dronetravel.guideBriefings checked 8 Oct 2026

Countries · Northern Europe (Baltics) · EASA rules

Latvia

EASA residents fly on their home registration. Anyone resident outside the EU registers with the CAA for EUR 5 a year if Latvia is their first EU state, buys liability insurance (EUR 50,000 in A1 and A2) and passes the Latvian-language A1/A3 exam from 250 g. Pilots must be 16.

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

38 rules · 88 sources, 61 of them official · 16 fields unconfirmed · Civilās aviācijas aģentūra (Civil Aviation Agency of Latvia, CAA) · CAA Unmanned Aircraft Information System (BGKIS), e.caa.gov.lv

Everything below follows these two answers. Saved on this device, not sent anywhere.

Your answer

Every engine field and the workflow rest on official pages.

What decides it

  • Below 250 g, operator registration is still mandatory if the drone has a camera or another sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy for children under 14.confirmed on the cited page
  • Mark each drone with the operator number (LVA followed by characters), readable without tools; the battery compartment is allowed if it opens without tools. Use the operator number, not the remote ID or remote pilot number.confirmed on the cited page
  • Operator registration lapses after one year and must be renewed.confirmed on the cited page
  • Operators must be at least 16 to register.confirmed on the cited page
  • The remote pilot must be at least 16, except for a privately built drone or toy under 250 g, or under the direct supervision of a competent pilot aged 16 or over.confirmed on the cited page
  • Under 250 g the insurance duty is lifted only if the drone's maximum speed is under 19 m/s; otherwise the EUR 50,000 minimum applies in A1.confirmed on the cited page
  • Flights must not endanger people's life, health, privacy or property, state defence and security interests, or the environment.confirmed on the cited page
  • Use radio frequencies under the National Radio Frequency Plan. Licence-free bands include 2.400 to 2.4835 GHz at 100 mW EIRP and 5.725 to 5.875 GHz at 25 mW EIRP; other bands or more power need approval from VAS Elektroniskie sakari.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.

  • In a UAS zone that requires authorisation or notification, apply in the CAA's BGKIS (e.caa.gov.lv/uas-operations) before the flight. This needs a valid Latvian operator registration or a declared registration from another EEA state or Switzerland; unverified accounts may apply.
  • Aerodrome zones: the aerodrome or air traffic service provider assesses a flight request within up to 5 working days, extendable to 30 days.
  • Flying outside the open-category limits needs a CAA operational authorisation, also for recreational pilots. EUR 175 for SAIL I or II, EUR 75 for up to 10 days.

Before you fly, in order

  1. Below 250 g, operator registration is still mandatory if the drone has a camera or another sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy for children under 14.
  2. No registration is needed for a drone under 250 g without a camera, or for a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC meant for children under 14.
  3. An operator number from any EU state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or Norway is valid in Latvia. Registering in two states at once is not allowed.
  4. Mark each drone with the operator number (LVA followed by characters), readable without tools; the battery compartment is allowed if it opens without tools. Use the operator number, not the remote ID or remote pilot number.
  5. Operator registration lapses after one year and must be renewed.
  6. Under 250 g the insurance duty is lifted only if the drone's maximum speed is under 19 m/s; otherwise the EUR 50,000 minimum applies in A1.
  7. Flying outside the open-category limits needs a CAA operational authorisation, also for recreational pilots. EUR 175 for SAIL I or II, EUR 75 for up to 10 days.
  8. Maximum 120 m above the ground or water unless a UAS zone sets otherwise. Exceeding it: a warning or a fine up to 200 units (EUR 1,000).
  9. Never fly over assemblies of people. As far as possible avoid flying over people, vehicles in road traffic, animals, buildings and structures, and cross third-party property by the shortest, safest path.
  10. Keep the drone in visual line of sight; an observer standing beside the pilot may help. Never fly several drones at once.
  11. At night the drone must show an activated green flashing light; keep strict visual line of sight.
  12. Check airspace.lv/drones before every flight; conditions can change several times a day. Where zones overlap all their conditions apply, and a zone binds once Latvijas gaisa satiksme publishes it.
  13. In a UAS zone that requires authorisation or notification, apply in the CAA's BGKIS (e.caa.gov.lv/uas-operations) before the flight. This needs a valid Latvian operator registration or a declared registration from another EEA state or Switzerland; unverified accounts may apply.
  14. A zone authorisation never lifts the 120 m limit or the visual line of sight rule.
  15. Aerodrome zones: the aerodrome or air traffic service provider assesses a flight request within up to 5 working days, extendable to 30 days.
  16. Zones may be set up to 50 m around events, gatherings, schools, health facilities, busy streets, playgrounds and cemeteries, up to 500 m around prisons and military objects, and up to 100 m around protected nature objects and bird micro-reserves.
  17. Flying FPV needs an observer beside the pilot who watches the drone unaided and talks to the pilot directly, without phone or radio.
  18. Use radio frequencies under the National Radio Frequency Plan. Licence-free bands include 2.400 to 2.4835 GHz at 100 mW EIRP and 5.725 to 5.875 GHz at 25 mW EIRP; other bands or more power need approval from VAS Elektroniskie sakari.
  19. Flights must not endanger people's life, health, privacy or property, state defence and security interests, or the environment.
  20. Operators must be at least 16 to register.
  21. The remote pilot must be at least 16, except for a privately built drone or toy under 250 g, or under the direct supervision of a competent pilot aged 16 or over.
  22. 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 flight

