Drone laws Croatia [March 2023] [Rules & How to Register]

The rules for aircraft in the Croatian airspace have lately become far more strict due to security reasons and the rapid advance of drone technology. If you plan to buy a drone and fly it around Croatia, check the below rules first.

Drone Laws Croatia

What Do I Need To Know When Flying A Drone In Croatia?

A few key points to keep in mind as you fly your drone in Croatia:

You must be at least 18 years old to pilot a drone. If you are between the ages of 16 and 18, you may fly a drone if you have a valid pilot’s license. Children under the age of 14 may fly a drone only if they are accompanied by an adult or guardian who is responsible for operating the device.

Rules & Regulations

• Regulations: In Croatia, you must be at least 18 years old to fly a drone. You are required to have a valid pilot license and a valid insurance policy in order to operate a drone for commercial purposes. Private owners of drones must register their drones with the local authorities and acquire a certificate of compliance.
• The use of drones is prohibited in some cities, particularly the historic centers of Dubrovnik, Pula, Split and Trogir (on the UNESCO World Heritage list). In other areas, flying above crowds or near buildings and airports is forbidden. To fly within 5 miles of an airport or airfield, you will need prior permission from air traffic control.
• Authorized users: Any private owner can use drones weighing less than 5 kg (11 pounds) for personal use as long as they register them with the Civil Aviation Agency and obtain a Certificate of Compliance from their local police department.
• Commercial pilots who want to operate drones heavier than 5 kg need to seek prior authorization from the Civil Aviation Agency; this includes those who plan to make aerial photos or videos for commercial purposes.

Other Laws And Regulations

Other Laws And Regulations in Croatia include:

Drone operators are required to maintain direct visual contact with their drone. Direct visual contact means unaided visual contact.

If you are flying a drone in Croatia you must not endanger the safety of other aircraft.

Drone operators must not fly over or near an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons unless permission has been obtained from the person in charge of the assembly.

Insurance

It is mandatory to have a drone insurance policy in place to fly in Croatia. Different types of policies are available for your specific need, for example, insurance for the drone itself, personal injury and third-party liability.

The value of the coverage will depend on the activity being undertaken and type of equipment used. There are different types of policies suitable for commercial use or hobby flying.

It’s important that you check with your insurer that they cover you to fly a drone as not all home insurance or car insurance providers will cover your aircraft if it crashes or gets lost/stolen while you are abroad.

Airspace Rules, Restrictions And Notifications

By definition, every country in the world has airspace with certain rules and restrictions. A common way of classifying airspace is by letters. The classification system depends on the country, but here are some basic definitions (which may vary from country to country):

• Class A (controlled airspace) – Usually only for commercial airlines
• Class B (controlled airspace) – Usually for larger airports and areas with increased traffic
• Class C (controlled airspace) – Usually for medium-sized airports and airfields with a control tower operating during limited hours
• Class D (controlled airspace) – Usually for smaller airfields and areas surrounding airport runways that require a higher level of safety precautions than uncontrolled areas do. This can be anywhere from a few miles from the runway up to several thousand feet above ground level or up to 10 nautical miles from the airport.
• Class E (uncontrolled airspace) – Denotes controlled airspace not designated as class A, B, C, or D. It usually starts at 1,200 feet above ground level up to 18000 feet (~6 kilometers). Anything below 1200 ft is usually reserved for quadcopters/drones or other small aircrafts without instrumentation capabilities.
• Class F (uncontrolled airspace) – This type of area is found in many countries around the world where there are no permanent Air Traffic Control services in place due to a lack of volume or density of air traffic requiring such services.

How To Register Drone In Croatia

You Need To Go To The Civil Aviation Agency Website

• Go to the Civil Aviation Agency website
• Click on the “Start registration” button that is located in the middle of the page
• Click on “Register” in the top right corner
• Fill out the form with your personal information

You Will Be Asked To Create A New Account

• Go to the Civil Aviation Agency website
• You Will Be Asked To Create A New Account by clicking on “Create user”
• Fill in all the fields and click “Save user”
• You will be asked to activate your account through a confirmation message sent to your email address. In order for this message to reach you, you will have to enter an email address that is valid and accessible.
• Please use an email that you can access easily, as it is not possible for the system administrators of this website to resend activation codes (you are responsible for remembering and entering a valid email address).
• Open your inbox and find the activation code (it may take a few minutes). If you don’t receive one within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder or contact us at [email protected]
• Copy that code and paste it into the box provided on the CAA homepage (the original tab) where you were asked to activate your account
• Click “Activate user”

You Need To Activate Your Account

You Need To Activate Your Account. An activation code will be sent to the email address you entered when you started a new account. If you don’t receive it, check your spam folder in case the CAA sends it there by mistake.

