DRONE LAWS in EUROPE: Where and how can you legally fly? (Germany, Austria, Malta & Sweden)

[@NicoleGlass]

Information regarding Austria's drone laws (thanks to Christoph H): Everything below 250g is considered a toy so you are allowed to fly up to 30m height without permission and insurance. But the 250g are only rule of thumb. The actual law states that it should not exceed 79 joules of impact force and max height 30m so e.g. you can also fly 500g drone if you don't exceed 18m since thats below 79 joules. But be aware that you will need proof that you didn't exceed this limit at all times while flying in case you piss somebody off with your flying. If the weight is under 250g you are pretty much safe in every regard (like the Mavic Mini which is 249g for example). Also you are allowed to make videos with these "toys". Of course this all mostly only counts for recreational flights. Everything that is not a toy and is below 5kg can count as a flight model which you are only allowed to use for recreational flights away from people and with camera, but only if the camera is for the sole purpose of the flight itself (like keeping a record of your flying to improve your skills). For flight models you need an insurance though but still no registration with Austro control. Everything else counts as unmanned air vehicle where different laws apply and you have to register. For every flight regardless what you fly you have to keep line of sight.

[@kasiage91]

So the DJI Mavic Mini should be super fine with flying all around Vienna? Or cites are also excluded?

[@TheRealWurstCase]

@@kasiage91 In theory it would be that way because it's considered a toy but you would probably run into huge problems if someone gets hurt. Since its considered some toy it should be accounted for with your private liability insurance but insurances don't really like to pay and dji set a new mark with the mavic mini. Therefore i would go for a real drone insurance just to be safe.Allthough most of them prohibit flying in highly populated areas without license so that's the big gotcha here. But I guess there will be changes to insurance terms and probably drone laws if toy drones like these become a problem.

[@andrejflaska8827]

Thank you for the info. I have DJI Mavic Mini, i want to go to austria next week. I want to record videos in Alps. Can i use it without any permissions or insurance then? Whom can i ask about laws? What about flying at night? Thanks for the answer

[@NicoleGlass]

@@andrejflaska8827 Here are the most up-to-date laws for Austria: uavcoach.com/drone-laws-in-austria/

[@HeroFigo]

hey i just bought a drone in austria and it weights 280 g and from what i know i have to register it. How do i do that

[@kevinman5019]

Thanks. I live in Germany and your info was exactly what I was looking for.

[@NicoleGlass]

Glad it was helpful! Hope all is well in Germany.

[@honestreview9019]

Hi Kevin I’m too in Hamburg any idea where to register my dji spark it’s above 250 g

[@kevinman5019]

@@honestreview9019 I really don’t know. Mine is below 250 g so I don’t have to worry about it. Additionally I don’t think the app rolled out on time either. I tried checking the other day and it was not up. I live out in the country in rural Bavaria. So flying the drone is really not a big deal. I’m sorry I could not be more help.

[@goodmemories9289]

@@kevinman5019 Hello Kevin, I wish you are well. I am planning to buy DJI mini 2. Do I need to register it? Any restrictions for this 249g drone?

[@kevinman5019]

@@goodmemories9289, I have not looked at the current law. I do not know.

[@JohnWolfrik]

Thank you for this video! I live in Europe, and I plan on visiting most of these countries, so it was very helpful to hear all these informations!

[@NicoleGlass]

Hey John! It's definitely convenient to travel around if you're already in Europe. Have fun flying!

[@EdwinvandenAkker]

Of course it is always a nice gesture to tell land owners what you do, when flying near private property. The other day I needed some footage of bicycle trails in the area. One was near a villa. I simply rang the doorbell and said what I was doing. The people were very surprised that polite people still exist.

[@NicoleGlass]

That's a good practice for sure. I am sure they appreciate it! Although I suspect you might also run into some angry people every so often, right?

[@EdwinvandenAkker]

@@NicoleGlass Not angry. If they rather not have me flying around their property I won't. But I must say, most people appreciate me asking them and are rather curious. So, they sometime stick around a little while.

[@maov3781]

Hola Nicole!... Very good information, thank you so much!. I will go to Stockholm for the first time and I hope the rules remain the same. Also Germany for the third time but this now I'll ready to fly!.. cheers!

[@NicoleGlass]

Awesome, have fun on your trip! Sweden is so beautiful

[@the0rac]

Very nicely explained ! :-) I'm heading to Bulgaria this summer and I did my research ( I use the Spark, it's small and light even that it's a bit limited ;-) ) , basically the same as Malta. No law, something since 1999 concerning balloons...

[@jobsingames]

Thanks for the great info and taking the time to share. I am going to Malta in July and this was Really useful info :-)

[@NicoleGlass]

Sweet!! I love Malta so much. Have fun - and try to go to Gozo if you can 😊

[@Tarinck]

Do you have the information on where to apply for permit in Germany and in Austria?

