72]

Hello, I'm a drone pilot from Mallorca and fly regularly in Spain. Drones Enaire is a very restrictive map, some areas are red where indeed you can fly, for example in some places around Barcelona. I personally rely on Airmap, with the "Recommended Guidelines for Spain" turned on! Also, I check DJI Flysafe because military bases aren't shown on Airmap.
And yes, you will need an A1 EU license even if your drone is less than 250 grams because the mini 2 has a camera, which is considered not a toy.
I hate AESA regulations, especially that you can't fly legally over cities, EASA is also very restrictive compared to FAA, also the C marking and stuff like that is extremely annoying and unnecessary.

ENAIRE is the official map for flying in Spain. If a zone is red there, you simply can't fly without asking permission, and only in the Specific Category.
Be careful with that because the fees are very high.

 

[Yaros]

ENAIRE is the official map for flying in Spain. If a zone is red there, you simply can't fly without asking permission, and only in the Specific Category.
Be careful with that because the fees are very high.

So you want to say that Airmap isn't accurate?
I don't understand why Enaire is so restrictive!
What about class D Airspace? Maybe I can learn something too from this!

 

[aleph72]

So you want to say that Airmap isn't accurate?
I don't understand why Enaire is so restrictive!
What about class D Airspace? Maybe I can learn something too from this!

If you see "clear" spots in Airmap and not in ENAIRE, then Airmap is not accurate at least for Spain.
Barcelona has a big airport and lots of heliports. You can't fly at less than 8Km from an airport and 3Km from an heliport, let alone the prohibition of flying IN the city in Spain.
Class D airspace (I believe) will be setup when the new regulations go live.
I don't like it either, and I think that the European regulations (beside the geographical zones and few other things) should be the same for each Member State (and I'm sure that was the intention), but then Spain, as always, changed a lot of things, like the flying in the cities one.
If the new regulations go live as they are now, then we will not be able to fly over ANY private o public building in subcategory A1 and over any "permanent construction" in A2.

 

[Yaros]

If you see "clear" spots in Airmap and not in ENAIRE, then Airmap is not accurate at least for Spain.
Barcelona has a big airport and lots of heliports. You can't fly at less than 8Km from an airport and 3Km from an heliport, let alone the prohibition of flying IN the city in Spain.
Class D airspace (I believe) will be setup when the new regulations go live.
I don't like it either, and I think that the European regulations (beside the geographical zones and few other things) should be the same for each Member State (and I'm sure that was the intention), but then Spain, as always, changed a lot of things, like the flying in the cities one.
If the new regulations go live as they are now, then we will not be able to fly over ANY private o public building in subcategory A1 and over any "permanent construction" in A2.

That really sucks! I don't think they will prohibit flying over private and public property still, that seems kinda too restrictive for EASA, but not for AESA apparently!

Can you please check and possibly answer on my thread: I can't fly legally over a city in Spain? Am I misunderstanding something?

That would be helpful!

 

[aleph72]

That really sucks! I don't think they will prohibit flying over private and public property still, that seems kinda too restrictive for EASA, but not for AESA apparently!

Can you please check and possibly answer on my thread: I can't fly legally over a city in Spain? Am I misunderstanding something?

That would be helpful!

That is a personal war I'm taking with AESA.
I strongly believe that the EASA rules have to be the same for each Member State, so I've written emails to both EASA and AESA but neither of them have yet answered my questions.
I'll keep writing until they'll get me in the spam list or answer my questions.
I'll let you know if I have any update.

 

[Yaros]

That is a personal war I'm taking with AESA.
I strongly believe that the EASA rules have to be the same for each Member State, so I've written emails to both EASA and AESA but neither of them have yet answered my questions.
I'll keep writing until they'll get me in the spam list or answer my questions.
I'll let you know if I have any update.

Thank you! I will be waiting for your answer!
I also think that it should be the same in all of the countries of the EU and AESA shouldn't put any restrictions in place!

 

[aleph72]

Thank you! I will be waiting for your answer!
I also think that it should be the same in all of the countries of the EU and AESA shouldn't put any restrictions in place!

This is a FAQ found on EASA web site showing what Member States can actually change.
They say "Use of geographical zones" and with that I understand that each MS can choose where you can fly or not, obviously.
But that means (for me at least) that the geo zone HAS to be published on the ENAIRE web site. That should't allow the MS to change the basic regulations saying how to fly in the subcategories A1/A3 and A2, in the open category, and EASA CLEARLY states that you can fly in urban areas in A1 and A2 subcategories (always if the geographical zone does not have any other restriction).

 

[Yaros]

I totally agree with you! This rule that you can't fly in urban areas it total crap, I agree to not fly over people, but what can I hurt flying just over buildings. I guess AESA will never have normal, acceptable rules like FAA does... long way to get there still!

 

[Yaros]

If you see "clear" spots in Airmap and not in ENAIRE, then Airmap is not accurate at least for Spain.
Barcelona has a big airport and lots of heliports. You can't fly at less than 8Km from an airport and 3Km from an heliport, let alone the prohibition of flying IN the city in Spain.
Class D airspace (I believe) will be setup when the new regulations go live.
I don't like it either, and I think that the European regulations (beside the geographical zones and few other things) should be the same for each Member State (and I'm sure that was the intention), but then Spain, as always, changed a lot of things, like the flying in the cities one.
If the new regulations go live as they are now, then we will not be able to fly over ANY private o public building in subcategory A1 and over any "permanent construction" in A2.

