Flying with hobby drones around Barcelona area

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Hi Fellow Droners,

Today I am writing about the hypocrisy and consumerism that lies behind the drone industry. But why should it differ from any other. I must be really naive to still be surprised. Anyway…

While it is fine to create laws and regulations to protect civilians, areas or privacy.  And while those set of rules should be more like guidelines. I question some more harsh and even ridiculous legal measures that seem to be mushrooming across the planet.  I find them hypocritical and wonder if the reason behind might be more of a financial than protective nature. In clear terms there is always someone benefiting from the creation of laws. And I am talking about real cash, not privacy issues.

Take me for instance. I bought a drone. I took piloting classes and that was expensive. To apply for a pilot license you need x amount of flying hours. Another cash vacuum. And then comes the list of the numerous restrictions and that’s when you feel hostage of this industry. When flying is all about freedom.

As time goes by, you take a few more daring flights hoping you will not be seen. Staying within actual law limits is not fun. And this is not due to me being any anarchist of some sort. But so many restrictions reduce space and even a whole lot of locations.  I am not particularly excited about law infringement or its direct consequences. But we are talking about flying. Too many restrictions to spread my wings and get that freedom feeling. That is the only thing really I am looking for.

So eventually one day…. you get caught. The money making machinery is here to collect its due. You have been fined and that money is actually worth a brand new average drone.  But wait! It gets worse. Your drone can be confiscated or…. DESTROYED!  … don’t you see those 100 bills flying out of your pockets  ??

That has not happened to me and hope I will never see that day. I must say Spain legislation for uav is rather outdated.  On the other hand, the country has a vast and wild territory to fly and get the so needed sense of freedom. Far from attention.

In March I was impromptu invited to Dubai. Had I known ahead of time, I would have bought a tourist flying licence. I can hear the bling! For those of you that know a bit about Dubai, how much can that be? My guess is that this very license might equal the round trip air ticket I paid to visit the city.  And then, what am I allowed to fly for that price? Most probably only sand dunes. Which is fine, for a couple of days…

I am currently residing on Spanish soil. I have attache below, the latest laws. As mentioned earlier, rather outdated. So I have some hopes that when the legislators take a look again, hopefully soon. They might consider the changes in the technology and all the evolution that will have happen since they last edicted regulations on the subject.

In Spain, the flight restriction of drones under the current regulation, states that drones can be used exclusively for the realization of the following aerial works:

• Research and development activities;
• Air, pesticides and other treatments involving spreading substances in the soil or the atmosphere, including product launch activities for firefighting;
• Aerial surveys;
• Observation and aerial surveillance activities including filming and monitoring of forest fires;
• Aerial advertising, radio and TV;
• Emergency operations, search and rescue;
• Other special works not included in the above list.

Likewise, there are certain flight restrictions of drones that anyone interested in flying a drone must take into consideration:

• It is prohibited to fly drones in urban areas and crowds of people, which include beaches, concerts, parks, demonstrations, processions, etc;
• You cannot fly drones at night;
• It is forbidden to fly drones near airports, airfields and other controlled airspace and endanger others;
• You must fly the drone within the visual range of the pilot, at a distance of no more than 500m and at a height no more than 400 feet above the ground (i.e. a maximum of 120 meters high);
• Fines for the breach of these restrictions may amount to €225,000.

Non-commercial and recreational use of drones
Should the use of drones be reserved for non-commercial purposes, the aircraft will be considered an “Aero model” and will not receive the legal treatment of a drone.

We would then face an aircraft model that performs aero model activities, which would be controlled by the Royal Spanish Aeronautical Federation (AESA) and corresponding regional regulations and local application.

The use of a drone for recreational use or as a mere hobby does not need to be authorized by the AESA. In any case, this does not mean that it is not subject to certain mandatory minimum safety standards such as:

Before using a drone, it must always be visible and must not exceed 120 meters high
While it is not necessary to be a pilot, you should be able to fly with some confidence
The same restrictions applicable to commercial flying drones are applicable to recreational drones:

• You cannot fly in urban areas or crowds of people;
• You cannot fly at night;
• It is forbidden to fly drones near airports or airfields as well as flying drones in areas where other flights are operating at a low altitude and endangering others.