Drone Laws in Portugal (Updated for 2020)

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drone rules in Portugal
height flight limit

120m max height

can't fly over crowds of people

Don't fly over crowds

plane icon white

2.5km from airports

Only line of sight

All Drone Laws in Portugal in 2020 (Ultimate Guide)

Portugal stands out as a model when it comes to drone laws. It might have foreseen a scenario when new EU laws would be drafted so they began by introducing their own laws back in 2016. In my opinion, the unique balance between public safety without curtailing the fun in drone flying has been achieved in Portugal.

Contents

Can I fly my drone in Portugal?

Yes. However, here are some basics you must keep in mind. Compared to other countries, the laws governing drone flights in Portugal are quite lean yet they cover all aspects of security and safety. 

 

Who do I contact?

In Portugal, responsibility over the management of drones falls under the National Civil Aviation Authority, ANAC. You can reach them through:

Phone: (+351)212842226

Email:drones@anac.pt 

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Laws around the flying of commercial and recreational drones in Portugal

Portugal regards both commercial and recreational drones into one Unmanned Aerial vehicle family. This does not mean there are no laws governing their use. The laws regarding the use of the drones here depend on weight and usage.

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How to apply for permission to fly a drone in Portugal?

If your drone has a camera capable of taking pictures or videos, you must apply for permission at the National Aeronautical Authority NAA website. To get a prompt response from the ANA abide by the contact times advertised on their website. Orders that are made outside of such timeframes will definitely be delayed. 

The online e-AAN platform helps you make a direct payment without going through what was previously a time-wasting manual submission process. 

Set up the free account and register yourself as a pilot. The website shall automatically to English should it be your language of preference.

 

The simplicity of the applications allows you to use Google Maps to simplify the radius of your desired point of flight. Next, submit the dates and the desired time of flight. Your submissions will undergo review by AAN who responds in a few days.

Upon familiarizing yourself with AAN and its portal, the next time will be much easier. 

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If I do not want to capture photography, videos or images of anything, should I still seek permission to fly the drone?

 

The answer is still yes. This extends to FPV operation. Privacy in most European countries is very strict. Infringement on other persons private space or property can land you in legal trouble. 

Can I bring my drone to Portugal?

 

There are no existing restrictions as to why you should not bring over a drone from outside. Just ensure it’s under your ownership and it meets the requirements of the airline concerned. 

Do I need drone liability insurance to fly a drone?

No. No part of the law expressly mentions that a pilot must have insurance. 

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Where can I fly my drone in Portugal?

This map provides a clear guide on where you can and cannot fly while in Portugal. Part of the no-fly zone areas is military zones, national parks and other areas of significant importance. 

 

If you plan on flying your drone above Government sites and historical buildings, educational centers, national parks, etcetera, seek authorization from the relevant local authorities. Examples of areas that definitely require prior consent are Belem Tower, Monsanto Prison, Terreiro do Paço, Sintra, and Alfeite Naval Base. 

 

National parks are run independently. To get approval for the parks, fill this form.

When complete, have it sent to rtn@icnf.pt 

 

If the authorities feel that your flight plan might interfere with endangered bird species, it will be rejected.

 

If around a seaside port, inform the authorities closeby. (We are yet to verify if this is mandatory) 

Do I need permission to fly my drone in Portugal?

 

As mentioned earlier you do not need a permit or license whether you intend to use your drone commercially or recreationally.

portugal drone shote stadium
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What are my top drones to fly safely in Portugal?

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.

1.Dji Mavic Mini - The best international travel drone (under 250g)

 2.7k

30min battery

4km

No follow me

DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is half of the weight required for registering in the first place.

 

I have covered it much more in depth in my article review and even compared it with the DJI Spark and Mavic Air.

Check Price and reviews

Advantages

  • 30 min battery life
  • under 250g
  • super portable
  • 4km range
  • can edit videos in the app

DISAdvantages

  • no obstacle avoidance
  • no settings for iso and shutter speed

2.Dji Mavic Air 2 - My favorite drone overall

4k 60fps

34min battery

9km

Follow + obstacle avoidance

mavic air 2 package fly more combo
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 it's price since it was first released.

