Airffic InspectionThe future guide to drone inspection

REGULATIONS / ES

Spain: drone rules for inspection

Spain combines the EU rules with Royal Decree 517/2024 (published June 2024, repealing RD 1036/2017). Zones around critical infrastructure (25 m from linear and 10 m from other facilities, up to 50 m above the top, and 10 m below bridge decks) need the owner's prior express permission, and urban or crowd operations must be notified to the Ministry of the Interior five days ahead. National STS-ES scenarios lapsed on 31 December 2025, so BVLOS inspection uses EU STS-02, PDRA or SORA, and fully indoor flights are outside the decree.

Checked against official sources

Fields are recorded in the language of the research notes.

Authorityスペイン航空安全庁 (AESA)、内務省（市街地飛行の通報） / Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea (AESA); Ministry of the Interior (notification of urban/crowd operations); Dirección General de Aviación Civil and CIDETRA for zoning and U-space
Main frameworkEU Regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945, complemented by Real Decreto 517/2024 of 4 June 2024 (BOE no. 136, 5 June 2024), which repeals RD 1036/2017 and entered into force 20 days after publication (per AESA). The RD sets general and particular UAS geographic zones, a single digital publication of zones, U-space designation by CIDETRA, and rules for non-EASA (state) operations.
RegistrationOperator registration with AESA per EU thresholds (EASA: C1 and above, legacy 250 g-25 kg, and under-250 g drones with a camera that are not toys). Insurance (RD 517/2024 Art. 8): UAS of 20 kg MTOM or more must be insured under Regulation (EC) 785/2004; below 20 kg, civil liability cover is required for Open A2, Specific and Certified operations (limits per RD 37/2001), either per operation or continuous, and club/federation policies can count; other sub-20 kg operations are exempt.
Remote IDEU direct Remote ID rules apply (EASA). National detail (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Pilot licensingEU A1/A3, A2 and STS competencies. RD 517/2024 adds rules for Specific-category training (designated entities; instructor, examiner and evaluator roles) and lowers the Open-category minimum age to 14 or 12 depending on subcategory and UAS (per AESA).
Risk categoriesOpen / Specific (EU STS-01/STS-02 declarations, PDRA, SORA authorisations from AESA) / Certified. The national standard scenarios (STS-ES) ceased to be valid on 31 Dec 2025, ending the coexistence with EU STS that began on 1 Jan 2024; training entities could file student declarations for STS-ES training completed by 31 Dec 2025 until 31 Jan 2026, and records must be kept 3 years.
BVLOSBVLOS requires the Specific category: EU STS-02 (C6), a PDRA or a SORA-based authorisation from AESA. National STS-ES are no longer usable since 31 Dec 2025. Under RD 517/2024, operations in controlled airspace outside aerodromes/heliports up to 60 m no longer need coordination (per AESA).
Night & over peopleOperators required to register who plan operations in urban environments or over gatherings of people must notify the Ministry of the Interior at least five calendar days in advance (RD 517/2024 Art. 40.3.a; one notice can cover several operations within a 5-day span), electronically via the Ministry's sede electrónica or on paper. Urban environment is defined in Art. 40.1 (built-up centres, residential/commercial/industrial areas with streets and lighting, public recreation areas). National night-flight conditions (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Near structuresRD 517/2024 Art. 39 creates zones around essential-service (critical) infrastructure: 25 m horizontally from the outer edges of linear infrastructure or 10 m from non-linear infrastructure (measured from fencing where present), and vertically up to 50 m above the highest point of the facility; for bridges the zone extends 10 m below the deck and 10 m from supports. Operations inside these zones need prior express permission from the infrastructure owner or manager (Art. 39.3), with exceptions for certain police, customs, intelligence and traffic bodies. Art. 38: defence and state-security zones need prior express permission from the owner/manager or the Ministry of Defence-designated authority. Aerodrome-protection zones exist under Art. 39.1.b (distances not read; not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22). Zones are published in a single digital format (ENAIRE).
Indoor & confinedRD 517/2024 (Art. 3.2.a) does not apply to operations carried out entirely indoors or where the aircraft is very unlikely to escape into open airspace.
Imaging & privacyRD 517/2024 provides for particular zones for privacy that CIDETRA or public administrations can initiate (per AESA). GDPR and the Spanish LOPDGDD apply (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Recent changes4-5 Jun 2024: RD 517/2024 approved and published, repealing RD 1036/2017 (in force 20 days after publication). 1 Jan 2024-31 Dec 2025: coexistence of national STS-ES and EU STS; 31 Dec 2025: STS-ES validity ended (AESA notice of 9 Dec 2025). 31 Jan 2026: last date for STS-ES training declarations.

Sources

Sources checked: 2026-10-22