dronetravel.guideBriefings checked 8 Oct 2026

Countries · Northwest Europe · EASA rules

Ireland

An EU operator registration is enough in Ireland; a UK, US or other third-country operator registers with the IAA on MySRS for EUR 41 and must redo the EU training, because no foreign qualification is recognised. Then 120 m, visual line of sight, and the 87 published geographical zones.

Open after a step for this profile · checked 8 October 2026

29 rules · 69 sources, 52 of them official · 15 fields unconfirmed · Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) · IAA MySRS (English)

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Your answer

Every engine field and the workflow rest on official pages.

What decides it

  • Operator registration is required for a drone over 250 g, or for any drone with a camera or other sensor able to detect personal data. Toy drones that comply with the toy safety regulation and are intended for use in play by children under 14 are exempt.confirmed on the cited page
  • The operator ID must be applied to every drone the operator flies, visible from the outside or within a compartment that can be opened without a tool, and uploaded into the drone's remote identification system.confirmed on the cited page
  • From 1 January 2024 a direct remote identification system is required on all specific-category UAS and on UAS with a C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 class identification label in any category. The registration number plus its three secret digits is uploaded into the system. Legacy drones may be exempt under Article 20.confirmed on the cited page
  • A drone operator must be at least 16 to register. A parent or guardian registers as the operator for a pilot under 16, and must train and supervise them at all times.confirmed on the cited page
  • A drone carrying a sensor able to record personal data makes its operator a data controller under the GDPR. Any processing of personal data obtained during a drone operation must comply with data protection law, and a Data Protection Impact Assessment must be prepared where one is required.confirmed on the cited page
  • A radio product must not be placed on the market or put into service unless it is declared in conformity with the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU and the European Union (Radio Equipment) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 248 of 2017, must carry the CE mark, and must display a declaration of conformity.confirmed on the cited page

Permits tied to a place or a time

These do not change the country's colour; they decide whether a particular flight is legal where and when you want it.

  • Operations outside the open-category limits need an IAA operational authorisation, or a declaration under a standard scenario. A PDRA application is EUR 1,797 for two years, a SORA application at SAIL I or II is EUR 3,595, and a standard-scenario declaration is EUR 514.
  • An operator registered in another EASA member State who wants to fly in the specific category in Ireland applies to the IAA at drones@iaa.ie with the UAM 009 Annex A form, a copy of the authorisation issued at home, the relevant operations-manual sections, a KML file of the intended location and, depending on the location, a Screening of Appropriate Assessment. The Foreign Operator Confirmation fee is EUR 565.
  • Ireland publishes 87 UAS geographical zones. 76 of them require authorisation from the named zone authority, 7 are conditional, 3 are prohibited and 1 carries no restriction. Zone authorities include AirNav Ireland, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the Air Corps, individual airports and the Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland.

Before you fly, in order

  1. Operator registration is required for a drone over 250 g, or for any drone with a camera or other sensor able to detect personal data. Toy drones that comply with the toy safety regulation and are intended for use in play by children under 14 are exempt.
  2. An operator already registered with the National Aviation Authority of another EU state does not register again in Ireland and may operate on that registration.
  3. The operator ID must be applied to every drone the operator flies, visible from the outside or within a compartment that can be opened without a tool, and uploaded into the drone's remote identification system.
  4. From 1 January 2024 a direct remote identification system is required on all specific-category UAS and on UAS with a C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 class identification label in any category. The registration number plus its three secret digits is uploaded into the system. Legacy drones may be exempt under Article 20.
  5. Recreational use under 20 kg is exempt from the insurance requirement. The IAA recommends third-party insurance anyway.
  6. Operations outside the open-category limits need an IAA operational authorisation, or a declaration under a standard scenario. A PDRA application is EUR 1,797 for two years, a SORA application at SAIL I or II is EUR 3,595, and a standard-scenario declaration is EUR 514.
  7. An operator registered in another EASA member State who wants to fly in the specific category in Ireland applies to the IAA at drones@iaa.ie with the UAM 009 Annex A form, a copy of the authorisation issued at home, the relevant operations-manual sections, a KML file of the intended location and, depending on the location, a Screening of Appropriate Assessment. The Foreign Operator Confirmation fee is EUR 565.
  8. Open-category flight stays at or below 120 m, given as 400 ft, above ground level, measured from the surface of the ground.
  9. Visual line of sight is required in the open category. An unmanned aircraft observer alongside the remote pilot may assist. Beyond visual line of sight is not open-category flying.
  10. Night flight is permitted. From 1 July 2022 the drone must be able to indicate its position from all sides with a green flashing light.
  11. Ireland publishes 87 UAS geographical zones. 76 of them require authorisation from the named zone authority, 7 are conditional, 3 are prohibited and 1 carries no restriction. Zone authorities include AirNav Ireland, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the Air Corps, individual airports and the Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland.
  12. Before each flight the pilot must consult the published temporary restricted areas, the NOTAMs and the UAS geographical zones data file. The extent of the zones is set by Aeronautical Notice U.04, at issue 30.21 effective from 17:00 on 7 October 2026.
  13. An aerodrome operator certified under the EASA Regulation may deploy a counter-UAS system inside the aerodrome with the Authority's approval, and where a drone appears to risk the safety of civil aviation or public safety may take such steps as appear necessary.
  14. Operators must adhere to National Parks and Wildlife Service environmental restrictions. Where a flight is licensed, there must be no hovering over or chasing of wildlife and no fast passes close to the ground; filming stops immediately on any disturbance and the licence may be revoked.
  15. The aviation regulations apply everywhere in Irish airspace, including over private property and national monuments. Privacy and trespass law apply separately and are not displaced by aviation compliance.
  16. A drone's radio links need no individual licence: short range devices are exempt under S.I. No. 160 of 2006 and S.I. No. 405 of 2002, on a non-interference and non-protected basis, provided they meet ComReg's interface requirements. 2400 to 2483.5 MHz is permitted at 100 mW e.i.r.p.; model control runs at 26.99 to 27.20 MHz, 34.995 to 35.225 MHz for flying models only, and 40.660 to 40.700 MHz, each at 100 mW e.r.p.
  17. A radio product must not be placed on the market or put into service unless it is declared in conformity with the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU and the European Union (Radio Equipment) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 248 of 2017, must carry the CE mark, and must display a declaration of conformity.
  18. A drone carrying a sensor able to record personal data makes its operator a data controller under the GDPR. Any processing of personal data obtained during a drone operation must comply with data protection law, and a Data Protection Impact Assessment must be prepared where one is required.
  19. A drone operator must be at least 16 to register. A parent or guardian registers as the operator for a pilot under 16, and must train and supervise them at all times.
  20. Spare lithium batteries in cabin baggage only: up to 100 Wh without approval, 100 to 160 Wh with airline approval and two spares, over 160 Wh not allowed (IATA passenger guidance; airlines may be stricter).

Spare lithium batteries in cabin baggage only: up to 100 Wh without approval, 100 to 160 Wh with airline approval and two spares, over 160 Wh not allowed (IATA passenger guidance; airlines may be stricter).

How a visitor gets legal

Each step as the authority describes it, with who may apply, what it costs and how long it takes.

  1. Step 1

    Classify the operation

    Establish the take-off mass, the class mark or legacy status, whether the drone carries a camera or other sensor able to detect personal data, the subcategory A1, A2 or A3, and the location.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    • Drone specification

    Open the official page

  2. Step 2

    EU residents: use the registration you already have

    If you are registered with the National Aviation Authority of your EU country of primary residence, you do not register again in Ireland. Your home competency certificate is used as it is for open-category flying.

    Visitors eligible · None · None

    • Home state operator registration
    • Home state competency certificate

    Open the official page

  3. Step 3

    UK, US and other third-country residents: register on MySRS

    Create a MySRS account with your email address and verify your identity once. Then register as a drone operator. Registration is of the operator, not of each drone, and covers any number of drones.

