Drone Laws in Romania in 2020 (and infographic guide)

romania-drone-laws-and-regulations

Line of sight (300m range)

wieght limit of 500g for registration

Register over 500g

can't fly in city

No landing in cities

can't fly over crowds of people

Don't fly over crowds

All Drone Laws in Romania in 2020 (Ultimate Guide)

Can I fly a drone in romania?
Yes, you can fly a drone in Romania if you follow the rules I'll underline bellow. I'll cover the main ones in an infographic as well as in text.
I'm from Romania myself, so I'm quite familiar with the regulation here. It's the most up to date I've found so far on the internet, and I'll keep it this way.

Who to contact?
Drone rules in romania fall under the Romanian Civil Aviation Authority (AACR)
In my experience they are very friendly and are glad to help you quickly even as a foreigner.
And can be contacted:
Phone: (+40) 212 081 508

Table of Contents

What are the drone laws in romania?

romania-drone-laws new infographic

If you know romanian, you can find all the laws listed on the website of the romanian Civil Aviation Authority.

The concept of “drone” isn't found in the legislation, as it's rather reffered to as “UAV“(unmanned aerial vechicle) and they are treated by romanian legislation differently depending on their weight.

I'll be mainly covering the regulation for smaller aircraft ( that fits under the 15kg rule). This will cover most peoples needs, as I don't remember last when someone asked me to recommend a 15kg hexacopter.

drone romania brasov photo racadau
As you can see, the drone regulation is quite easy and straightforward, besides the last point.
Needing aproval for taking video and photos is stupid, in my opinion, as you could just as well spy on people with a good DSLR and a zoom lens (and  easier for that fact).
But then again, I don't think anyone will take into account if you pressed the record button or not (unless you're posting the video on the page of the National Defense Ministry).
 
In my opinion, the main thing you need to take care is registering your drone if it's over 500g. If you do that and take the basics into account and don't fly over crouds, near airports and so on, you'll be quite safe.
 
Other basic rules I think would be helpful for you to follow(not legally mentioned):
  • don't fly near airports
  • don't fly near military bases

How can I register my drone in Romania?

photo drone transfagarasan romania
If you don't register your over 500 gram drone  and fly with it in Romania, you risk quite a hefty fine that you can easily avoid by doing so.
It's going to be a bit of a hassle (so it's probably not worth doing if you're travelling for a few days in this country).
 
This procedure can last anywhere between a few days to 2 weeks, so it's not really a quick online registration.
 
However, here's the process if you still want to go for it:
  • Contact them by email (dir.gen@caa.ro) and ask for an english form to complete (or complete this form in romanian)
  • Wait for them to contact you back when the application is done and go in Bucharest, near Baneasa Airport
  • They will install an ID chip and a sticker with the identification number (YR-D0xx)
  • You pay a 90 EUR tax + VAT (about 100eur)

What drones can I fly without registration in Romania (under 500g)?

If you aren't a professional who needs extremely good photo and video equipment (like a Mavic 2 pro, or a Phantom 4) I suggest you go for a drone that you wont' need to register in the first place.
 
What are the advantages of getting such a drone:
  • no need to pay the tax or wait for registration
  • smaller in size, so you'll draw much less attention to yourself
  • easier to carry around as a traveller
  • will be able to fly in many other countries that also have similar weight limits

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

DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is half of the weight required for registering in Romania 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 - A great professional drone under 500g

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.

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

Can I travel with my drone In Romania by Airplane?

airplane drone luggage
There aren't any restrictions of bringing drones in Romania or taking them out (as long as you don't bring houndreds at a time and could be considered commerce.
 
What are the rules for taking your drone through a romanian airport?
 
If you want to take your drone on a plane, you need to follow a basic rule:
  • detach the batteries and place them in a firecase during travel time  (they're very cheap, if you know where to look)
In my experience of flying with my Mavic drone in Europe, I haven't once encountered a problem with airplanes, so you're quite safe travelling into and from Romania at any time.

Commercial Drone use

What if you want to use a drone commercially in Romania?
 
There isn't any limitation besides the ones we already talked about. You are free to offer your drone services in Romania without any additional concerns.

Restricted Areas and Geofencing (drone FLying map)

The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, while you're in Romania 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

Best Places to Fly (according to a romanian drone pilot)

As I'm from Romania myself, I found out the beauty of our country is absolutely stunning when captured from above. From valleys, surrounded by forrest to old cities and castles, you have plenty of stuff to check out.
 
Here's some of my top recommendations for you: