So, you bought a cool new drone with high-resolution camera and all the bells and whistles. You’ve been flying it at home at the weekends, terrifying the kids and the dog, and now you’re planning to take it on holiday. What better way to capture those holiday moments than with aerial images of Spain’s amazing landscapes?

Well, hold on a second. You first might want to check the local rules and regulations for flying drones in Spain. Breaking those rules, even unwittingly, can land you with a whole heap of problemos, including hefty fines and the confiscation of your new best friend.

Firstly, there’s the commercial considerations. If you only want to film your holiday, that’s okay. If you’re then going to post them on a commercial blog or sell the images to someone else, you need a commercial licence.

Secondly, let’s talk about where you want to fly your drone. There are plenty of places you’re allowed to record extraordinary holiday memories from the sky… as long as you keep to the approved, unpopulated areas, which means yes you can fly over vineyards, valleys and meadows, and no, you can’t buzz the skies above Las Ramblas or the Alcazar in Granada.

In a nutshell, the following are some of the main rules and regs about flying private drones in Spain. Ignore them at your peril!

• Drones weighing less than 2 kg can be flown by anyone, but if it weighs over that, you need to hold a drone pilot’s licence.
• You must be able to see your drone at all times, and it can’t be flown above a height of 120 metres.
• Don’t fly within 15 km of any controlled airspace, including airports, and areas where paragliders are used.
• Don’t fly over urban areas or where groups are gathered.
• Flying drones in national parks is not allowed.
• Drones can’t be flown at night or in bad weather

For more information go to the AESA (Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aerea) website

Drone holiday in Spain?

We recently organised a drone flying holiday in Tenerife, an island with huge expanses of dramatic (and unpopulated) coastal, mountainous and volcanic landscapes perfect for drone pilots. If you’d like information about forthcoming drone flying holidays in Spain, or would like to combine your aerial hobby with a hiking holiday, drop us a line at hola@rediscoverspain.com.

Take care, and safe flying!