[@tjschmal]

Hi. As far as Austria and the DJI Mavic Air is concerned: Yes, you need an insurance. But as long as you stay below 18 m above ground in static flight = the impact energy is below 79 Joule and you stay away from people your drone is considered a toy and you don‘t need a permission.

[@EdwinvandenAkker]

I have a Mavic 2. My guess is that my flight height is well under 18m? This weekend I go to both Austria and Croatia one week later. I'm already mentally prepared to leave my drone in it's case while staying in Austria.

[@bogarvallejo2149]

Where can I buy liability insurance for a short period of time (days/months)? Thanks for the video!!

[@TheSuperbTV]

Just what I was looking for! Thanks!

[@NicoleGlass]

Glad to hear that 😊

[@Oldmerk1]

Here in Slo they are adopting now. I think it is implemented.

[@NicoleGlass]

Interesting!

[@ShohruhSaidkarimov]

Thanks Nicole, for informing us, the drone users 🙏🙏🙏☺️☺️☺️

[@NicoleGlass]

Sure thing, hope it helps!

[@EarnDirector]

Great info..Thank you. May I ask, do you need to take online training and exam before flying drone in Germany?

[@Hassanabiddd]

Thanks for the information

[@liammcdevitt9110]

Great video, you mentioned you can buy insurance for the year. Can you please direct me as to where I can purchase this from?

[@RiderMark]

How do the police enforce? Only by spotting the drone in the air or do they know there's a drone in the air because they see some GPS signal? And are you alowed to carry a drone in your luggage even if you're not going to use it (for in countries that have more extreme rules)? Thanks (anyone)

[@kochumvk]

Hey, thanks. Informative video. I really liked your room setup and lighting too. Looks beautiful.

[@extremexrdeutschland8704]

Olá você sabe me dizer se eu preciso fazer seguro pois meu drone pesa 250gr mini 2 ? Sou da Alemanha obrigado

[@KathyXie]

How and where can you buy the insurances as a tourist in Germany?

[@honestreview9019]

Your videos are amazing. In which class do I register my dji spark as it’s above 250g

[@EvoWorkout]

Thanks for the info. Nice video

[@NicoleGlass]

Thank you! :)

[@arianpianist4720]

So there is a question that when flying a drone is banned in paris, so was it ok to you to take your drone to that airport or not? Was there any special laws for carrying a drone regardless of whether you will fly or not? (I mean having a drone in your bag at the gate of airport)

[@CharonSin]

How did you purchase an insurance plan that was valid in Germany? Everything I read said that you have to live in Germany to purchase an insurance plan.

[@hyungwoolee5917]

I'm planning to go to austria in NOV, I guess according to your video I shouldn't even bother taking my drone =(.. thank you for your video!

[@NicoleGlass]

I guess it depends where you go. If you're in urban areas only then I would not take it. But if you're in the middle-of-nowhere in the Alps, it may be ok. where are you headed?

[@lorozco22]

Where can I get any permissions/insurances needed for Germany?

[@tvz857]

I plan to fly my drone in Italy (Amalfi Coast area to be exact) when I go this summer. Have you been there? Do you know what the drone Italian drone laws are? I've flown my drone in the Czech Republic and Poland when I visited two years ago and plan to do so again this summer as well. Do you have any intel on those two countries? I've done like everyone else and googled it and It's pretty much saying the same as you stated in your post short of putting my name and address and phone number and purchase liability insurance (I have insurance thru my AMA membership, as well as purchased insurance thru state farm). Any info you have will help. Thanks in advance!!

[@NicoleGlass]

Hey Brian, I haven't researched the laws in those countries unfortunately. Usually I just do intense research on the countries that I personally travel to. I had no problems flying in Europe and I suspect that you'll have a similar experience in Italy, but try to stay away from the places where masses of tourists gather. And launch off from more private areas. Sometimes, even if you're flying legally, people are still disturbed by drones.

[@xiaoweichen3708]

Very useful and Thanks a lot

[@NicoleGlass]

Glad you liked it :)

[@myhomeistravelling1455]

Thanks. Can I ask you which camera and lenses are you using to film this video? The video Quality is fantastic

[@NicoleGlass]

Thanks! I listed everything in my description but for the talking head part I am using a Canon 5D Mark IV

[@DriftinE46]

Hey Nicole, awesome video! thanks! I'm about to take a trip to the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany ~ I'm going to have to research the rules of each country. But was wondering who sells drone liability insurance? I'm using it purely recreational, and I have to FAA license numbers. Want to make sure I can i can actually fly out there and not get my flyer confiscated or tossed into bad camp. :( Thanks!!

