Plan
Drone rules: Spain
Last checked: October 5, 2026
Required from 250 g or with a camera or sensor; registration in your country of residence is valid throughout the EASA area – with a German operator ID you do not need a second one.
Under Royal Decree 517/2024, flights in A1 and in A3 under 20 kg are exempt from the insurance requirement; in A2 and in all other cases you need liability insurance.
For tourists
You fly with your German operator ID and EU competency certificate. Flights in urban areas or over gatherings of people must be notified in advance to the Ministry of the Interior; the zones are shown in ENAIRE Drone Space.
Further rules
- If you live in Spain, you must complete your operator registration with the aviation authority AESA (electronic office sede.seguridadaerea.gob.es) – mandatory from a take-off mass of 250 grams, for an impact energy of more than 80 joules, or if a sensor can capture personal data.
- You only register once, in the EASA state where you live – the EASA area comprises the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Your operator ID is then valid throughout the EASA area: if you are already registered in another EASA country, you don't need a second registration in Spain. Only if you live outside the EASA area do you register in the EASA state where you first fly.
- Since Royal Decree 517/2024, flights in open subcategory A1 and in A3 with drones under 20 kilograms are exempt from the Spanish insurance requirement. In A2 you need liability insurance regardless of weight, as you do from 20 kilograms.
- For certain demanding operations, such as flights beyond visual line of sight over cities, Spain requires its own national STS-ES certificates in addition to the EU competency certificates.
- In the open category, the maximum flight altitude is 120 metres above ground level. For flight planning, the Spanish air navigation service provider ENAIRE offers an official geographical zones map called Drone Space.
- Operators subject to registration must notify the Spanish Ministry of the Interior at least 5 calendar days in advance of flights in an urban environment or over gatherings of people – using the form “Comunicación de operaciones de UAS” on the Sede Electrónica of the Ministerio del Interior (interior.gob.es). Required details include operator and pilot, registration number, drone model with class and serial number, location (coordinates), dates, times and maximum altitude.
Sources
This overview is not legal advice and not an official statement — laws change, and we cannot guarantee that every entry is fully up to date. Before your flight, please also check the official source or the local civil aviation authority.