Drones have gone from being interesting recreational objects to important tools for the development of all kinds of activities. From light shows with drones, to aerial filming systems for commercials, movies and series.
Their functionality is such that they have become a growing market increasingly in demand. That is why regulations have been created to regulate the conditions of use of these aerial vehicles, and especially the areas where flying drones is allowed, as well as approved drone courses.
In Spain, the State Agency for Aviation Safety (AESA), ensures compliance with civil aviation standards in all aeronautical activity in Spain, both manned and unmanned aircraft, defining the areas where you can fly a drone.
Regulations governing the use of drones in Spain
As Spain is an EU Member State and belongs to the group of countries under the tutelage of EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency), it must comply with the European Regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945, which establish everything related to the use of drones in the airspace.
This regulation catalogs drones in 3 categories (open, specific and certified), according to the risk of the operation.
- The open category is where most of the operations are included, which are low risk operations.
- The specific category includes those drones that perform medium risk activities.
- The certified category includes drones that perform high-risk tasks and must follow more precise guidelines.
For each of these categories, special norms and rules are established that must be complied with in order to avoid being sanctioned for non-compliance with the law. . That is precisely why it is important to learn which are the zones where drones can be flown and their restrictions.
You can find more information in our article on European drone regulations.
Zones allowed to fly drones in Spain – Guidelines to apply
Drone flight zones are defined according to the basic guidelines that these unmanned aircraft must comply with. For the particular case of Spain, in addition to the European regulations already mentioned above, a national regulation (RD1036/2017) must be followed, which is partially repealed, but for the time being must be partially complied with.
In a general sense, the regulations for flying drones define that all UAS used in Spanish airspace must comply with the following rules, regardless of whether they are used for recreational or professional purposes:
- The pilot must have visual contact with the drone, except for those drones that are included in the specific category with permission to perform BVLOS operations (beyond the visual range of the pilot).
- The flight may not exceed 120 meters in altitude.
- It is not allowed to fly the drone near any airport or airfield except in coordination with the infrastructure manager.
- It is only allowed to fly in Controlled Airspace or Flight Information Zone to professional aircraft, after coordination of an Operational Risk Assessment with the Air Navigation Service
- Provider of the area and a subsequent operation request.
- All drones must have a fireproof identification plate, indicating the manufacturer’s name, model, serial number and operator’s data, in addition to the operator’s registration number.
- Devices that include cameras or microphones must respect people’s right to privacy, so care must be taken not to violate the Data Protection Law in case of disclosing images of people without their authorization.
- The respective flight certificate must be held according to the category in which the operation is located.
Remember that with our professional drone pilot course you will obtain the official certifications necessary to be a competent pilot at a technical level anywhere in Europe and operate in a safe environment.
Where can I fly my drone?
Among novice pilots it is common to have doubts such as: where can I fly my drone? or how do I know where can I fly my drone?
If you have doubts about the places to fly drones allowed in Spain, you can consult the ENAIRE Drones website. This is the entity in charge of managing air navigation in Spain, and they have taken the time to mark the flight zones for drones allowed in the country.
Using ENAIRE’s web service, you will be able to get accurate and updated information about the places near your location that you should avoid, as well as those areas where you can fly a drone, or the places where you will require special permissions.
You will only have to provide certain information requested by the platform, and you will be able to obtain precise and very useful data so that you can know in advance the areas allowed to fly drones, as well as the restrictions of your aerial operation.
Where can a drone weighing less than 250 grams be flown?
Drones weighing less than 250 grams enjoy certain freedoms when it comes to flying, as no drone license is required, nor is prior authorization required as per Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947. However, even for this type of small drone, there are certain requirements when flying:
- The pilot has the responsibility to ensure that the drone is kept at a safe distance from people and to avoid flying over crowds.
- Throughout the flight, the pilot must maintain constant visual contact with the drone (VLOS), except when in “follow me” mode or using an intermediate observer.
- The maximum allowable altitude must not exceed 120 meters at any time.
- In addition, it is forbidden to transport dangerous goods or throw any kind of material from the drone.
Map for flying drones in Spain by ENAIRE
ENAIRE Drones offers you a map that shows you the areas where you can fly your drone and the restrictions they have. It is also an ideal tool for planning your routes, as it allows you to draw guidance patterns and measure distances to be flown.
Thanks to the information shown on this map where you can fly a drone, you can plan your routes safely, without exposing yourself to penalties for violating airspace restrictions in Spain.
So if you want to fly drones in Madrid or anywhere else in Spain, you can use the ENAIRE Drones service where you can fly a drone safely and freely according to the regulations in force.
How much is the fine for flying a drone?
In Spain, penalties for violating the rules on the use of drones can result in fines of varying amounts. These penalties range from €60 to €225,000 for the most serious cases.
It is important to take into account that the infractions may be related to flying in restricted areas, exceeding the permitted height limits, flying over crowds of people or not complying with the requirement to maintain visual contact with the drone, among others. Therefore, we always recommend you to consult the ENAIRE map attached above in this article updated to 2023.