[@NicoleGlass]

Thanks Henry! In the past I've used SkyWatch but there's other companies too. Check out this article for lots of good info. uavcoach.com/drone-insurance-guide/#CoverageTypes Honestly though if you're in the middle of the mountains with no soul in sight, you're probably fine without it. I would just be extra careful when you're flying in urban areas.

[@PlaneandTrainWindowSeat]

There is a web page with lots of informations about flying drone in every country in Europe. dronerules.eu/en/recreational/regulations It looks like the Switzerland is the best country to fly a drone both recreationally and professionally.

[@NicoleGlass]

Thanks for the link, great resource! It's crazy how much the laws vary from one European country to the next.

[@oneworldliving9198]

Hi Nicole Nice video thank you for sharing your info , I just have one question I’m flying from Canada to Austria but Austria is not my destination do I still need a permit just for landing in Austria and if I don’t have it will they take it away from me ?

[@NicoleGlass]

Hi Ed, thanks for watching. No - you do not need a permit to fly into Austria with your drone (just if you want to use it there). I flew from Vienna to Stockholm with my drone (even though I did not use my drone in Vienna) and I had no problem with it. Hope that helps!

[@oneworldliving9198]

Nicole Glass Thank you Nicole you are very Kind 😊

[@piotrcienciala2418]

Hmmm... I travel a lot, usually go through at least 5 or 8 countries on one trip.... all these laws and restrictions in different countries make me want quit thinking about getting a drone.

[@NicoleGlass]

Yeah, it’s getting tougher for sure. If you’re driving from country to country then it’s no big deal, but the flights could cause issues

[@peterfkapnistos7036]

"The term 'Toy' refers to the Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drone) and the distinction between a Small Unmanned Aircraft and Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft is contained within Article 95 of the Air Navigation Order and defined as a small unmanned aircraft which is equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition. Therefore it is not based on the resolution of the sensor, but the presence of a surveillance or data acquiring device." The new July 2020 (EASA) drone laws will require toy cameras under 250 grams like this (see link below) to be registered with the EU governments. They obviously want to limit the sales of the Mavic Mini without appearing to violate fair trading regulations, so aerial photography is no longer considered a recreational art form by EASA, but a surveillance tool. Such oppressive laws may actually lead to a negative depiction of the relationship between law and ethics. It is absurd to think that 10-year-old children are required to go to their local police stations to register toy cameras or be fined euro 1,000. www.banggood.com/JJRC-H66-Egg-720P-WIFI-FPV-Selfie-Drone-With-Gravity-Sensor-Mode-Altitude-Hold-RC-Quadcopterr-RTF-p-1205850.html

[@kylerknutson1223]

Awesome video, Nicole! Did you apply for all of your drone flights in Malta or did you learn about that after you already left the country?

[@NicoleGlass]

Thank you! I asked a few local people. They said it is not enforced and often times you never even get a response if you apply. But those who want to do it properly should try anyway.

[@kylerknutson1223]

Gotcha'! Thanks for the clutch insight. You rock!

[@frankcavar1689]

what about croatia as it now part of the EU does anybody have any information on that particular country

[@infero85]

Hi Nicole, did you buy any insurance for your drone while in Europe?

[@NicoleGlass]

Hi Ivan, yes I did. It’s a little pricey but I wanted to be on the safe side.

[@infero85]

@@NicoleGlass Would you mind sharing the company's name?

[@SwarnadeepNandy]

Do i need to register my drone specific to a country or anywhere i can register my drone?

[@NicoleGlass]

Definitely register your drone in your home country and check the laws of the countries you are visiting to see what they require.

[@thisguy7006]

i was thinking about buying a drone for a long time.. until i checked the laws.. becoming a real pilot seems to be the easier and cheaper option! sad..

[@ulriktnnesen5987]

I live at an island leaving me virtually no areas to fly even if I bought a drone. Meanwhile we got teens and drunks driving 4x4 trucks, people swinging around selfiesticks all over and CCTV cameras filming everything leaving no privacy. But those are of no concern. The drones are the real danger 🙄

[@victorecholima]

hi, have you traveled to Switzerland with drone?

[@NicoleGlass]

Hey there, no unfortunately I have not.

[@victorecholima]

Nicole Glass thank you👍🏼

[@the0rac]

@@victorecholima www.bazl.admin.ch/bazl/en/home/good-to-know/drones-and-aircraft-models/drohnenkarte.html Switzerland is one of the easiest countries I would say. The link heads to the Federal regulation and the map shows the restrictions. It's available in 4 languages.

[@mgares]

Where did you buy your liability insurance in Germany???

[@NicoleGlass]

Online! There’s so many different companies, I just bought a temporary insurance for the duration of my trip

[@akshay2226]

Are you from EU? Can i rent a drone in france or Amsterdam

[@NicoleGlass]

I lived in Europe as a kid but now I live in the U.S. I don’t know about rentals sorry

[@driesbarbaix8574]

Were is the first vid taken

[@NicoleGlass]

You mean the clip of me launching the drone? That was in the mountains in Germany, not far from Mittenwald.

