Drone Laws in Ireland

Ireland Drone Regulations

According to Ireland’s national aviation authority, Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), flying a drone is legal in Ireland, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact the IAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: fod@iaa.ie / +353 1 671 8655

Why fly a drone in Ireland? To get great aerial shots like these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone Within the European Union

Ireland is a part of the European Union and therefore must abide by the drone regulations put in place by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In addition to these regulations, Ireland also has regulations that are country-specific.

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone within the European Union.

There are three operational categories that determine drone regulations based on the weight of the drone and the intended operation. This section will only cover the Open Category, to see all European Union laws and categories, click here.

A drone can be operated in the “Open “category if:

• The drone has one of the class identification labels 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
• The drone was purchased before 1 January 2023, with no class identification label as above.
• The drone has a maximum take-off mass of less than 25 kg (55 lbs).
• The remote pilot keeps the drone at a safe distance away from people.
• The drone will not be operated directly over people unless it has a class identification label or is lighter than 250 g (0.55 lbs). (Please refer to subcategories of operations: A1, A2, and A3 to find out where you can fly with your drone).
• The remote pilot will maintain a visual line of sight (VLOS) or the remote pilot will be assisted by a UA observer.
• The remote pilot will not operate the drone above 120m (400ft).
• The drone will not carry any dangerous goods and will not drop any material.

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Ireland

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Ireland.

• If you plan to fly above 15 meters (49 feet) and your drone weighs more than 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) you must register your drone. You can register on the IAA’s website here.
• As best we can tell, the same rules apply to recreational and commercial drone operators, with no special licensing or permit requirements for commercial operations.
• Registered drones may not be flown above 120 meters (394 feet).
• Registered drones may not weigh more than 25 kilograms (55 pounds).
• Drone pilots must maintain a direct line of sight with their drone during operations, and may not fly more than 300 meters (984 feet).
• Drones may not fly within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of any airport.
• Drones may not fly within 30 meters (98.4 feet) of people, crowds, vehicles, or buildings.
• Drone insurance is recommended by the IAA, but is not legally required.
• Drones cannot be flown over national monuments.
• Drones may be flown

For more information on Ireland’s drone laws, see this page on the IAA’s website.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Ireland? Send us an email at support[at]horizonap[dot]com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Ireland can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Ireland? Here you go: