What are the drone laws in Romania?
If you know Romanian, you can find all the laws listed on the website of the Romanian Civil Aviation Authority.
Register over 500g
Don't fly over crowds
No landing in cities
Line of sight (300m range)
If you are considering traveling to Romania in 2023 or after, I’ve compiled all the drone laws implemented by the Romanian Civil Aviation Authority (AACR).
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.
Yes, you can fly a drone in Romania if you follow the rules I'll underline below. I'll cover the main ones in an infographic as well as in the text.
I have direct experience with the laws in Romania and things are quite relaxed, as long as you don't confuse anyone and don't fly to very big events.
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:
Email: dir.gen@caa.ro
Phone: (+40) 212 081 508
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 referred to as "UAV"(unmanned aerial vehicle) 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 people's needs, as I don't remember last when someone asked me to recommend a 15kg hexacopter.
As you can see, drone regulations are quite easy and straightforward, besides the last point. Needing approval 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 of is registering your drone if it's over 500g. If you do that and take the basics into account and don't fly over crowds, near airports, and so on, you'll be pretty safe.
Other basic rules I think would be helpful for you to follow(not legally mentioned):
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 registering.
It's going to be a bit of a hassle (so it's probably not worth doing if you're traveling 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:
If you aren't a professional who needs the extremely good photo and video equipment (like a Mavic 2 pro, or a Phantom 4) I suggest you go for a drone that you won't need to register in the first place.
What are the advantages of getting such a drone:
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.
There aren't any restrictions on bringing drones in Romania or taking them out (as long as you don't bring hundreds at a time and could be considered commerce.
If you want to take your drone on a plane, you need to follow a basic rule:
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 traveling into and from Romania at any time.
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.
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 Romania. 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 Romania, make sure you’ve learned all the dos and don’ts of flying drones in this region. 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.