Once you click on the link in the email and enter your activation code, you can login with your username and password and start registering a drone model that you own.

They Will Send An Activation Code

They Will Send An Activation Code to the email address you entered. Click on the link in your email to go to the site and enter a new password, which will activate your account and allow you to log in.

You Need To Log In Again With Your New Credentials

You Need To Log In Again With Your New Credentials.

Important note: if you are using Internet Explorer, you will have to open the page in a new tab, otherwise the website won’t work properly.

In The Menu, Choose “register Rpas”

When the website loads, click “Drone Registration” in the upper right corner.

On the next screen, you will see several options for registering your drone. Under “Menu”, choose “Register RPAS”. This is where you begin the process of registering your drone with the Croatian government.

You will need a copy of your drone’s manual and a photo or scan of your ID document (passport or similar). You will also need to have your drone’s serial number ready. All drones must be registered before taking them into the air.

Registration costs 100 kuna (about $17 USD at current exchange rates); credit cards are accepted for payment but make sure yours works for international purchases before starting this process.

Enter Your Personal Data

In the “Osobni podaci” section, you’ll need to enter your name, surname, email address, address, ID number, and phone number. You can fill out these fields in Croatian or English. The website will prompt your web browser to auto-fill some of this information if it has been saved there before.

After filling out this section and checking the box at the bottom that says “Prihvaćam uvjete registracije”, click on the “Registriraj se” button on the right-hand side of the screen to move onto entering registration details for your drone.

Enter Your Rpas Details – Make And Model Etc.

• Click the text box next to “Type”. A drop-down menu will appear.
• Click an option from the drop-down menu.
• Repeat the process for “Serial Number”, “Date of Purchase”, etc.

Upload Required Documents (instructions On Site)

In the next step, you will be required to upload four documents. These are:

• a photograph of the drone
• a photograph of the drone’s ID plate
• a photograph of the drone’s controller (if it has one)
• a photograph of your official photo identification

Once you have gathered these and have them ready for upload, click on “Nastavi” at the bottom right side of the page. If you need to take a break before continuing with this procedure, please feel free to do so; however, you must note that if you leave this page without completing all steps, this application will not be saved and you will have to start over from scratch.

Why The Registration Is Important

We cannot emphasize enough the importance of registering your drone. Not only will it make you a better, safer pilot, but it is also required in order to fly legally in Croatia.

Before going forward with your registration, be sure you’ve read through the safety regulations on this website and are familiar with them.

Registration is a quick and simple process:

• Go to any physical or online shop that sells drones and pick one out (or buy one here if you’d like). We recommend DJI Mavic Air.
• Fill out this form on the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency’s website
• Pay for the registration (250 kuna) online. You’ll receive a receipt once payment has been processed which will include details about where and when to pick up your certificate of registration for your drone.

Any drone weighing over 250g must be registered with CAA, per 47th article of Civil Aviation Act (Official Gazette no.: 130/10 & 011/17). Please note that there is no age limit as long as you’re able to pay for registration yourself and understand how to operate your drone safely and responsibly (we strongly suggest reading through our safety tips before flying).

Are Drones Allowed In Croatia

Yes, Drones Are Allowed In Croatia

Yes, Drones Are Allowed In Croatia. In fact, they’re allowed almost everywhere in Croatia, with very few exceptions. The only place where you can’t fly a drone is above military installations and government buildings (such as police stations).

There are also no special permits required to fly a drone in Croatia. However, there are a couple of rules that you should follow when flying your drone within the country:

• First of all, you need to register your drone at an authorized aviation office before actually taking it into flight.
• Also, commercial drone use isn’t allowed within the country without approval from the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency.

No Permit Is Required, As Long As You Follow The Rules Below

If you’re traveling to Croatia, it’s easy to assume that the rules are similar to those in the US. However, this isn’t the case with drone regulations. The country has several local rules to consider, so it’s good to be aware of them before you start legally flying your drone there.

Bear in mind that while Croatia is part of the European Union (EU), not all EU countries have reciprocal drone laws; as a result, if you’re planning any flights between EU countries you’ll need to check each country’s specific drone regulations.

As with most countries around the world, if you want to fly a camera-equipped drone for recreational use in Croatia then no permit is required as long as you follow these guidelines:

• Don’t fly your drone higher than 120 meters above ground level
• Ensure that your quadcopter doesn’t weigh more than 25kg
• No closer than 5 kilometers from airports
• Never fly near or over people or animals and respect their privacy at all times

You Can Only Use Your Drone In Daylight

The night is not a time for flying your drone in Croatia. You can only use it during the day.

Cloudy days are okay to fly your drone, but rain is not. If it’s raining, you should leave the drone in its case.

Windy conditions are not safe for flying drones in Croatia. On windy days, try flying your drone inside a room with little to no ventilation, instead of outside.

Snowy weather is fine for flying drones in Croatia—provided that the snow has accumulated on the ground and there’s enough of it to cover at least half of whatever you’re trying to film from above!

Maximum Altitude Is 120 Meters, Or 400 Feet

Per Croatian regulation, any aerial device that flies higher than 120 meters is considered a flight. This means that if you’re planning to fly your drone over 120 meters, you’ll have to follow the rules for flights instead of those for drones.

Flights in Croatia can be performed only with permission from the Civil Aviation Agency. Permission is not required for flights lower than 120 meters, so if you plan to stay below this altitude during your entire flight, you won’t need special permission. If you want to go higher than 120 meters, though, you’ll need to apply for a permit before flying.

You Must Keep Your Drone Within Sight At All Times

You Must Keep Your Drone Within Sight At All Times. You should not fly closer than 5.5 km (3.4 miles) to an airport, above 400 ft (122 m), or over crowds or public events. You should not fly over private property without the owner’s permission.

Drones Are Widely Used In Croatia, And Rules Are Not Too Strict

Drones are allowed in Croatia, and drone use is widespread.

It’s not necessary to register your drone with the Civil Aviation Agency of Croatia, but you do need to do the following:

• Keep a careful eye on your drone at all times.
• You cannot fly your drone over groups or gatherings of people, such as concerts or sporting events.

Conclusion

The drone rules Croatia are really simple, and you can find there the explanation of what is allowed on the Croatian territory with a drone and what is not.

As it is said in the article, you have to follow some certain rules and you are not allowed to fly your drone over the restricted areas, otherwise you may get in some trouble later. So this summary will clear all your doubts and fears, especially if you plan on flying your drone in Croatia.

Frequently Asked Questions (drone Laws Croatia)

Is There Insurance Requirement For Drones In Croatia?

In Croatia, insurance is not required. However, it is recommended that you check with your drone manufacturer for specific requirements.

You can purchase insurance from a third party and it is recommended that you do so if you plan on using your drone commercially.

Where Can I Fly My Drone In Croatia?

In Croatia, you can fly your drone:

• Within the pilot’s line of sight.
• Up to 150m above ground level (AGL).
• Not over people, except those directly involved in the operation of the aircraft or who have given their prior consent to be overflown by a UAS.
• Not over protected areas such as nature parks and archaeological sites, cultural monuments or other similar locations designated by law.

Are Drones Legal In Croatia?

In short, yes. However, there are some general rules and regulations to be aware of when flying a drone in Croatia.

These are mostly standard drone laws that apply anywhere around the world. The main restriction on drones is that they must not fly higher than 150m (492ft) above sea level or 30m (98ft) above land.

This prevents them from getting too close to commercial aircraft flying overhead – which can cause problems with navigation and communication systems as well as potentially injuring people on board if something goes wrong.

In addition, there are also certain types of restricted airspace where it’s illegal for recreational drones to fly: these include airports, military bases and prisons etcetera

When Can I Fly My Drone In Croatia?

If you want to fly your drone in Croatia, then there are a few things you need to do:

• Register your drone with the Civil Aviation Authority
• Get a drone license
• Be 16 years old or older to fly a drone (if you’re under 18, you’ll need parental consent)
• Have insurance