Can you fly a drone to film or photograph in Spain?

Open-category flights stay below 120 m from the nearest point of the ground, with drones under 25 kg kept within visual line of sight.

Sources: AESA: drone operator registration (Spanish) · AESA: open category operations, A1, A2 and A3 (Spanish)

The EU rules apply to every drone whatever its size, weight or use, so paid and hobby flights follow the same open-category rules.

Sources: AESA: do you have a drone? (Spanish)

Registered operators who plan to fly in urban areas or over gatherings of people must notify the Ministry of the Interior at least 5 calendar days before the flight. In urban areas, open-category drones must not fly over buildings, houses or other homes, including their patios and recreation areas.

Sources: BOE: Royal Decree 517/2024 on drones (Spanish)

Breaking Spain's drone rules can bring fines from EUR 4,500 for minor infringements.

Sources: AESA: how to fly a UAS in Spain

Operator registrations issued after 25 June 2024 expire 3 years after issue and are renewed by updating your registration.

Sources: AESA: drone operator registration (Spanish)

The A1/A3 pilot training and exam are online and free through AESA, which issues a certificate when you pass. AESA's remote pilot courses and exams are only available in Spanish.

Sources: AESA: do you have a drone? (Spanish) · AESA: how to fly a UAS in Spain

Third-party liability insurance is required for A2 flights, A3 flights with drones of 20 kg or more, and specific-category flights. Operators must be at least 16. Remote pilots must generally be 16 in the open category, with lower ages of 12 or 14 for certain drone classes.

Sources: AESA: how to fly a UAS in Spain

Open-category drones with C1, C2 or C3 class marks, and all specific-category drones, must have direct remote ID.

Sources: AESA: do you have a drone? (Spanish) · AESA: how to fly a UAS in Spain

Visitors from outside the EASA countries register as a drone operator in the first EASA country they fly in, and if that is Spain, the same procedures and requirements apply as for Spanish operators.

Therefore, UAS operators from a third country that is not considered an EASA Member State must register as a UAS operator in the first Member State in which the UAS operator intends to conduct operations. … If Spain is the first State in which the UAS operator intends to conduct its operations, this operator must register and the same procedures and requirements will apply to it as to a Spanish operator.

Sources: AESA: how to fly a UAS in Spain

Checked against the official source on October 8, 2026.

Below 250 g, you only register as an operator with AESA if the drone has a sensor that can capture personal data, such as a camera, and isn't a certified toy.

Con una MTOM de 250 g o más, o que, en caso de colisión, pueda transferir a un ser humano una energía cinética superior a 80 julios; … equipada con un sensor capaz de capturar datos personales, salvo que sea conforme con la Directiva 2009/48/CE (“Directiva de juguetes”).

Sources: AESA: drone operator registration (Spanish)

Checked against the official source on October 8, 2026.