🖐 In this blog post we’ll share all law links & known regulation around recreational & commercial drone use in Cyprus (Larnaca). Give a 👍 at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience in The Forum. Keep in mind that the content below is updated to the best of our ability & does not replace official sources & your own research.
Recreational vs Commercial drone use in Cyprus
Cyprus differentiates commercial & recreational drone usage - see our post to differentiate recreational vs commercial drone usage. Both are subject to restrictions & a code of conduct.
✅ In Cyprus, drone laws fall under management of the Department of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transport & they can be contacted via this contact form ("It wasn't working when we tried tho"). There is a sub department in charge of drone operations; the Unmanned Aircraft Department of Civil Aviation.
✅ Cyprus will classify your drone operations into the 'Special Category' if:
you fly a drone weighting more than 3 kg
you fly a drone for commercial purposes
For any flights under this category, you will need a Cyprus license to fly your drone.
Can I travel to Cyprus with my drone?
✅ Currently, there doesn't seem to be any restrictions on bringing drones within Cyprus as long as your import is considered as legitimate (generally one drone per person).
🚨 Be aware of the airline you purchase to travel as some main ones will only accept your drone on-board if its batteries are detached & placed in a firecase during travel time. Most airlines will have a battery voltage limit based on the recommendation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can find more info about a specific airline here.
Where can I fly my drone in Cyprus?
✅ Cyprus built a detailed drone flight map showing flight restricted areas for recreational use mainly. The map is organised in a color scheme and symbols to help drone owners to fly responsibly & safely within Cyprus:
Red = Airport Control Zones
Green = Restricted Areas (Marki & Tersefanou).
✅ The live version of the map will also display hospitals & other sites to fly away from.
Cyprus Drone Fly Map
🚨 You should not fly above or near military installations, archaeological sites & strategic infrastructure. Larnaca, Marki & Tersefanou cities are pretty much out of question without a permission as too close to the airport (Larcana & Tersefanou) & microlight airports (Marki).
🦅 National parks & reserves are on a case by case permission & you might need to check directly with the park or reserve authorities (note they are not represented on this map).
🚨 This map & the below rules are only valid for the Southern part of the island, the North being under the control of the Turkish rules & administration.
Recreational Drone use in Cyprus
✅ Good things first, you will not need a license to fly your drone for recreational use in Cyprus as long as you keep your flight away from a restricted flight zone & fly with a drone weighting less than 3 kg
🚨 Make sure to register your drone prior flying your drone in Cyprus (see below how to).
Saying this, within the Cyprus permitted zones, you will need to follow a few rules:
fly your drone at a maximum of 50 m above ground or water & 500 m away from you.
fly a drone that weights less than 3 kg (above you fall into the Commercial rules).
fly your drone only during daylight & always in sight.
fly your drone 1 km away from residential areas & 500 m away from buildings, vehicles, animals structure, people (unless consent) & respect individuals' privacy.
fly at least 8 km away from airports & 3 km from heliports & give priority to all other categories of aircraft. If you see an aircraft during your flight, land immediately.
fly away from archaeological sites unless private and you have authorisation.
do not drop anything from your drone while flying.
do not take photos or videos of National Guard installations.
do not fly near a natural disaster or somewhere emergencies will need to intervene
How to register my drone for recreational use in Cyprus?
✅ The process is pretty simple, simply complete this online form as soon as possible. You will need to complete it with:
your full personal contact details
the drone's full technical details including serial number
What do I risk for flying a recreational drone illegally in Cyprus?
🚨 The amount & scope of the fine will depend on the nature & severity of your infraction. The judges will also evaluate if you intentionally committed the infraction and/or if you had any commercial purposes to do such. However, local authorities specify that you will be judge according to articles 245, 246 & 247 of the Civil Aviation Act 2002.
Commercial Drone use or drones over 3 kg in Cyprus
Cyprus requires you to have a license as a drone pilot & register your drone to undertake any flight with a drone weighting more than 3 kg or of commercial purpose. Once you got your license, you will need to follow all the rues of the recreational use, except that you fly up to 120 m altitude 👌
How to obtain my drone license for commercial use in Cyprus?
✅ To be eligible, you will need a valid Health Certificate (Class 3 Medical Certificate) & a drone operations insurance covering you up to 1 Million € for third party damage.
A drone license is issued in Cyprus by the Department of Civil Aviation, subject to an application by a registered company. You can get further information via this contact: uav@dca.mcw.gov.cy
🕔 Allow about 1 year to complete "The government is hiring one more person to accelerate this process" - Rapid growth of drone use requires new law, experts say.
What do I risk for flying a commercial drone illegally in Cyprus?
🚨 The amount & scope of the fine will depend on the nature & severity of your infraction. The judges will also evaluate if you intentionally committed the infraction and/or if you had any commercial purposes to do such. However, local authorities specify that you will be judge according to articles 245, 246 & 247 of the Civil Aviation Act 2002.
Once you got everything in order, you can start flying above Cyprus' awesome landscapes & create videos like this one:
✅ Please leave a comment or update the Forum when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in Cyprus! Have fun & safe flight!
Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information researched, we take no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage caused as a direct or indirect consequence of relying on this information. It is your responsibility to seek advice from qualified local & relevant authorities for needed information about local drone regulations.
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