Iceland Drone Laws (2019)

Icelands Drone Laws

Img 1: Aerial Photography In Iceland

Contents

  1. General Iceland Drone Laws
  2. Drone Permits In Iceland
  3. Brining Your Drone On Airplanes Guide
  4. Buying Drones In Iceland
  5. Drone Travel Guide Articles
  6. Contact Information For Questions

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General Iceland Drone Laws

Drone use is allowed in Iceland, but there are several drone laws that need to be followed when flying in the country. Operators must ensure that they follow the following drone laws when flying in Iceland,

  • Always respect the privacy of others when flying your drone. Do not fly your drone over crowds or people.
  • Do not exceed a maximum height of 120 meters (394 feet).
  • Only fly your drone during the daylight hours, and only then in clear, bright weather with little wind. Keep the drone to your eye line.
  • The use of drones and camera drones is prohibited near government or military facilities in Iceland.
  • You are not permitted to fly your drone in Reykjavik above the height of the buildings. This is because of the close proximity of Reykjavik Domestic Airport to the downtown area.
  • In urban areas, drones must weigh no more than 3 kg and display your name, address, and phone number.
  • It is not permitted to fly your drones within 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) of a commercial airport, or 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) near any other airport. Other excluded areas include national parks, hospitals, state institutes, and power plants.
  • You must also not fly closer than 150 meters (492 feet) to any public building, or any other building in rural areas. In urban areas, you must not fly closer than 50 meters (164 feet) to any building or premises. If you have express permission from the landowner in the case of residential buildings, these laws do not apply.
  • A drone with a total weight of 20kg or more shall be insured.

Permit Needed For Recreational Drone Use?

A drone permit is not required for recreational drone use. But it is prohibited to fly a drone at a height of more than 120 meters without special permission from the Icelandic Authority.

Please adhere to the above General Iceland Drone Laws however when flying your drone. (What Is Recreational Drone Use?)

Permit Needed For Commercial Drone Use?

A drone permit is not required for commercial drone use. But it is prohibited to fly a drone at a height of more than 120 meters without special permission from the Icelandic Authority. The drone must be registered in these cases.

Please adhere to the above General Iceland Drone Laws however when flying your drone. (What Is Commercial Drone Use?)

Bringing Your Drone On Airplanes Guide

For a detailed guide to bringing your drone on airplanes click here. All drones should be brought on carry on luggage if possible. This is because according to the Montreal Convention, airlines are only liable for losses up to ~$1,000 USD. When traveling internationally, theft and lost luggage can be common issues, particularly if your flight has many connections. If your drone is worth more than $1,000 USD and you cannot bring it onto the plane you should consider shipping it with DHL, Fedex, or UPS instead and fully insure the shipment.

You should NOT place drone batteries in your checked baggage. All drone batteries should be placed in a Medium Size Lipo Battery Bag" data-src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=uavsystemsint-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B007V9MN44" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> like the one shown here in the link and brought onto the plane in your carry on bag. Lithium-ion batteries are considered “dangerous goods” by airlines and rules surrounding these batteries on planes are EXTREMELY strict due to multiple incidents of these batteries catching fire. Failure to properly pack lithium-ion batteries in a bag such as the one shown in the link above can result in the airline seizing them, you getting fined, or being denied boarding.

Here is some video footage shot by Steven Forster Photography when flying a drone in Iceland.

Buying Drones In Iceland

Read all of our Iceland Drone Laws, and now looking for drones, parts, accessories, or something else? Read our guide for Buying Drones In Iceland. It includes information on drones for sale in Iceland, import taxes, payment options, and shipping.

Drone Travel Guide

Iceland drone laws are up to date as of May 15th, 2019. Please email [email protected] , or click “leave a message” at the bottom right of the screen if you have any questions or comments.