Drone Laws in Macedonia

Macedonia Drone Regulations

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

If you’d like to contact the MCAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: contact@caa.gov.mk / +389 2 3114 046

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Macedonia

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

• Drone operators must be at least 18 years old, and must obtain a certificate of proficiency.
• Planned drone operations should be reported to the MCAA at least 24 hours prior to flight.
• Drone pilots must maintain a direct visual line of sight with their drone while flying.
• Do not fly more than 500 meters (1,640 feet) horizontally or 120 meters (394 feet) vertically.
• Do not fly within 5 nautical miles of Alexander the Great Airport, or within 8.5 nautical miles of the runway.
• Do not fly within 1,000 meters (.5 miles) of any airport, helipad, or aerodrome.
• Do not fly within 100 meters (394 feet) of: facilities of the Ministry of Defense and the Army of the Republic of Macedonia, the Ministry of the Interior, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, the residence of the President of the State, diplomatic missions, power plants, electrical high voltage installations, storage facilities and water purification, penitentiary facilities and other sensitive buildings.
• Do not fly within 50 meters (164 feet) of a crowd of people.
• Do not fly within 30 meters (98 feet) of ships, vehicles, or buildings.
• Do not fly less than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the border.
• Do not operate a drone under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

For more information on Macedonia’s drone laws, see this document issued by the MCAA.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Macedonia? Send us an email at support@horizonap.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 Macedonia can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Licensing Requirements for Flying a Drone in Macedonia

A license issued by the MCAA is required to operate drones that:

• Weigh more than 5 kilograms (11 pounds).
• Can achieve a maximum speed greater than 20 meter/s (65 feet/s).
• Can achieve maximum height greater than 15 meters (49 feet).

Download the form needed to apply for a license here.

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