    Visitors eligible · EUR 41, valid two years, not refundable · Not stated on any official page

    • Email address
    • Identity verification through MySRS, name and age; the document list is not published

    Open the official page

  4. Step 4

    Do the EU training, because your own is not recognised

    Take the UAS Proof of Online Training on MySRS: about fifteen minutes, a short video and 40 questions with a 75 per cent pass mark. It covers subcategories A1 and A3. The training itself is free; the certificate is required for drones over 250 g. A certificate already issued outside the State can be validated instead for EUR 21.

    Visitors eligible · EUR 51 for the certificate, valid five years; EUR 21 to validate a certificate issued outside the State · About 15 minutes

    • MySRS account

    Open the official page

  5. Step 5

    Subcategory A2: the Remote Pilot Certificate of Competency

    To fly in subcategory A2, or in the specific category, complete further training at a designated UAS training organisation. The examination is 30 questions at a 75 per cent pass mark plus a practical test.

    Visitors eligible · EUR 128, valid five years · Set by the training organisation

    • MySRS account
    • Proof of Online Training

    Open the official page

  6. Step 6

    Label the drone and load the operator ID

    Apply the operator ID to every drone you fly, visible from the outside or inside a compartment that opens without a tool, and upload the number with its three secret digits into the drone's direct remote identification system.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    • Operator ID

    Open the official page

  7. Step 7

    Insurance

    Recreational use under 20 kg needs no insurance under the EU rule, and the IAA recommends third-party cover anyway. Anything else needs cover of at least 0.75 million SDRs per accident for a drone under 500 kg.

    Visitors eligible · Insurer dependent · Insurer dependent

    • Policy details

    Open the official page

  8. Step 8

    Check the geographical zones before every flight

    Open the IAA UAS Geographic Zones page, read the map and download the current data file, then check the AIP section ENR 5.3.1 and the NOTAMs. Where a zone covers your site, contact the named zone authority: 76 of the 87 published zones require its authorisation. Zones may overlap.

    Visitors eligible · Not published · Set by the zone authority; none is published

    • Location
    • Date and time
    • Drone and operator details

    Open the official page

  9. Step 9

    Parks and heritage sites are a separate permission, and often a refusal

    Do not fly recreationally in Killarney National Park, and do not fly at Office of Public Works heritage sites at all. The Burren National Park needs a licence and permission. Commercial or organised activity at Killarney goes through PermitsKNP@npws.gov.ie; wildlife licences go through WildlifeLicence@npws.gov.ie. An IAA registration or authorisation grants nothing here, and a park permission grants nothing in the air.

    Eligibility not stated · Not published; NPWS filming permission requires public liability cover of EUR 6.5 million · Not published

    • Proposed location, dates and purpose
    • Public liability insurance for filming

    Open the official page

  10. Step 10

    Specific category only: operational authorisation or a cross-border application

    To fly outside the open-category limits, apply to the IAA for an operational authorisation, or declare under a standard scenario. If you already hold an authorisation from another EASA member State, file the UAM 009 Annex A application to drones@iaa.ie with the authorisation, the relevant operations-manual sections, a KML of the location and, where the location requires it, a Screening of Appropriate Assessment.

    Visitors not eligible · EUR 1,797 PDRA, EUR 3,595 SORA at SAIL I or II, EUR 514 standard-scenario declaration, EUR 565 Foreign Operator Confirmation · The IAA says without undue delay; no period is published

    • Operations manual
    • Risk assessment or standard scenario declaration
    • KML of the intended location
    • Evidence of insurance

    Open the official page

The numbers

The engine's inputs, each with the verdict our verification pass gave it and the sources it rests on.

FieldWhat the pages sayVerdictSources
May a visiting pilot fly at allYes, after a registration or a notification.Visitors may fly. The conditions are an operator registration (your own EU one, or an Irish one), competency appropriate to the subcategory, the open-category limits, and the published UAS geographical zones.confirmed on the cited pageS2S3S7
EU or EEA registration recognisedYesThe IAA answers this in terms of the EU, not EASA: you may operate in Ireland on a registration held with the National Aviation Authority of another EU state, and you do not register again. The non-EU EASA states, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, appear in no answer on the page, so their position is not settled. A specific-category operation still needs a cross-border application to the IAA.partly confirmedS2
UK registration recognisedNoThe UK has left EASA and is a third country. A UK-resident operator registers in the first EASA member State they intend to operate in, and remote pilots must hold certification from an EASA member State. A UK Operator ID and Flyer ID are worth nothing in Irish airspace.confirmed on the cited pageS2
US registration recognisedNoA non-EU resident registers with the National Aviation Authority of the first EU country they intend to operate in, which for the Republic of Ireland is the IAA. US training and qualifications are not recognised either.confirmed on the cited pageS2
Local registrationRequired from 250 g. Cost: EUR 41. Non-residents: MySRS guides the applicant through authenticating their identity, including name and age. No official page states which documents a non-resident needs, or whether an Irish address or telephone number is required..The IAA wording is over 250 g, not from 250 g, so exactly 250 g is below the weight line. The weight limb rarely decides anything in practice because the second limb catches any drone with a camera or other sensor able to detect personal data, whatever it weighs. Toy drones that comply with the toy safety regulation and are intended for use in play by children under 14 are exempt. EUR 41 comes from the IAA Schedule of Charges, Schedule 6, revision 2026/01, effective 1 January 2026; the registration is valid for two years and is not refundable. No official page states a processing time.confirmed on the cited pageS1S2S6S20
Remote IDFrom 1 January 2024 a direct remote identification system is required on all UAS used in the specific category and on UAS carrying a C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 class identification label, whatever the category of operation. Legacy drones may be exempt under Article 20. The operator uploads the registration number, including its three secret digits, into the system of each drone they own.C0 and C4 are not in the list, so a sub-250 g C0 drone needs no direct remote ID. The IAA's Remote ID web page puts the duty more broadly than UAM 014 does; the memorandum is the applicability rule and is followed here.confirmed on the cited pageS14S2
InsuranceNot mandatory for you · Required for every operation except recreational use under 20 kg, which Regulation (EC) 785/2004 Article 2(b) exempts as model aircraft. The IAA recommends third-party insurance even where the exemption applies.Mandatory is false for the visiting recreational pilot this site is written for. The minimum cover figure applies when cover is required; SDR is the International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Right, and the IAA's own table has no euro column.confirmed on the cited pageS3S11
Altitude ceiling120 m120 m, given as 400 ft on two IAA pages, always measured from the surface of the ground rather than from the take-off point.confirmed on the cited pageS3S4S18
Distance from peopleSet by subcategory, not by a published number. A1 may not fly over assemblies of people, A2 is flying close to people, A3 is flying far from people. An assembly of people is a gathering who cannot disperse because of population density, such as a sports or cultural event, a crowded beach or park, or a street of shops. Uninvolved persons are those who take no part in the operation and do not know the operator's procedures.No IAA page publishes the metre figures for A1, A2 or A3. The page that says distances apply refers the reader to a chart which is the EASA subcategory table, and that table carries no distances either.partly confirmedS3S4
Line of sightRequired. In the open category you may not operate beyond visual line of sight. An unmanned aircraft observer standing alongside the remote pilot may assist, keeping direct visual contact with the drone and scanning the airspace.confirmed on the cited pageS3S18S19
NightPermitted. From 1 July 2022 the drone must be able to indicate its position from all sides with a green flashing light.confirmed on the cited pageS3
Class marksClass marks C0 to C4, privately built aircraft under 25 kg, and legacy drones. A legacy drone is one that does not comply with Regulation (EU) 2019/945, carries no class identification label, is not privately built, weighs less than 25 kg, and was placed on the market before 1 January 2024.confirmed on the cited pageS3S14
FPVPermitted in the open category provided a person stands next to you as an unmanned aircraft observer, keeps direct visual contact with the drone and scans the airspace, and can communicate with you immediately. A drone race run outside a club or association, with no uninvolved persons present, is open category subcategory A3; club races are usually covered by an operational authorisation the club holds.confirmed on the cited pageS19
Commercial useNo permission is needed from the IAA to use a drone commercially. What triggers an operational authorisation is flying outside the open-category limits, not the purpose of the flight.confirmed on the cited pageS3

Every rule we could confirm

Grouped by what they govern. A general rule decides the country's colour for a profile; a situational one applies in a place, a zone or a season.

