Drone Laws in Italy

Italy Drone Regulations

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

If you’d like to contact ENAC directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: comunicazione@enac.gov.it / +39 06 445 961

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone Within the European Union

Italy 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, Italy 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 Italy

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

• Drones must be identified by a plate showing the identification of the system and of the operator. An identical plate shall be installed also on the remote ground pilot station. As of the 1st of July 2016, in addition to plates required by the Art 8.1, all drones that allow the transmission of data in real-time must be equipped with an Electronic Identification Device.
• Drone pilots must maintain a direct line of sight with their drone during operations.
• Drones may not be flown at night.
• Drones must be operated at least 50 meters (164 feet) away from people and 150 meters (492 feet) away from congested urban areas.
• Drones are not allowed to fly over people or crowds, including sports events, concerts, and other large events.
• Drones being flown for recreational purposes may not fly more than 70 meters (230 feet) above the ground, and drones being flown for commercial purposes may not fly more than 150 meters (492 feet) above the ground.
• Drones may not be flown within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of any airport or airfield.
• Commercial drone pilots conducting low-risk operations must submit a statement of compliance with specific requirements to ENAC along with a 94 Euro processing fee. For higher-risk operations commercial drone pilots must obtain training and an operating certificate as well as a health certificate. Learn more about the requirements for commercial operations on this page on the ENAC website.

For more information on Italy’s drone laws, see this document issued by ENAC.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Italy? 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 Italy 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 Italy? Here you go: