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I'm not even bothering taking mine after reading this! [Source: RightSpain]
Pre 2014 was the best time to own a drone in Spain. The government were unaware of this new phenomenon; you could capture some excellent videos such as birds-eye views of football stadia and beaches. There were no fines and the rules were simple: stick to the legal flying places. 2015 changed it all – and it’s key that, when you read up on the drone laws, you look at articles published after August, 2015… Such as ours!
Ever since Spain’s ruling of drone laws in 2015 kicked in, one can incur a fine of circa €400,000. Why? Spain deem the art of flying a drone to be dangerous, reminiscent of drones used in wars. To protect the nation from any incoming terrorist attack, various military forces are constantly watching the air for any suspicious activity. If your drone shows up, it could put the country on red alert and waste valuable governmental resources in preventing a false attack. And for those who think that Spain’s rules are a case of all bark, no bite: the Spanish government has collected almost €2 million from drone fines alone since 2015.
You are prohibited from flying the drone above stadiums, on the motorway, above any political building, beaches and cathedrals. Essentially, almost everything is out of bounds. You cannot take flight without having an actual license to use the drone and have to be, at the very least, 18 years of age to be legally able to fly it.
Flights conducted at low altitude are seen to be high-risk, since someone can be injured by the incoming drone. But also stray too high in the air and the military may be triggered into shooting it out of the air.
Those who stick to the strict rules and capture something exciting have to be wary of posting it online. If you upload it to video websites with monetisation and ad-revenue – such as Vimeo or YouTube – you are committing a crime. You cannot use the footage for commercial purposes since it officially belongs to the government of Spain. Your monetisation would be claimed immediately and you could risk prosecution if you fail to adhere to the rules.
So, how can you legally capture footage with a drone in Spain? It’s simple: stick to small areas that are not populated highly, don’t stick too close to the ground, yet don’t fly at an obscenely high altitude. You have to know your limitations. You could possibly fly around your back yard, garden or even a park. Anything more than that and Spain’s tough law system could crack down on you and, looking at their track record, there would be no issue in them doing so. Earlier this year, someone was fined €221,000 for failing to provide a license for the drone as well as breaking regulations and bringing the military into action.
Be sure to stay safe with your drone in Spain. We’d recommend not using it at all but, if you want to, stick to the guidelines and be sure not to stray away. |
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