Registration

Remote ID

Insurance

Minimum age

Permits

Airspace zones

Parks and protected areas

Towns and cities

Altitude

Line of sight

Night

Dropping objects

Commercial use

Privacy

Radio conformity

Customs and import

Parks and protected areas

Who decides, what they decided, and whether there is a way in.

Where the no-fly zones are published

The authority's own map is the one that counts on the day; an app is a convenience, not a source.

There is no single national distance from airports. Control zones and aerodrome zones are individual published geozones, each with its own authority and its own shape, and 46 of the 87 zones exist for air-traffic reasons. The IAA puts the duty on the pilot: assess the area you intend to fly in and visually inspect it for aircraft activity. The only prohibited air-traffic zones are the two Cork Control Zone terrain zones, where access may be requested exclusively for specific-category operations.

Official map
www.iaa.ie
Dataset
www.iaa.ie · GeoJSON in the common unique digital format required by Article 15 of Regulation (EU) 2019/947, following EUROCAE ED-269 and ED-318. 87 features: 76 require authorisation, 7 are conditional, 3 are prohibited, 1 carries no restriction.
Updated
Reissued as the zones change, through Aeronautical Notice U.04. The current notice is issue 30.21, dated 7 October 2026 and effective from 17:00 that day, replacing issue 30.20. The current data file is 20261007_UAS_Zones_Ireland_V1, issued 2026-10-07 at 16:00 UTC.
Apps named
Dronetag, named by the IAA for scanning direct remote ID broadcasts, not for flight planning

Customs and the border

Declaration
No drone-specific declaration exists. The general rule is that goods imported from outside the EU, including Great Britain, need an electronic customs declaration through Revenue's Automated Import System, with import VAT and customs duty payable at the point of import. A traveller arriving from outside the EU has duty-free allowances and may face import charges at the airport or port where they are exceeded. Arrivals from another EU member state face no import formality.
Import authorisation
None identified for a drone. Revenue states that some goods are prohibited and some are restricted or may require a licence, and its prohibitions and restrictions guide lists radio products under conformity rules rather than under licensing.
Radio conformity
A radio product must be declared in conformity with the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU and the European Union (Radio Equipment) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 248 of 2017, must bear the CE mark and must display a declaration of conformity. Products placed on the market before 13 June 2016 fall under the earlier R&TTE regime. In use, a drone's radio links need no individual licence: short range devices are exempt under S.I. No. 160 of 2006 and S.I. No. 405 of 2002 provided they meet ComReg's interface requirements, operating on a non-interference and non-protected basis. 2400 to 2483.5 MHz is allowed at 100 mW e.i.r.p.; model control bands are 26.99 to 27.20 MHz, 34.995 to 35.225 MHz for flying models only, and 40.660 to 40.700 MHz, each at 100 mW e.r.p.

On the ground

What pilots, police and the press report actually happening. This is evidence about behaviour, not law: it never changes the status above, and it is dated and linked so you can judge it yourself.

Enforced17 confirmed cases, from 19 dated reports read · 2021-05 to 2026-09-12 · practice pass 8 October 2026

Nine IAA prosecutions between 2021 and 2026, each published with a name, a court and an amount, and each starting from a public complaint, a detection system or the pilot's own posted footage. Nothing on the record comes from a viewpoint, a park, a beach or a customs desk.

How people fly
Not established for scenic flying, and the gap is a tooling limit rather than a finding: MavicPilots, boards.ie and Reddit all refuse every client used in this pass, so no dated first-person account of a flight at an Irish viewpoint was read. What a visitor is likely to have been told is readable and is partly wrong. DroneRules.world states that registration is not required for most recreational drones in Ireland, which contradicts the IAA duty on any drone over 250 g or carrying a camera or sensor. The Irish Getaways guide is accurate on the parks and the OPW but reports no encounter of any kind, and on the Cliffs of Moher it predicts intervention rather than recording one.
Police and rangers
The detention power is real in practice, not only in the statute: in the May 2021 Pembroke Road case An Garda Siochana detained the drone at the scene and advised the IAA of the infringements. Gardai also prosecute drone flights under aviation and criminal law rather than the UAS rules, and in both Dublin Airport critical-area cases bail banned the accused from using or owning any drone anywhere in the State, in one case with a 2 km exclusion from the airport. On security events, Deputy Commissioner Paul Cleary said on 11 September 2026 that Gardai have been able to identify, track and mitigate drones where a drone enforcement area was in place. Park rangers are the opposite: no NPWS stop is documented at Killarney, the Burren, Connemara, Wild Nephin, Glenveagh or Wicklow Mountains, despite Killarney publishing an outright recreational ban and the Burren requiring a licence. OPW staff do act, in person rather than through prosecution. At Newgrange on 31 October 2023 an employee knocked a drone out of the sky with a sweeping brush after it was steered inside the perimeter and flown low over tourists, and Gardai from Slane then told the drone's owner that flying near people is against the regulations. At Skellig Michael guides have been instructed since 2016 to remind visitors not to fly, after several incidents in one season.
At the border
No usable report.
Fines actually reported
Every amount on the Irish record was imposed by a court, and no fixed charge or on-the-spot notice has been reported as issued to anyone. The largest sum ordered for a flying offence is EUR 5,000 in costs, in the Galway Shopping Centre case in February 2024, where a drone over 6 kg was flown near shoppers. The largest fine is EUR 4,000 plus EUR 1,000 costs for the Thomond Park concert flight, imposed on 9 December 2025 and reduced to EUR 600 on 26 May 2026 when Limerick Circuit Criminal Court allowed an appeal on severity. The rest are small and often not fines at all: EUR 250 to a nominated charity with the charges struck out in January 2026, EUR 400 to a charity plus EUR 750 in IAA costs in March 2026, a charitable contribution or EUR 300 per violation at Naas District Court in July 2026, and the Probation Act plus EUR 2,000 in IAA costs in September 2026. The May 2021 case also ended under the Probation Act with a charitable donation and a costs contribution, with no amounts published.

The law's own penalty schedule is separate: Not established, 4 published fine ranges below.

Where reports cluster

  • Dublin Airport and its 300 m critical area

    The only place in Ireland with routine automated detection, and the only one with a run of prosecutions. The airport was shut four times for up to 45 minutes over two and a half weeks in early 2023, with six flights diverted in one evening to Shannon and Belfast, and two men were charged under the Air Navigation and Transport Acts, both bailed on condition they use no drone anywhere in the State. The IAA drew evidence from the airport's Dedrone system in 2025 to identify three contractor pilots flying in the Dublin Red Zone unregistered, and the daa holds a ComReg authorisation to run counter-drone technology including jamming.

  • Large events and concerts

    The clearest flying-offence prosecution in the country came from a concert, and it started with a member of the public and Gardai reporting it. A drone over Thomond Park during a Snow Patrol concert in July 2024 was flown above 120 m, inside a prohibited area, beyond visual line of sight and close to the crowd; the pilot was fined EUR 4,000 with EUR 1,000 costs in December 2025, reduced to EUR 600 on appeal in May 2026.