Check Price and reviews

Advantages

  • 3 way sensors
  • 68kph (fastest among the 3)
  • follow me mode(quite a few options)
  • 8gb internal storage
  • ISo & shutter speed settings
  • 6 photo modes
  • takes RAW photos
  • 100mbps bitrate

DISAdvantages

  • battery life ins't that amazing
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Restricted Areas and Geofencing (drone FLying map)

The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, while you're here is by consulting DJI offilicial map.
They do a great job mapping the places that one should avoid while flying in every country:

  • airports
  • military bases
  • prisons
  • power plants
  • any high risk areas
romania flying map dji
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Make money with your drone

  • Only if you're serious
  • No experience required
  • I make up to 200$/h after it
  • Yes, it's a course
  • Yes, It's the best I know
  • Everything from A to Z
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Get $100 off the course

How do you make money with your drone, though?

Okay, so you got your new and fancy drone, but how do you stand out from any dad out there who has the same drone and watched some tutorials online?

I did exactly that and barely had any success. 

But now I’m charging 5x as much as before and even have to refuse clients from time to time.

I even bought about 7 online courses… and I didn’t make much progress.

So how did I finally make it to this level?

If you want the short answer, I learned everything from this guy Alex, who’s making $200 per hour with his drone. And he’s even teaching exactly how to do that.

This is pretty much what you need to know:

how-to-make-money-with-drones

1. Make sure you have a proper drone.

If you have any of the latest DJI Drones, like the Mavic Air 2, for example, you’re ready to start making money.

No need to overthink this, but if it’s any help, check this comparison of the best camera drones compared in 2020.

types of drones

2.Learn how to create the best content to stand out

You won’t stand out from the next dad who bought a DJI drone for Cristmass in the eyes of your clients if you don’t do this.

It’s WAY more important to know what you’re doing than the gear you have.

You’ll need to learn and master the following:

  1.  
  • Flying your drone(to stand out from people with basic drone shots)
  • Preparing for the flight and weather in advance
  • Learn the best drone settings (you need a proper setup template)
  • Create the Video Script (it's way easier if you know what to shoot)
  • Have a set of great cinematic shots you know how to do
  • Know how to edit the video so it stands out
  • Learn how to color grade

This is why you HAVE to invest in a proper way to learn things (instead of watching tutorials here and there).

3.Find clients that pay 5x more than regular

But not so fast.

You won’t make a penny if you don’t know how to find your clients.

I have struggled finding clients even when my videos were getting pretty good.

Until I learned a few tricks and how to find and approach them so they won’t be able to say no.

And what’s best, I learned how to get the price I asked for.

How can you do the same?

I have tested quite a few courses online and watched tons of videos on youtube, but frankly, I have learned more from one single course than from everything else… and all that in like a weekend.

Made back the money from this investment in myself in a single week and then much more.

 

How do I learn all of this? From youtube?

You could simply go online and learn everything in terms of video from youtube, forums, facebook groups etc.

However, let me tell you, it’s the worst way to learn all of this(and the slowest).

You won’t have a Complete Step By step guide on how to do everything.

I found myself frustrated, even after I learned how to do most of the video stuff that I still lacked some knowledge and I didn’t know why my shots weren’t standing out.

I got some general promotion ideas from some articles online, but again… I didn’t have much success and was charging too little for my time.

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This course is hold by Alex Harris, who’s an international video creator, director, and drone operator with tons of experience.

And I had a great time stealing his know-how(and greatly profited from it, lol).

I recommend you watch his video presentation bellow and check out the course sales page. It’s quite cheap, considering you’re getting 320+ minutes of everything you need to know, step by step and 80+ minutes on how to actually find the ideal clients for you.

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I'm a big drone enthusiast, the owner of DronesGator.com and I also make weekly videos on my drone YouTube channel.

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