What about Valencia? In Enaire the whole city is covered in red! Is there any possibility to fly there?
I see a lot of videos on youtube in Valencia but how, are the pilots flying illegally in the videos?

 

[NEILMAC]

I went to a nice ruined castle today that apparently has no restrictions other than the usual VLOS.

I checked on Enaire, the DJI fly app and the weather app I use UAV Forecast - all these showed good to fly (the weather was a bit gusty so I didn't)

However at the entrance to the site there was a sign basically saying no drones, along the lines of bird protection area although Enaire at least should cover that.



So would that sign be legal and enforceable? In other bird protection areas its usually ok (after asking the relevant government authorities) outside their nesting season in Spring.

I wondered whether this particular sign has some commercial interest behind it as the website for the castle has its own drone footage as part of its content? The website

Anyway the main question is are these sort of signs legal?

 

[Yaros]

Anyway the main question is are these sort of signs legal?

Interesting. Yesterday I went to a beach to fly my drone, there was a no-drone sign there but I flew anyway, because I assumed that it only affects in the summer. Had no problems! Maybe you can ask some local authorities there about flying in that spot!

 

[NEILMAC]

Interesting. Yesterday I went to a beach to fly my drone, there was a no-drone sign there but I flew anyway, because I assumed that it only affects in the summer. Had no problems! Maybe you can ask some local authorities there about flying in that spot!

Thanks. Yes I'll ask in advance if I go back there. But it kind of defeats the efforts of researching beforehand Especially if the signs are not actually legal....

 

[EsaT]

In any case, the Spanish and European regulations will change on January 1 2021, and some things such as the use of identification plates on the drone and the remote controller will no longer be necessary. Below is the AESA link with info about the new regulations (it's in Spanish).

Correct , on januari 1st all EU member states will have to adopt at the new EU regulations and no identification plates will be necessary , but all drones above 250gr. wil have to send out an electronic ID/Geo awareness ...

Wrong.
European EASA rules precisely mandate having European wide/EASA drone operator registration ID attached to drone!

https://www.easa.europa.eu/the-agency/faqs/drones-uas#category-registration-requirements

Only sub 250 gram drones without cameras are exempt from operator registration.
And hence unlikely to need operator ID.
For all others operator ID is required no matter if it's legacy drone, or has CE class rating. (if/when ever those come out)

 

[aleph72]

What about Valencia? In Enaire the whole city is covered in red! Is there any possibility to fly there?
I see a lot of videos on youtube in Valencia but how, are the pilots flying illegally in the videos?

They either fly illegally or they ask for permissions.
This problem will be partially solved when the new RD will be approved because there will be the possibility to fly inside the 8Km range from an airport but up to 60 or 80 meters of altitude (don't remember exactly).
The real problem, however, is that right now it's not allowed to fly in urban areas with drones weighting more than 250g and the new RD (if approved as it is now in the draft), will prohibit the fly over any private or public building in A1/A2 subcategories and over any "permanent construction" in the A3 subcategory.

 

[aleph72]

I went to a nice ruined castle today that apparently has no restrictions other than the usual VLOS.

I checked on Enaire, the DJI fly app and the weather app I use UAV Forecast - all these showed good to fly (the weather was a bit gusty so I didn't)

However at the entrance to the site there was a sign basically saying no drones, along the lines of bird protection area although Enaire at least should cover that.

View attachment 140708

So would that sign be legal and enforceable? In other bird protection areas its usually ok (after asking the relevant government authorities) outside their nesting season in Spring.

I wondered whether this particular sign has some commercial interest behind it as the website for the castle has its own drone footage as part of its content? The website

Anyway the main question is are these sort of signs legal?

If the Enaire page shows no restrictions (such as a Zepa zone) than that sign is illegal.
I'm on a personal fight with a small town near the place I live because I want to fly over some ruins, but they say those are declared "historic site" so I'll have to ask for permission. Well, AESA said that the airspace is of its competence and the only thing they can do is prohibit to take off or land.

 

[mikiz]

Hi guys,
I am planning a trip to Andalusia in 2 weeks' time and I was wondering can I use my Mavic Pro 2 without any licenses and training. Any resource I can follow (in English) with the restricted areas would be highly appreciated.
Thanks a million.

 

[aleph72]

Hi guys,
I am planning a trip to Andalusia in 2 weeks' time and I was wondering can I use my Mavic Pro 2 without any licenses and training. Any resource I can follow (in English) with the restricted areas would be highly appreciated.
Thanks a million.

Here you'll find the Spanish rules in English: How to fly a UAS in Spain | AESA-Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea - Ministerio de Fomento
I don't think you're allowed to fly without license and without being a registered drones operator.
In this page: drones.enaire.es you'll see the restrictions for each geographical zone.

 

[wco81]

Yeah the Spanish drone map seems pretty restrictive compared to neighboring EU countries.

 

[Harryscopic]

Safety first! They want to be first in class so they're quick to add restrictions "just in case", and then they don't remove them when it turns out they were really unnecessary. But going by the rules, after you get your qualifications you have to get your permissions at every overlapping patch on the map.

So if a beautiful site isn't on the Enaire map but the owner puts up a "no drones" sign, it's up to you: respect his wishes, make some kind of deal, or start an arduous legal argument involving the police or other authorities. You could win in the end, but was it worth it? That's what the owner is betting on.