Where You Can and Can’t Fly a Drone in Ireland

Where can you fly a drone in Ireland? How to check IAA no-fly zones, airports, parks, beaches and heritage sites before you take off.

You can fly a registered drone in most open spaces in Ireland, as long as you stay outside restricted zones, keep it in sight, stay below 120 metres and avoid crowds. The main no-go areas are restricted airspace, such as around airports, and anywhere people are gathered. Heritage sites run by the Office of Public Works are off limits too.

Finding a good spot is mostly about checking two things: the IAA's zones map, and who owns the land you are standing on.

The rules that apply everywhere

Before thinking about specific places, four limits apply wherever you fly in the open category:

• Stay below 120 metres above the ground directly beneath the drone.
• Keep it in sight with your own eyes, not through a screen.
• Never fly over crowds, meaning any gathering where people could not easily get out of the way.
• Stay out of restricted zones unless you have permission.

The rules apply over private land too. Owning a field does not let you fly higher or ignore a zone above it. Our guide to drone rules in Ireland covers the full set.

Place by place

Your garden

Usually fine, if the garden sits outside any restricted zone. Keep the drone low, and keep the camera off your neighbours. Hovering over the house next door is the quickest way to a complaint.

Parks

Large, quiet parks are some of the best places to learn. The catch is people. A busy park on a sunny Saturday can count as a crowd, so go early or pick the quiet end.

Some parks are run by councils or other bodies with their own rules. Look for signs at the entrance, and if a sign says no drones, respect it.

Beaches

Empty beaches are ideal: open and flat. A packed strand in August is another matter. Crowded beaches are exactly the kind of gathering you must not fly over.

Coastal wind is the other issue. Light drones struggle on exposed beaches, so check the forecast first.

Forests and mountains

Forests are almost always owned by someone, whether a state body or a private landowner. Taking off from their land without permission can be trespass, even when the airspace itself is open. Ask first, and follow any signs.

In the mountains, watch for low-flying aircraft such as rescue helicopters, and land immediately if you see or hear one.

Castles, abbeys and monuments

This is where many new pilots get caught out. The Office of Public Works has warned that drones are strictly prohibited at all sites in its care. That includes many of Ireland's best-known castles and abbeys.

For sites run by other bodies, check with the owner or manager before flying. Some do allow filming by arrangement.

Near airports and airfields

The airspace around airports is restricted, and you must not fly there without permission. Smaller airfields and helipads matter too. The IAA's geographical zones FAQs put the responsibility on the person flying to check the area and watch for aircraft activity.

Towns and cities

Urban flying is hard to do legally. Streets are full of uninvolved people, and many towns fall inside one or more restricted zones. Unless you have a large empty space and have checked the map, practise elsewhere.

How to check the map

The IAA publishes Ireland's restricted areas as UAS geographic zones. You can view them on the IAA's online zones map, which also links the downloadable data file used by many drone apps.

The IAA labels the map as reference only, so it is not a flight planning tool on its own. Treat it as a starting point, then use your own judgement on the ground.

Privacy: the rule that follows you everywhere

Wherever you fly, a camera drone brings data protection law with it. The Data Protection Commission's guidance on drones explains that recording identifiable people makes you responsible for that footage.

The IAA's safety FAQs make the same point: the drone rules apply everywhere in Irish airspace, and privacy or trespass laws can apply on top. Filming a public view is fine. Lingering over someone's garden or window is not.

When you need more than the open category

If you want to fly somewhere the open category does not allow, such as beyond sight or above 120 metres, you need an operational authorisation from the IAA. That falls under the specific category, explained in the EASA rules for drone categories. For hobby pilots, it is almost never worth it.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Check the IAA's map and guidance before you fly.

Still choosing a drone? See the best drones for beginners, or the best drone for kids for younger pilots. If you have not registered yet, our step-by-step registration guide takes you through it.