Report by Lucy Peters.

Around 20 million people visit Barcelona every year, attracted as much by its cultural offerings as by nearby natural sites and parks. Its sunny weather makes it ideal for a plethora of activities – everything from nature walks to drone flying. If you have a drone and you’re wondering where in Barcelona you are free to indulge in your favorite hobby, take note of the following rules and regulations.

The Law Governing Drone Use

The norms with respect to drone use were published in December 2017, soon after drone use began to really hit hard in Barcelona and the rest of Spain. To use drones in a recreational (not professional) capacity, you don’t need a special license. However, specific norms need to be complied with. For instance, you cannot fly a drone unless you are at a minimum distance of 8km from an airport or aerodrome. Nor can you fly your drone within controlled airspace.

Drones And safety

Height and distance are also relevant when flying drones in Barcelona and the rest of Spain. This is to ensure that citizens are safe from drone crashes and other potential accidents. Although hobby drones are relatively small, they can still cause damage or bother, which is why stringent regulations have been imposed. Drone users are not allowed to fly their drone at over 120m of height. It is also recommended that they be flown in the daytime, to improve visibility and lower the chance of mishaps. The drone should additionally be within a normal range of vision. Use the IcarusRPA app to get a perfectly clear picture of permitted and restricted areas for drone flight.

Top Spots In Barcelona

There are a few dedicated spots for flying drones in Barcelona, one of the most popular of which is in Sant Cugat de Vallés, with the Arc Sant Cugat club. The area is green and vast, boasting dedicated areas in which to make technical adjustment. Ask the Arc Sant Cugat team about lessons, too, if you wish to hone your skills. Another ideal spot if you’re in the city center can be found in Montjuïcvery close to the Olympic stadium. A third spot is at Montcada i Reixac. This area, alongside the Montjüic space, belongs to the Royal Aero Club Barcelona Sabadell. If you are closer to the Castellbisbal area, head to the Club Aeromodelisme Castellbisbal.

Indoor Drone Flight

If indoor racing is your thing, then Indrone Park, located in a safe and legal indoor installation, will be up your street. The company running this park teaches a host of workshops – everything form how to set up a race drone, to 3D design and printing. This space is an ideal way to meet fellow drone fanatics and to hone your knowledge while taking part in vertiginous races.

If you will be visiting Gaudí´s city of dreams soon and you don’t want to stop enjoying your favorite hobby, know that there are many spots in which to meet fellow lovers of this activity. Located both in the heart of the city and throughout the city, safe droning areas have been set up to enable visitors from all over the world to enjoy safe and entertaining experiences. An ideal place to start is the IcarusRPA app, which will show you a plethora of flight sites closest to you.

7 comments on “Where can you fly a drone in Barcelona?

  • Good article for when i visit Barcelona. I’m into drones and this helps. Thanks.
    It looks Spain was ahead of many other countries in defining drone regulations. Canada introduced drone regulations in 2019, and US and Australia will get them in 2020.

  • I was under the understanding that actually even drones under 250 grams such as the Mavic mini could not be flown almost anywhere in Barcelona because of the CTR from the airport which extends as far as Mataro. I believe the height for flight in areas where they can be flown is 20 meters no?

  • I was flying with my DJI Mavic mini in Barcelona at the beach.
    After a few minutes the police came and told me that its forbidden to fly any drones in Barcelona.

  • This ENAIRE drone map seems to show all red zones (no flights permitted) in most major cities and towns in Spain.
    https://drones.enaire.es
    So all of Barcelona and nearby towns like Girona and Tarragona are all red.
    The map doesn’t even show national parks and nature reserves so a lot of the areas with no zones may also have restrictions.

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