Drone operators must now register their drones regardless if they are for commercial or personal use under new European rules.

The new EU drone regulation came into effect on 1 January and requires all drone operators using any drone over 250g in weight, or those with a camera or sensor to be registered.

Previously, all drones over 1kg and drones operated above 15m (50ft) must have been registered with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).

Flying and operating drones in Ireland is subject to European Union Regulation 2019/947 and registration is mandatory. The IAA supervises and implements the regulations in Ireland. The IAA also provides guidance for operating and flying drones in order to ensure public safety.

The new regulations sets out further pan-European requirements for drone operators, including requirements for pilots of drones to complete training.

Registration

Registration can be completed with the IAA on the MySRS portal by an individual pilot or an organisation.

The fee to register is €30 for a two-year operator registration certificate. Operators must be a minimum of 16 years of age. The IAA will require authentication of operator’s identify including name and age when registering.

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Once registered, pilots must apply their operator ID to the drones. New drones over 250g with electronic ID transmission will be entering the EU market shortly and will require users to upload their operator ID into the drones.

If operators lose their drone, they will have to notify the IAA on their MySRS account. Operators will remain responsible for any drone with their operator ID on the drone should it be subsequently used.

Furthermore, if an operator is involved with an accident with their drone, they have a legal requirement to report this to the IAA.

Operation in the EU and UK

The new EU regulation creates a pan-European market for drone use. This means pilots can operate their drone freely throughout the EU once registered. The rules also come into effect in Norway, Iceland and the UK.