  • OPW heritage sites, Newgrange and Skellig Michael

    Staff intervene in person. At Newgrange an OPW employee knocked a drone out of the air with a sweeping brush when it was flown low over tourists inside the perimeter, and the Gardai who attended told the owner that flying near people breaches the regulations. At Skellig Michael guides have been instructed since 2016 to remind visitors not to fly, after several incidents in one season. Neither produced a prosecution, which is the pattern at heritage sites: the ban is enforced by whoever is standing there.

  • Dublin and Cork during the EU Council Presidency, 1 July to 31 December 2026

    Temporary geozones and temporary restricted areas established by An Garda Siochana and the Defence Forces for official events, with fixed start and end times and short notice. They are published in the UAS geographical zone notice and are not on the standing map, and the IAA tells operators to check that publication before each flight.

  • County Clare, around Shannon Airport and Doonbeg, 12 to 14 September 2026

    A 15 nautical mile restricted area around Shannon and a 10 nautical mile one around the Doonbeg golf resort, covering all aircraft including drones unless the IAA authorised them, for a US presidential visit. This is why the Garda statement about identifying, tracking and mitigating drones names Clare; it is not an enforcement posture towards the Cliffs of Moher, which sits in the same county.

  • Prisons, including Cloverhill, Wheatfield, Mountjoy, the Midlands and Portlaoise

    Tracked and prosecuted as drug trafficking rather than as an aviation offence. Prison staff run drone tracking and hand the flight path to the Gardai: at Cloverhill in February 2024 that produced an arrest on nearby wasteland and a 14 month sentence.

  • Industrial and corporate sites

    A flight over a medical devices plant in Co Cork from a public footpath produced a trespass conviction, not an aviation one. The pilot argued that he was insured and entitled to fly from public ground, and the court rejected it, finding the conduct was trespass likely to cause fear.

  • Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, Connemara, Killarney, the Burren, Wild Nephin, Glenveagh, Wicklow Mountains, Phoenix Park, Cork, Shannon and Kerry airports

    No confirmed report of any kind: not a stop, not a fine, not a ranger encounter, not a customs check, in any source reached. Killarney's recreational ban and the Burren's licence requirement are published and wholly undocumented in practice. The absence is a search result, not evidence that flying there is accepted.

Dated reports

  • 2021-05 · Pembroke Road, Dublin, outside the former Israeli embassy · official

    An unlicensed operator flew a drone over a crowd at a public demonstration.

    An Garda Siochana detained the drone at the scene and advised the IAA of the infringements. Judge Anthony Halpin applied the Probation Act with a charitable donation and a contribution to the regulator's costs. The IAA called it the first prosecution of its kind in Ireland. report

  • 2022-07-02 · Dublin Airport critical area, Naul Road, Co Dublin · official

    Flying a drone into the critical area, charged as knowingly causing a false alarm under section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1988.

    Ainis Guzauskus, 41, charged on 21 February 2023 at Dublin District Court before Judge John Hughes. Bail on a EUR 500 bond, passport surrendered, must not use, own or fly any drone in the State at any time, and not go within 2 km of the airport. No final outcome located. report

  • 2022-10 · Galway Shopping Centre, Headford Road, Galway · official

    A drone weighing over 6 kg flown near shoppers and families without authorisation. A member of the public reported it to the IAA.

    John Lane pleaded guilty to multiple offences under section 74 of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993. Judge Mary Fahy ordered EUR 5,000 in costs, the largest sum ordered in any Irish drone case. He has since completed further training. report

  • 2023-01-24 · Naul Road, Cloghran, Co Dublin, inside the 300 m critical area of Dublin Airport · press

    Alleged intentional interference with air navigation facilities by operating a drone in the critical area, in a way likely to interfere with the safety of aircraft in flight.

    Eric Brills, 50, charged; Dublin District Court, Judge Treasa Kelly, 10 February 2023, bail conditional on operating no unmanned aircraft and surrendering his passport. He later pleaded not guilty and was sent for trial before a judge and jury. No verdict located. report

  • 2023-02-06 · Dublin Airport · press

    A third day of drone disruption in one week. Across two and a half weeks the airport was shut four times for up to 45 minutes.

    Six flights diverted on the Monday evening, some to Shannon and Belfast. The daa called the behaviour reckless and irresponsible and said those responsible would face prosecution. report

  • 2023-08-16 · Stryker medical devices plant, Anngrove, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork · press

    Kieran Jones, 54, flew his drone over the plant from a public footpath without permission, told staff he was recording aerial footage, refused to delete footage of a security officer, and refused to give his name and address to the Garda who attended.

    Arrested. Judge Colm Roberts found the conduct was trespass likely to cause fear and rejected the argument that being insured and standing on a public footpath made the flight lawful. Sentencing was deferred to 23 May 2024. report

  • 2023-10-31 · Newgrange, Bru na Boinne, Co Meath · press

    A drone was flown outside the monument's perimeter, then steered inside it and low over tourists.

    An OPW employee knocked the drone out of the sky with a sweeping brush. The drone's owner called the Gardai; Gardai from Slane investigated, interviewed witnesses, and told the owner that flying a drone near people is against the regulations. No prosecution reported for either party. report

  • 2024-02-12 · Cloverhill Prison, Dublin · press

    A drone carrying heroin was flown over the prison. Prison staff saw it, tracked its flight path with a tracking system, and gave the track to the Gardai, who searched wasteland nearby.

    Wayne McDonnell, 39, pleaded guilty to possession or control of a drone with intent to fly a controlled substance into the prison, and was jailed for 14 months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. report

  • 2024-03 · Ireland, location not published · official

    A drone security occurrence, prosecuted together with the Thomond Park flights.

    Formed one limb of the prosecution of Krzysztof Luszczki. No separate outcome is published for the March limb. report

  • 2024-07 · Thomond Park, Limerick, during a Snow Patrol concert · official

    A drone flown above 120 m, inside a prohibited area, beyond visual line of sight and at an unsafe distance from an assembly of people. A member of the public and An Garda Siochana reported it.

    Krzysztof Luszczki, of Clonmacken, Limerick, pleaded guilty to two counts and was found guilty of two more. Limerick District Court, Judge Catherine Ryan, 9 December 2025: a EUR 4,000 fine and EUR 1,000 towards costs. report

  • 2026-01-27 · Three locations around Ireland, flight dates not published · official

    Flying in prohibited airspace without authorisation and beyond visual line of sight at dangerous altitudes.

    Helton Assuncao, a drone operator and photographer, pleaded guilty. Judge Michael Ramsey directed EUR 250 to a nominated charity within three months and the charges to be struck out. report

  • 2026-03-24 · Ireland, District Court, location not published · official

    Failing to cooperate with an IAA investigation, by not attending a scheduled interview and not providing requested information, then flying a drone after a formal IAA direction not to.

    Alan Brennan pleaded guilty. EUR 400 to Little Flower Penny Dinners and EUR 750 towards the IAA's legal costs. report

  • 2026-05-26 · Limerick Circuit Criminal Court · press

    Appeal against the sentence for the Thomond Park concert flight.

    Judge Colin Daly allowed the appeal on grounds of severity and reduced the EUR 4,000 fine to EUR 600. The IAA does not publish appeal outcomes, so the country's largest drone fine stands at EUR 600 in fact and EUR 4,000 in most secondary accounts. report

  • 2026-07-30 · Near Glasnevin, Dublin, for offences committed over 2024 and 2025 · official

    Operating without a UAS operator registration, flying above the altitude limit inside a UAS restricted zone, and operating beyond visual line of sight.

    Pleaded guilty at Naas District Court. The court ordered a charitable contribution, or a fine of EUR 300 per violation if it is not made. Announced with the IAA's Fly Smart, Fly Safe campaign, which asks the public to report unsafe drone use. report

  • 2026-09-08 · Off Howth, north Co Dublin, about 10 miles from a navigation point · press

    An Aer Lingus pilot inbound to Dublin from Cornwall reported a large drone at 6,000 ft at about 17:20.

