You are an operator of a recreational drone

  • If:

    • It is not used for commercial purposes
    • It does not carry external loads


    You must:

    • Abide by national regulation ‘Regulation n.˚ 1093/2016’
    • Maintain safe distance at all time from people and property


    You must not:

    • Fly at an altitude of more than 120 meters unless authorised
    • Operate in clouds, above crowds, industrial sites, urban areas and other restricted areas


    It is recommended to have private insurance covering recreational drone activities.

You are an operator of a model aircraft

  • If:

    • If it is not used for commercial purposes
    • Does not carry external loads


    You must:

    • Abide by national regulation ‘Regulation n.˚ 1093/2016’
    • Have Third Party Liability insurance if total weight is more than 20 kg


    You must not:

    • Operate in clouds, above crowds, industrial sites, urban areas and other restricted areas
    • Weigh more than 25 kg

You are an operator of a professional drone

  • If:

    • Used for commercial or scientific or manufacturer testing purposes
    • Carrying external loads


    You must:

    • Abide by national regulation ‘Regulation n.˚ 1093/2016’
    • Have navigation lights as a safety feature
    • Have Third Party Liability insurance with a coverage of 1 million Euros
    • Conduct a pre-flight inspection


    You must not:

    • Fly higher than 120 meters above ground level
    • Weigh more than 25 kg
Download the full regulation overview for Portugal (PDF)