120m max height
30m from crowds
3 miles of any airport
Only line of sight
Ireland does not have a distinct drone license. What is the legal position of drone users in Ireland? Drones are mainly used for a variety of industries spanning from rescue operations to aerial surveying. The adoption of drones has gained a lot of popularity across the country.
The drone industry is slowly evolving and the laws are playing catch up in Ireland. The Ireland Aviation Authority clearly regards these unmanned aerial vehicles as aircraft.
Any drone flying over land or property raises privacy concerns. It also depends on where you plan to fly the drone. In national heritage areas such as monuments, you are not permitted to fly a drone. You can find out more information from them here
Who do I contact?
You can get in touch with the Irish Aviation Authority through:
Email: fod@iaa.ie
Tel: +3531671 8655
The legal framework governing the use of drones in Ireland order is less complicated than its European competitors. Any drones weighing over a kilogram need to be registered with the IAA. Drones weighing less than a kilogram is free to fly.
For more information on drones, check with the IAA.
The IAA is guided by the drone age specified by drone manufacturers. However, you must be over 16 years old to register a drone. For those under 16, a guardian or parent can do the registration on their behalf.
Drones are generally classified as unmanned aerial vehicles.
Drone registration is mandatory for all unmanned aircraft that fall under the Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets Order passed in 2015.
If you own a drone less than 25 Kg, you must seek authorization for flying the drone.
The laws in Ireland are quite lax given a 2017 publication of only one prosecution since the introduction of the new laws back in 2015. The IAA considers the judiciary to be the sole issuer of penalties after prosecution and examination of the argument of the prosecution.
Yes, however, you must abide by the laws stated in the Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets Order.
According to the 2015 order a drone should not be operated under the following conditions:
If anyone flies the drone outside the prescribed regulations, they get a special Operating Permission (SOP) from the IAA. This is conducted by IAA registered training facilities.
To get the special operating permit, the pilot must have attended a drone safety training course and presented an operational manual that meets the IAA standards.
The Special Operating Permission also requires a pilot competency certificate.
Privacy is treated with utmost importance in Ireland. The drone operator must get permission from the persons whose private data will be captured before.
My following two recommendations are 2 great compact drones that are quite silent and also small enough to travel with and not stand out as annoying.
4k
31 min
10 km
No follow-me
DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is legal to fly in most countries without registration.
It comes at a very cheap price for its incredible specs.I have covered it much more in-depth in my article review and even compared it with the Mavic Air 2.
4k 60p
34 min
10 km
Follow me
If you want more control over things like shutter speed, iso, and such, the best professional drone that still falls under the 500g category is the DJI Mavic Air.
It's made mostly for people who want to play around with settings and enter into the pro category.
DJI lowered its price since it was first released.
The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, while you're here is by consulting DJI's official map.
They do a great job mapping the places that one should avoid while flying in every country:
These would be the current updated drone laws for Ireland. I suggest checking my full map with all the countries' drone laws to see where it's best to travel.
If you are going to visit Ireland, make sure you’ve learned all the dos and don’ts of flying drones in this country. This will help you have a safe journey and enjoy flying your drone without getting yourself into trouble.
Also, keep in mind that, commercial and recreational drones are treated differently in most countries therefore you will need to prepare yourself accordingly. Last but not least, always follow rules and regulations and make sure to respect the laws of every country.