    Garda investigation. Air traffic control had no radar return, no other pilot corroborated it, and the IAA confirmed no authorised civilian drone operation was in the area. Nobody identified or arrested; the Taoiseach called the sighting unverified. report

  • 2026-09-08 · Ireland, District Court, flight locations not published · press

    Infringing restricted airspace and failing to display an operator registration. The IAA found out because the pilot posted videos of the flights on social media.

    Ricardo Rea, a drone operator and photographer, pleaded guilty. The court first ordered him to promote compliance through his own social channels, then applied the Probation Act and directed EUR 2,000 towards the IAA's legal costs. report

  • 2026-09-12 · 15 nautical miles around Shannon Airport and 10 nautical miles around the Doonbeg golf resort, Co Clare · press

    Temporary restricted areas for a US presidential visit, covering all aircraft including drones unless explicitly authorised by the IAA, from 12 to 14 September 2026.

    Enforced for the duration. Deputy Commissioner Paul Cleary said on 11 September 2026 that Gardai had been able to identify, track and mitigate drones where a drone enforcement area was in place. report

What the law says it costs

Published penalty ranges. What has actually been charged, where anyone reported it, is in the section above.

OffenceRangeSources
Contravening an order or regulation made under the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, which includes the drones order S.I. No. 24 of 2023On summary conviction a fine not exceeding EUR 5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both; on conviction on indictment a fine not exceeding EUR 500,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or both.S23
Obstructing or impeding an authorised officer, or failing to furnish informationOn summary conviction a fine not exceeding EUR 5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both.S23
Flying without the required operator registrationNo separate tariff is published. The IAA can take enforcement action up to detaining the drone, then bring summary proceedings in the District Court or initiate indictment proceedings with the Director of Public Prosecutions, which puts it in the ranges above.S2S4S23
Fixed charge, or on-the-spot, notice for a drone offenceNo amount exists yet. The power is section 63F of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, inserted on 1 May 2022 and commenced by S.I. No. 220 of 2023, and it names unmanned aircraft explicitly: where the officer cannot identify the pilot, the notice is served on the registered operator. It bites only on offences the Minister declares to be fixed charge offences by regulations that also prescribe the amounts, and no such regulations were found. On 20 August 2025 the Department of Transport said it will introduce them. Payment window 28 days.S23S24

Confiscation: Yes, as detention rather than forfeiture. A member of An Garda Síochána may detain a drone under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 where an accident or serious incident comes to their notice, or where a breach of the EU regulations or of S.I. No. 24 of 2023 is suspected. The IAA, an authorised officer or a Garda may also direct an operator not to fly and take the steps necessary to detain the drone at a suitable location. A drone detained by the Authority is held only for as long as the investigation needs, and where a decision is taken not to prosecute it is returned to the registered owner or operator.

Criminal liability: Breaches are criminal. The IAA may bring summary proceedings by lodging a summons in the District Court, or initiate indictment proceedings with the Director of Public Prosecutions, and says it has brought a number of successful prosecutions against drone operators. Where an aircraft is involved, both the operator and the pilot in command are deemed to have contravened the provision. Summary proceedings may be instituted within 12 months of the offence.

What we could not confirm

Printed rather than hidden. A brief that answers everything has usually guessed somewhere, and a gap here is a real gap in the official pages or a page we could not reach.

1 cited pages refused our checks and are marked unreachable in the source list.

Sources that disagree

  1. How long a MySRS operator registration takes to issue. No official page states a processing time.
  2. Which identity documents a non-resident needs for MySRS, and whether an Irish address or telephone number is required. The page says only that the portal guides you through authenticating name and age.
  3. The numeric separation distances for subcategories A1, A2 and A3. The IAA publishes the subcategory names and an EASA chart; neither carries metres.
  4. Whether the fixed charge, or on-the-spot fine, regime has been brought into force for drone offences, and what the amounts would be. The power exists in section 63F of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993 but the prescribing regulations were not found.
  5. Any Irish rule on carrying lithium batteries. No official page addresses it, so the airline and dangerous goods rules apply by default.
  6. What a visitor must do at the border with a personally owned drone carried in and taken out again. Every Revenue page reached is written about importing goods, and neither temporary admission nor returned goods is described.
  7. The licence terms of the UAS geographical zones dataset. The file carries no licence field and the page states none.
  8. Whether a drone rule, permit route, fee or season exists for Connemara, Wild Nephin, Glenveagh or Wicklow Mountains National Parks. Each park page was opened and none mentions drones.
  9. Whether the NPWS will license a recreational drone flight in any national park at all, what it costs and how long it takes. The only published routes are the Killarney commercial permit and the wildlife licence.
  10. Whether any drone rule applies at the Cliffs of Moher or along the Ring of Kerry. Neither is an OPW site nor a national park, and no official page covers them.
  11. What a visiting Irish or EU operator must do to fly in Northern Ireland. The UK Civil Aviation Authority's registration pages return HTTP 200 with a navigation shell and no rule text, so the UK half of the border question is unanswered here.
  12. Whether any Irish municipality or local authority has made a drone restriction of its own. None was found.
  13. How many drone complaints the IAA receives, how many it investigates, and how many end in a warning rather than a prosecution. The practice pass located nine completed IAA prosecutions from 2022 to 2026, each published by the IAA itself, but the IAA publishes no enforcement statistics, so the share of incidents that reach court is unknown.
  14. Whether any visiting pilot from abroad has been stopped, warned or prosecuted in Ireland. Every located case concerns a resident, and two of the three flying-offence cases of 2026 publish neither a flight date nor a location.
  15. Whether a drone counts as an aircraft for the forfeiture power in section 74(8) of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, which excludes aircraft from what a court may order forfeited on indictment.

What changed, and when

Dated changes to the rules, newest first.

  1. 7 October 2026

    Aeronautical Notice U.04 reaches issue 30.21, effective 17:00, and the geographical zones data file is reissued as 20261007_UAS_Zones_Ireland_V1 with 87 zones.

    S8S9

  2. 16 January 2026

    Aeronautical Notice U.05 exempts holders of IAA remote pilot certificates issued before 14 August 2021 from revalidating them, until 15 August 2026. That date has passed, so the exemption has lapsed; it never applied to a visiting pilot, because it was limited to IAA-issued certificates.

    S10S16

  3. 1 January 2026

    Schedule 6 of the IAA Schedule of Charges, revision 2026/01, takes effect: operator registration EUR 41 for two years, online training certificate EUR 51, validation of a certificate issued outside the State EUR 21, A2 competency EUR 128.

    S6

  4. 20 August 2025

    The Department of Transport publishes the National Policy Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. It announces that fixed charge offences for breaches of the UAS rules will be introduced, a National Working Group on UAS Geographical Zones will be set up, and the IAA, An Garda Síochána and the Data Protection Commission will build an inter-agency investigation mechanism. None of this is law yet.

    S24

  5. 10 June 2025

    UAM 009 on cross-border operations reaches issue 2, updating the local-conditions requirements and naming the NPWS environmental restrictions and S.I. No. 24 of 2023 explicitly.

    S12S15

  6. 1 January 2024

    Direct remote identification becomes mandatory for all specific-category UAS and for C1, C2, C3, C5 and C6 class-marked drones. The same date is the legacy-drone cut-off: a drone placed on the market before it, with no class label, is legacy.

    S14

  7. 10 March 2023

    S.I. No. 103 of 2023 amends the drones order so that a certified aerodrome operator may deploy a counter-UAS system with the Authority's approval.

