Hello,

I live in Canada and am planning a Euro trip this summer.
Thinking to go to:
Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, Santorini, Geneve

I want to bring my Spark and take some cool shots in the cities im going to - I'm newly married and we've travelled a fair bit and I've been putting together videos of our travels.

Anyone have any experience travelling with Spark? Should I check my drone into my luggage or hand carry? Can I fly it in the city?

I'm not thinking to fly it kilometers away here....maybe 200m-500m max to get aerial shots i can't get with the selfie stick. the idea is to capture the city that I won't be able to using just my phone.

Thanks!

We traveled to Europe during the holidays with our Spark. We spent most of our time in the UK, but also did a week in Barcelona and Lisbon. You should definitely transport your Spark and batteries in your carry-on bag, not just because luggage theft is more common in Europe, but also because the batteries must be transported via carry-on. I also suggest getting a LiPo bag for your batteries. It's not required, but it's the safe thing to do, and in the event that someone questions it, you at least are showing the intention of traveling safely.

In terms of flying it, we were pretty cautious about flying in the city. In Barcelona, we ended up flying it along the coast and harbor to avoid flying over people. In Lisbon, we flew it at a large park just outside the old city. We probably could have done more, but I honestly didn't want to push it. Plus, I still thought that we were able to capture some awesome pictures and videos.

The only "problem" I encountered was going inside the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona with the Spark in my backpack. They noticed it during the security screening, and asked that I check it in while in the cathedral. It wasn't an issue at all, and everyone was super professional and polite about it.

Also, I would google search each country's rules and regulations. I know in the UK, they have an app like B4UFly that will show you restricted areas, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other destinations on your list have something similar.

Otherwise, you're going to have an awesome time. Those are some incredible cities to visit -- and you'll have to share the footage with us once you get back!

you have a very good plan!
check this out: https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... p;page=1#pid1137724
and this one: http://dronerules.eu/en/

I'm afraid you won't be able to fly it in those cities; I'm not 100% on Geneve - assuming you mean Geneva you'll need to check with the Swiss authorities.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news
Edit: here's an interactive map of flight zones in France.  Deep red is strictly no flying; the amber is permitted to a certain height (possibly 60m).  You'll need to check - I believe the detail was posted on the forum recently so will be searchable.  Other rules are similar to those in Canada, but I believe include also buildings (not just persons and vehicles).

https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/d ... ur-drones-de-loisir

Edit 2: here's the Italian rules - helpfully in English https://www.dronezine.it/english/

Hi, sir. I would recommend you check the local regulation and NFZ of these places and choose the best place to fly. Please cache the map before you fly your spark. Here is the link for your reference: https://www.dji.com/flysafe?site=brandsite&from=footer Thanks for your support.

https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/drone-rules-all-one-place

https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/drone-rules-all-one-place

Except of the local regulations, do not forget, that your Spark will most probably switch to CE mode...lower range.

fanse6527a78 Posted at 2018-2-2 21:48
https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/drone-rules-all-one-place

this is very useful! thank you!

Zzz_01 Posted at 2018-2-2 22:55
Except of the local regulations, do not forget, that your Spark will most probably switch to CE mode...lower range.

good to know. I use an iphone so can do the otg trick if that helps.

There are some amazing tours out there, it would be a shame not to try them: toucantrail.com Of course, there are benefits to solo traveling, too. But I just had the most amazing guide on my first trip to Belize so I am biased towards guided tours, I would never discover some of these spots on my own.

Am visiting Santorini this May from the UK. Drone flying is now forbidden on Santorini. The reasons given are the close proximity to the airports. Suspect that the islanders have had enough of folks flying their drones on the island.
Good luck with your trip, the altitude angel app is the one I use here in the UK.

Zzz_01 Posted at 2018-2-2 22:55
Except of the local regulations, do not forget, that your Spark will most probably switch to CE mode...lower range.

You will get a message right off the bat to change to CE...just cancel, act dumb if asked, and keep the great range you always had.

Trip Astute Posted at 2018-2-2 15:11
We traveled to Europe during the holidays with our Spark. We spent most of our time in the UK, but also did a week in Barcelona and Lisbon. You should definitely transport your Spark and batteries in your carry-on bag, not just because luggage theft is more common in Europe, but also because the batteries must be transported via carry-on. I also suggest getting a LiPo bag for your batteries. It's not required, but it's the safe thing to do, and in the event that someone questions it, you at least are showing the intention of traveling safely.

In terms of flying it, we were pretty cautious about flying in the city. In Barcelona, we ended up flying it along the coast and harbor to avoid flying over people. In Lisbon, we flew it at a large park just outside the old city. We probably could have done more, but I honestly didn't want to push it. Plus, I still thought that we were able to capture some awesome pictures and videos.

Really helpful tips. Thanks for sharing your ppsitive experience.