[@KiroVencenzo]

Thank you nicole i was planing to travel to germany and i was afraid to get confiscated my mavic pro platinum

[@NicoleGlass]

You’ll be fine if you fly safely and fly in the countryside. But around urban areas you should be careful

[@TheRealWurstCase]

I live in Austria and yes its very strict but damn there is so much wrong info in this video about flying in austria

[@NicoleGlass]

Perhaps the laws changed since I made this video. If you tell me what part is incorrect I can update the information in the description.

[@TheRealWurstCase]

@@NicoleGlass Everything below 250g is considerd as toy so you are allowed to fly up to 30m height without permission and insurance. But the 250g are only rule of thumb. The actual law states that it should not exceed 79 joules of impact force and max height 30m so e.g. you can also fly 500g drone if you don't exceed 18m since thats below 79 joules. But be aware that you will need proof that you didn't exceed this limit at all times while flying in case you piss somebody off with your flying. If the weight is under 250g you are pretty much safe in every regard (like the mavic mini which is 249g for example). Also you are allowed to make videos with these "toys". Of course this all mostly only counts for recreational flights. Everything that is not a toy and is below 5kg can count as a flight model which you are only allowed to use for recreational flights away from people and with camera, but only if the camera is for the sole purpose of the flight itself (like keeping a record of your flying to improve your skills). For flight models you need an insurance though but still no registration with austro control. everything else counts as unmanned air vehicle where different laws apply and you have to register. For every flight regardless what you fly you have to keep line of sight.

[@arturaszaleskis8907]

You should update your info because in 2020 looks very outdated

[@slimsjr.4071]

Ok, but can you fly rockets👀

[@VICVideopIC]

Great video, very useful and well done! Flying a drone in Europe at the moment is a real nightmare, the new European regulation should be available in 2019. Let's hope so

[@NicoleGlass]

Thanks, I'm glad it helped! I'm heading to Asia in April and trying to figure out the laws there is 10x more challenging than Europe...

[@EdwinvandenAkker]

I thought I read somewhere that rules won't change much until April 2020... And yes, it *is* a nightmare. Belgium restricts to 10m. Fortunately here in the Netherlands I can deal with less strict rules. I live near uncontrolled airspace. But only 15 minutes away I have some fields and a wooded area where I can go nuts. No, that's not a _Natura 2000_ area yet.

[@rajubhai9123]

How about the foreign content creators

[@filmsmith]

Hey, Great Video. Surprised there is not more views.. Quick question that I really hope someone can help me with : Where the heck can I buy Drone Liability insurance in Germany?? How did you do it? I'm searching online and everyone says that you need it, but I can't figure out how to buy it. Even your video says that you need it but doesn't give the organization that actually sells it. Please Help! Thank you!

[@NicoleGlass]

Thanks Andrew! When I was researching, one of the companies I found was called SkyWatch. I believe they have monthly drone liability insurance plans. In my video I am laying out the law because I think it's important information, but to be honest, everyone I knew who was flying in Germany was doing it without the insurance. I would advise you not to fly over downtown Munich or anything, but if you're out in the middle of some isolated mountain, you'll be fine. The question of insurance would come up if you cause some sort of damage with your drone.

[@walterminor8331]

thanks for the GDL updates, please feel free to ck my club out Game of Drone.

[@Angelo_Paduraru]

No fly there, no fly like this, no fly that.... fly under your bed. That is not illegal, not yet ...

[@CleanBlackRaiser]

"any operator of a drone which weighs less than 250g but has a camera (other than a toy), such as the new DJI Mavic Mini, must also be registered"... Do they mean a toy drone or toy camera? How do they draw a distinction? 720 vs 4K resolution? And why is a camera a "risk" factor? .... Kids and hobbyists have been flying toy helicopters for the past 40 years. But next month (?) it will become illegal to fly even a toy drone with a camera, unless you register it and pay annual fees like a motor vehicle. Why? The real reason is they want to free low altitude air space for commercial drones to deliver items from Amazon, etc. So kids and hobbyists won't be flying even in their back yards. After registering your flying cameras, the next step of course will be to register ALL cameras. Why? The richest and most influential man on Earth is making his final tyrannical power grab. A lockdown move. Everyone has noticed. Everyone knows his name.

[@Hagbergscorner]

Sweden ❤

[@NicoleGlass]

I love Sweden :)

[@Hagbergscorner]

@@NicoleGlass Great video btw. 👌

[@AlienEyes]

Paris it's not a country

[@michaelhurwicz3969]

Check out dronerules.eu/en/

[@NicoleGlass]

Wonderful resource!

[@mondei6708]

I live in czech republic, next to germany, nobody gives a f about drones here

[@NicoleGlass]

Good to know!