    S22

  8. 7 February 2023

    S.I. No. 24 of 2023, the Irish Aviation Authority (Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)) Order 2023, is notified in Iris Oifigiúil after being made on 2 February. It revokes the 2015 drones and rockets order and sets the detention, investigation and privacy provisions.

    S21

  9. 1 July 2022

    Night flight requires the drone to indicate its position from all sides with a green flashing light.

    S3

  10. 31 December 2020

    Regulation (EU) 2019/947 takes effect, and training completed under the earlier Irish regime no longer counts.

    S5

  11. 21 September 2020

    The operator registration system replaces registration of individual drones. One registration covers any number of drones.

    S2

Checked 8 October 2026. Newer than that? Look here:

Rules move between our checks. The official pages publish the change; the community pages are where someone notices it first.

Official pages

Where pilots report

Sources

Every page this brief rests on, with the date we opened it and, where the page carries one, the date printed on the document itself.

  1. S1official

    Drone Operator Registration

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    If you own a drone over 250gr or if it has a camera, you are legally required to register as an operator. [...] Registration as an operator costs may be found in our schedule of charges and is valid for two years.

    Rule and procedure page, seven steps. No date shown on the page.

  2. S2official

    Registration FAQ

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    Post-Brexit, as the UK has left EASA, mutual recognition of qualifications or authorisations no longer exists, and the UK is now classed as a 'third-country' operator under Reg (EU) 2019/945.

    Rule page, 25 questions and answers. It carries the UK answer, the non-EU answer, the EU recognition answer, the toy exception, the labelling rule, the minimum age and the enforcement answer. No date shown on the page.

  3. S3official

    Safety & Regulations FAQ

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    The regulations apply EVERYWHERE in Irish airspace. Be advised that there may be privacy or trespass laws or other legal issues that should be taken into consideration by the person operating the drone.

    Rule page. Carries the night light rule, the insurance exemption, the commercial answer, the open-category definition, the assembly and uninvolved-person definitions and the 120 m measurement. No date shown on the page.

  4. S4official

    Drone Remote Identification

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    the Authority can initiate several enforcement actions up to and including the detention of drones that do not meet the legal and safety requirements, or if deemed warranted, summary proceedings may be taken by the Authority

    Rule and policy page. The source of the detention statement, the oversight statement and the past-prosecutions statement, and of the 120 m and VLOS lines. No date shown on the page.

  5. S5official

    Drone Training, Remote Pilot Competency

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    Completion of this training allows you to fly in the Open Subcategory A1 and A3. To fly in the Subcategory A2 or Specific Category you must complete further training to obtain an 'UAS Remote Pilot Competency Certificate'

    Rule page. Also states that training courses are conducted in English, the 40 and 30 question tests at a 75 per cent pass mark, the two-year operator renewal and the five-year pilot renewal. No date shown on the page.

  6. S6official

    Schedule of Fees 6, Unmanned Aircraft Systems

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-01-01 · opened 2026-10-08

    Operator Registration 41 2yrs / Proof of Completion of the Online Training (Open A1/A3) 51 5yrs / Validation of Open A1/A3 certificate issued outside of the state 21

    Fee schedule PDF, revision 2026/01, effective 1 January 2026, read with the Read tool. Neither research pass opened it; it carries every fee on this page. All fees in Euro and VAT exempt.

  7. S7official

    UAS Geographic Zones

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    N.B. REFERENCE ONLY, NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION! Always consult before each flight the published TRAs, NOTAMS and UAS Geographical Zones data file. BE AWARE: Zones may overlap

    Rule page. Hosts the GeoJSON download and an embedded ArcGIS viewer. No date shown on the page.

  8. S8official

    Ireland UAS Geographical Zones, GeoJSON data file

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-10-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    "provider": "Irish Aviation Authority", "issued": "2026-10-07T16:00:00+00:00", "validFrom": "2026-10-07T16:00:00+00:00"

    The dataset itself, 87 features, parsed rather than rendered. The zone counts, the reason breakdown, the zone-authority list and the three prohibited zones on this page all come from reading it. It carries no licence field.

  9. S9official

    Aeronautical Notice U.04, Direction on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Geographical Zones, issue 30.21

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-10-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    hereby directs that as and from 17:00hrs on 7th October 2026 the extent of the UAS geographical zones shall be as outlined in this document and associated appendices.

    Binding direction, 54 pages, made under Article 15(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 and Articles 7 and 10 of S.I. No. 266 of 2019. It names the data file and the AIP section ENR 5.3.1, and replaces issue 30.20.

  10. S10official

    Aeronautical Notice U.05, exemption from revalidation of remote pilot competency

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-01-16 · opened 2026-10-08

    Limited to remote pilots certificates issued by the Irish Aviation Authority prior to 14th August 2021. [...] shall be exempt from the requirements to revalidate [...] until 15th August 2026.

    Direction. Listed here because it is one of only two live Aeronautical Notices, and because a visiting pilot is not eligible for it: it covers IAA-issued certificates only, and the exemption period has in any case ended.

  11. S11official

    UAM 004, Guidance on Insurance Requirements for UAS Operations

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2021-11-25 · opened 2026-10-08

    Reg (EC) 785/2004 Article 2 (b) exempts "model aircraft with an MTOM of less than 20 kg". Model aircraft can be taken to mean UAS intended for sport or recreational use only.

    Guidance PDF. The minimum-cover table is an image and was read with the Read tool: category 1, MTOM under 500 kg, 0.75 million SDRs.

  12. S12official

    UAM 009, Guidance on Cross-border Operations or Operations Outside the State of Registration, issue 2

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2025-06-10 · opened 2026-10-08

    Operators shall adhere to NPWS Environmental Restrictions. [...] See Irish Aviation Authority (Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)) Order 2023 (SI 24 of 2023) for national regulations on UAS.

    Guidance PDF, specific category only. It defines cross-border operations, sets the Annex A application, and is the IAA document that points at both the NPWS restrictions and the Habitats Directive screening.

  13. S13official

    UAM 010, Guidance on UAS Geographical Zones JSON file

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2023-06-15 · opened 2026-10-08

    YES: MTOM < 25 kg AND used exclusively for display or recreational activities. (According to Reg. (EU) 923/2012)

    Guidance PDF. Defines what the CONDITIONAL zones in the data file mean: the model-aircraft exemption and the Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland dropping exemption, with its 100 g, secured-dropzone and observer limits.

  14. S14official

    UAM 014, Guidance on Direct Remote ID, issue 2

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2024-03-06 · opened 2026-10-08

    From 01st January 2024, the following UAS need to be equipped with a direct remote identification system: All UAS used in the specific category, UAS with C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 class identification label (CIL)

    Guidance PDF. The applicability rule and the legacy-drone definition come from here, and they correct the query premise that Remote ID applies to C1 and above.

  15. S15official

    UAS Advisory Memoranda

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    UAM 009 Guidance on Cross-border Operations or Operations Outside the State of Registration 10/06/2025

    Index page over two pages of listings, with each memorandum's issue date. The research pass cited it for one line about UAM 010 and never followed a download link.

  16. S16official

    UAS Aeronautical Notices

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    U04 Direction on UAS Geo Zones 07/10/2026 / U05 Exemption from the requirement for remote pilot theoretical competency 16/01/2026

    Index page. Only two notices are live, which is how the currency of U.04 was established. Neither research pass reached this page, although the safety FAQ links to a notice by number.

  17. S17official

    Data Privacy and Drones

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    if the UAV is equipped with a sensor system capable of recording personal data (unless the UAS falls under the EU Toy Directive - Directive 2009/48/EC), the operator must be registered.

    Rule page. It ties the registration duty to the sensor and names the Toy Directive as the exception, which is the clearest statement of the toy carve-out on any IAA page.

  18. S18official

    Geographical Zones FAQ

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    In the open category, you must not operate your drone beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) or above a height of 400ft (120m) above ground level.

    Rule page, four questions. It puts the airport-proximity duty on the pilot rather than stating a distance. Neither research pass reached it.

  19. S19official

    Model Aircraft & FPV FAQ

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    The Regulation allows you to fly without keeping direct eye contact with the drone, provided you have a person next to you, a UA observer, keeping direct visual contact with the drone, scanning the airspace

    Rule page, three questions. The only official Irish page that answers the FPV question directly; the research pass reported FPV conditions as not stated.

  20. S20official

    MySRS FAQ

    Irish Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    your registration as a drone operator is a unique transaction that remains valid for two years, regardless of the amount of subsequent flying you do

    Procedure page. Also states that a European drone competence certificate is valid five years, and that the public cannot look up who owns a drone.

  21. S21official

    S.I. No. 24/2023, Irish Aviation Authority (Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)) Order 2023

    Office of the Attorney General, Irish Statute Book · document dated 2023-02-02 · opened 2026-10-08

    a member of an Garda Síochána may, in accordance with Section 7 of the Act of 2006, detain the UAS [...] Any UAS detained by the Authority will only be detained for such time as is necessary

    Statute, full text read. Made 2 February 2023, notice published in Iris Oifigiúil on 7 February 2023. It revokes the 2015 order, sets the detention and investigation powers and the privacy duties, and contains no penalty tariff of its own.

  22. S22official

    S.I. No. 103/2023, Irish Aviation Authority (Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2023

    Office of the Attorney General, Irish Statute Book · document dated 2023-03-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    An aerodrome operator certified in accordance with the EASA Regulations may deploy a Counter-UAS System (C-UAS) for use within the aerodrome, subject to the approval of the Authority.

    Statute amending S21. Neither research pass found that the principal order had been amended.

  23. S23official

    Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, revised

    Law Reform Commission · document dated 2025-08-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding [EUR 5,000] or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [6 months] or to both, or (ii) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding [EUR 500,000]

    Consolidated statute, updated to 7 August 2025. Sections 63F (fixed charge offences, inserted 1 May 2022, commenced by S.I. No. 220 of 2023) and 74 (penalties, substituted 4 April 2006 by the Aviation Act 2006) were read. The amounts in the originally enacted text are in Irish pounds and must not be used.

  24. S24official

    National Policy Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) published

    Department of Transport · document dated 2025-08-20 · opened 2026-10-08

    the Department of Transport will introduce fixed charge offences for infringement of UAS regulations to augment the already extensive enforcement provisions in aviation, civil and criminal law already on the statute book

    Press release, published 20 August 2025 and last updated 16 September 2025. Policy, not law. It is the reason the widely repeated claim that Ireland introduced drone on-the-spot fines in August 2025 is wrong: the sentence is in the future tense and no prescribing regulations exist.

  25. S25official

    Killarney National Park

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    The recreational use of Drones is not permitted within the grounds of Killarney National Park. Drones affect wildlife, in particular nesting birds. They also impact on our visitors experience

    Park rule page. The research pass concluded from an NPWS contact page that no park drone rule could be confirmed; the rule is on the park's own landing page under Permits.

  26. S26official

    Killarney National Park, Contact and FAQs

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    Can I use a drone in the National Park? The recreational use of Drones is not permitted within the grounds of Killarney National Park.

    Park FAQ, which repeats the rule as a direct answer to the question a visitor asks.

  27. S27official

    The Burren National Park

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    No drone use is permitted without a licence and permission.

    Park rule page, under its visitor guidance. The query never named the Burren; it is the second of only two Irish national parks that publish a drone rule.

  28. S28official

    Permission to film at sites managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · document dated 2024-06 · opened 2026-10-08

    For drone use, there should be no hovering over or chasing of wildlife. There should be no fast passes close to the ground. Disturbance to wildlife should always be avoided.

    Standing permission conditions, not an individual decision. Also requires evidence of public liability insurance of EUR 6.5 million, and a separate licence to film the habitat of a protected species. The document date is taken from its upload path; the PDF prints none.

  29. S29official

    Contact Us

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    To contact a member of staff in relation to licences, please email WildlifeLicence@npws.gov.ie.

    Contact page. It carries the licence route and nothing about drones; it was the research pass's only parks source.

  30. S30official

    Filming and Photography

    Office of Public Works · opened 2026-10-08

    Drone Filming. The use of UAVs/drones is prohibited at all OPW Heritage sites.

    Policy page. The sentence is general but sits under a Drone Filming heading, which is why this file marks the blanket reading partial and relies on Dún Aonghasa for the unqualified form.

  31. S31official

    Dún Aonghasa

    Office of Public Works · opened 2026-10-08

    Please note it is not permitted to fly drones at Dún Aonghasa. This is for the safety and comfort of visitors and staff.

    Site page. It states the prohibition twice in prose and lists Drones are prohibited and No Drones among the site's restrictions, with no filming qualifier.

  32. S32official

    Clearing taxable goods through Customs

    Revenue Commissioners · document dated 2026-02-12 · opened 2026-10-08

    If you import goods from outside the European Union (EU), you or your agent must complete a Customs declaration. This Customs declaration must be made electronically using Revenue's Automated Import System (AIS).

    General import rule. Nothing drone-specific.

  33. S33official

    Import and export procedures

    Revenue Commissioners · document dated 2026-09-29 · opened 2026-10-08

    If you import goods from outside the European Union (EU), including Great Britain (GB), you or your agent must complete a customs declaration.

    General import rule. The page prints 29 September 2026 as its published date; the gap-pass brief recorded 11 February 2026, which the page contradicts.

  34. S34official

    Travelling from outside the EU

    Revenue Commissioners · document dated 2025-12-22 · opened 2026-10-08

    You can bring in goods within your duty-free allowances without paying import charges if you are travelling to Ireland from outside the European Union (EU)

    Traveller overview. It is written about goods purchased abroad, not about equipment carried in and out, which is the gap this file records.

  35. S35official

    Prohibitions and Restrictions

    Revenue Commissioners · document dated 2022-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    Radio products must not be placed on the market or put into services unless declared in conformity with the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU (RED) and its corresponding national legislation

    Guidance PDF dated November 2022, which says of itself that the information is provided as a guide only and is not professional advice. It lists no drone entry.

  36. S36official

    Permitted Short Range Devices in Ireland, document 02/71 R16

    Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) · document dated 2024-05-20 · opened 2026-10-08

    SRDs operate on a non-interference and non-protected basis in accordance with the requirements laid down in this document [...] are exempt from licensing by exemption orders S.I. 160 of 2006 and S.I. 405 of 2002.

    Interface requirements, 78 pages. Section 2.8 gives the model control bands and section 2.3 the 2400 to 2483.5 MHz allowance. The radio regulator was one of the four official domains the research pass could not reach.

  37. S37officialcould not be opened

    Registering as an operator

    UK Civil Aviation Authority · opened 2026-10-08

    Not opened. Three URL forms and a WebFetch all returned HTTP 200 with a navigation shell and no rule text, so under the rule that a 200 status is not a page this counts as unreachable. It is listed because it is the page that would answer the Northern Ireland half of the border question, which therefore stays unverified.

  38. S38official

    Connemara National Park

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    Opened and read in full; the word drone does not appear. Listed to back a negative finding, not a rule.

  39. S39official

    Wild Nephin National Park

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    Opened and read in full; the word drone does not appear. The older /ballycroy/ and /wildnephin/ paths return 404.

  40. S40official

    Glenveagh National Park

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    Opened and read in full; the word drone does not appear.

  41. S41official

    Wicklow Mountains National Park

    National Parks and Wildlife Service · opened 2026-10-08

    Opened and read in full; the word drone does not appear.

  42. S42official

    Sceilg Mhichíl UNESCO World Heritage Property

    Office of Public Works · opened 2026-10-08

    Sceilg Mhichíl is now closed for the 2026 season. We look forward to welcoming visitors again in 2027.

    Site page. It carries no drone statement of its own, unlike Dún Aonghasa, so the OPW blanket prohibition is what reaches it.

  43. S43official tourism

    Cliffs of Moher Experience, frequently asked questions

    Cliffs of Moher Experience · opened 2026-10-08

    Opened and read in full. No drone rule anywhere on it; the only occurrence of the word is the title of a video. Listed to back a negative finding.

  44. S44official

    Aviation Regulator successfully prosecutes drone operation

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2022-05-30 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. The first prosecution of its kind: the May 2021 Pembroke Road demonstration flight, drone detained by Gardai at the scene, Probation Act with a charitable donation and costs. No amounts published.

  45. S45press

    First of its kind prosecution in Ireland for illegal use of drone with potential for public safety risk

    sUAS News · opened 2026-10-08

    Reprint of the IAA release with the same facts; used to confirm the event month, May 2021.

  46. S46official

    Aviation Regulator successfully prosecutes drone operator

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2024-02-06 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. Galway Shopping Centre flight of October 2022, drone over 6 kg near shoppers, reported by a member of the public; EUR 5,000 costs ordered.

  47. S47official

    Drone Pilot Found Guilty of Breaching Safety Rules at Snow Patrol Concert

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2025-12-09 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. Thomond Park, July 2024, Snow Patrol concert; Limerick District Court 2025-12-09, EUR 4,000 fine and EUR 1,000 costs. Also covers a March 2024 security occurrence prosecuted alongside it.

  48. S48press

    Man convicted of flying drone over Snow Patrol concert has fines reduced on appeal

    Limerick Post · document dated 2026-05-26 · opened 2026-10-08

    Local court report, the only place the appeal outcome appears: Limerick Circuit Criminal Court reduced the Thomond Park fine from EUR 4,000 to EUR 600 on 2026-05-26. The IAA does not publish appeal outcomes.

  49. S49press

    Snow Patrol gig drone stunt lands Limerick pilot with EUR 4,000 fine

    The Anglo-Celt · document dated 2025-12-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regional press report of the Thomond Park conviction, two days after the IAA release; same amounts.

  50. S50official

    Drone Pilot Found Guilty of Unauthorised and Potentially Dangerous Flying

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-01-27 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. Prohibited airspace and BVLOS at three unpublished locations; EUR 250 to a nominated charity and the charges struck out. No flight date or place published.

  51. S51official

    IAA Prosecutes Drone Operator for Impeding Investigation and Breach of Direction

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-03-24 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. Failing to cooperate with an IAA investigation and flying after a formal direction not to; EUR 400 to a charity and EUR 750 towards IAA costs.

  52. S52official

    Aviation Regulator and An Garda Siochana successfully prosecute drone pilot

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-07-30 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release, dated 2026-07-30 on the page although the URL carries 07/31. Glasnevin area, offences 2024 to 2025, Naas District Court; charitable contribution or EUR 300 per violation. Launched with the Fly Smart, Fly Safe reporting campaign.

  53. S53press

    IAA Successfully Prosecutes Drone Pilot for Infringing on Restricted Airspace

    sUAS News · opened 2026-10-08

    Reprint of an IAA release that the iaa.ie index had already rotated past. Restricted airspace and no displayed registration, found through the pilot's own social media videos; Probation Act and EUR 2,000 IAA costs.

  54. S54official

    Court Appearance, Illegal Drone Activity at Dublin Airport, 2nd July 2022

    An Garda Siochana · document dated 2023-02-21 · opened 2026-10-08

    Garda press release. Dublin Airport critical area flight of 2022-07-02, charged under section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1988; bail bars owning or flying any drone in the State. No final outcome located.

  55. S55press

    Man accused of causing drone security alert at Dublin Airport before court

    The Irish Times · document dated 2023-02-21 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report of the same court appearance as S54; confirms the bail conditions.

  56. S56press

    Man accused of flying a drone close to Dublin Airport granted bail

    BreakingNews.ie · document dated 2023-02-10 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report. Naul Road, Dublin Airport critical area, 2023-01-24; bail conditional on not operating any UAS. Later sent for jury trial; no verdict located.

  57. S57press

    Anger as Drone Activity at Dublin Airport Causes Day 3 of Disruption

    AviationPros · document dated 2023-02-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report of the February 2023 run of Dublin Airport closures: four shutdowns in two and a half weeks, six diversions on 2023-02-06. Airspace disruption, not a baggage or customs case.

  58. S58press

    DAA receives legal approval to stop drone incursions at airport

    Travel Extra · document dated 2024-10-26 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report. daa received legal approval to stop drone incursions at Dublin Airport; context for the detection and mitigation record.

  59. S59press

    Broom Na Boinne, OPW worker took down low-flying drone at Newgrange with a brush

    Meath Chronicle · document dated 2023-11-08 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regional press report. Newgrange, 2023-10-31: an OPW worker knocked a drone flown low over tourists out of the air with a brush; Gardai from Slane told the owner flying near people breaks the regulations. No prosecution reported.

  60. S60press

    Skellig Michael guide voices concern over drone use

    The Irish Times · document dated 2016-10-04 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report, 2016-10-04. Skellig Michael guides instructed to remind visitors not to fly after several incidents in one season. Old, kept as the only on-site account for the island.

  61. S61press

    Drone Pilot Trespasses at Stryker's Cork Plant

    DroneXL · document dated 2024-05-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report. Stryker plant, Carrigtwohill, 2023-08-16: flight from a public footpath, refusal to give name to Gardai, arrest, and a finding of trespass likely to cause fear. Insurance and footpath launch did not help.

  62. S62press

    Man caught with drone containing heroin flying over Cloverhill Prison jailed for 14 months

    Dublin People · document dated 2025-03-25 · opened 2026-10-08

    Local court report. Cloverhill Prison, 2024-02-12, drone carrying heroin tracked by prison staff; 14 months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

  63. S63press

    Drones "mitigated" during recent security events, gardai say

    Irish Examiner · document dated 2026-09-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report. Deputy Commissioner Paul Cleary, 2026-09-11: Gardai identified, tracked and mitigated drones where a drone enforcement area was in place.

  64. S65press

    Temporary restricted airspace zones established for Trump visit to County Clare

    Travel Extra · document dated 2026-09-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    Press report. Temporary restricted areas around Shannon Airport and Doonbeg for the US presidential visit, 12 to 14 September 2026, covering drones unless authorised by the IAA.

  65. S66official

    Temporary Airspace Restrictions Introduced for EU Presidency Events

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2026-07-01 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. Temporary airspace restrictions for the EU Presidency events from July 2026.

  66. S67official

    Drone breaches near Dublin Airport spark regulator action

    Irish Aviation Authority · document dated 2025-11-04 · opened 2026-10-08

    Regulator press release. Drone breaches near Dublin Airport prompting regulator action, 2025-11-04.

  67. S68press

    Drone pilot found guilty of unauthorised BVLOS operations in Ireland

    Unmanned Airspace · document dated 2025-12-12 · opened 2026-10-08

    Trade press report of the January 2026 BVLOS conviction (S50), carrying the same outcome.

  68. S69secondary

    Drone Photography in Ireland: Laws, Weather and Best Locations

    Irish Getaways · document dated 2026-04-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    Travel guide. Accurate on the parks and the OPW ban, but reports no encounter of any kind; it predicts intervention at the Cliffs of Moher rather than recording one.

  69. S70secondary

    Ireland Drone Laws 2026: Rules and No-Fly Zones

    DroneRules.world · document dated 2026-08-24 · opened 2026-10-08

    Aggregator page. States that registration is not required for most recreational drones in Ireland, which contradicts the IAA duty for any drone over 250 g or carrying a camera. Cited as an example of what a visitor may have been told.