    Work out the maximum take-off mass, the class mark or legacy status, whether the drone has a camera, its maximum speed (for the insurance exemption) and the subcategory.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    • Drone data

    Open the official page

  2. Step 2

    EASA residents: use your home registration

    Fly on the operator number and competency certificate from your EASA state of residence, with the number marked on the drone. Do not register again in Latvia.

    Visitors eligible · Home state fee · Home state procedure

    • Home operator number
    • Home competency certificate

    Open the official page

  3. Step 3

    Everyone else: open a BGKIS account

    If Latvia is the first EU state you fly in, open an account at e.caa.gov.lv with a Latvija.lv or cross-border login, or by manual registration as an unverified user, then verify by qualified e-signature, in person in Riga or in a remote meeting with your identity document booked at uas@caa.gov.lv.

    Visitors eligible

    • Passport or identity document
    • Email address
    • Mobile phone

    Open the official page

  4. Step 4

    Register as operator and remote pilot

    Register in BGKIS as UAS operator and remote pilot. You receive an operator number (LVA...) to mark on the drone and a remote pilot number (LVA-RP-...).

    Visitors eligible · EUR 5 for one year · Not published

    • BGKIS account
    • Foreign identification code or identity document details
    • Residence address

    Open the official page

  5. Step 5

    Pass the A1/A3 exam (from 250 g)

    Take the CAA's online course and 40-question exam. It is free but in Latvian only and needs a verified account and a Latvian remote pilot number.

    Visitors eligible · Free

    • Verified BGKIS account

    Open the official page

  6. Step 6

    Buy liability insurance

    Insure third-party liability with at least EUR 50,000 per event for A1 or A2; Regulation 785/2004 limits from 20 kg.

    Visitors eligible

    • Insurance policy

    Open the official page

  7. Step 7

    Mark the drone

    Put the operator number on the drone, readable without tools. If the drone has remote ID, upload your operator number with the secret key from your BGKIS account.

    Visitors eligible

    Open the official page

  8. Step 8

    Check zones before every flight

    Open airspace.lv/drones. Where a zone requires it, apply in BGKIS before flying; along the eastern border ask the State Border Guard (EVR17A) or apply in BGKIS 2 working days ahead (EVR444 at night).

    Visitors eligible

    Open the official page

  9. Step 9

    Gauja and Ķemeri: ask the Nature Conservation Agency

    Below 300 m in Gauja's nature reserve and nature restriction zones (only for photography, filming, observation or data) or anywhere in Ķemeri, send the agency's application form with place, date, time, height, aircraft and purpose.

    Visitors eligible · Free

    • Application form (Latvian)

    Open the official page

  10. Step 10

    Carry identification and know the emergency numbers

    Carry an identity document and stop the flight when an official asks. On a fly-away phone Latvijas gaisa satiksme (+371 67300645, 67300642 or 67783761); after an accident call 112.

    Visitors eligible

    • Identity document

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.Open-category flight needs no operational authorisation. It needs operator registration from 250 g (or below with a camera), the A1/A3 exam from 250 g, mandatory liability insurance and the zone conditions on airspace.lv/drones.confirmed on the cited pageS1S8S10S23
EU or EEA registration recognisedYesThe operator number from any EU state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or Norway may be used in Latvia, and their competency certificates are recognised. Registering in two states at once is not allowed.confirmed on the cited pageS2S1
UK registration recognisedNoThe CAA says a person resident outside the EU registers in the EU state where they first fly, and that registration is valid across the EU. The UK is not named.confirmed on the cited pageS1
US registration recognisedNoSame rule: register in Latvia if it is the first EU state you fly in.confirmed on the cited pageS1
Local registrationRequired from 250 g. Cost: EUR 5 for one year. Time: Not published. The register regulation obliges the CAA to enter information at the latest within two working days of the legal basis arising.. Non-residents: A person without a Latvian personal code gives a foreign identification code and nationality, or the identity document's type, number, issue date, expiry and issuing state, plus a declared residence address. Without a Latvija.lv login, a manual account (citizenship, personal code, names, email, mobile phone) starts as unverified; verification is by qualified e-signature, in person in Riga, or a remote meeting with an identity document booked at uas@caa.gov.lv..Fee, validity and the non-EU rule are confirmed. No page states whether an unverified account can complete operator registration, so the full visitor route is partial. S17 is the manned-aircraft register the gaps pass cited and supports nothing here; S53 is the portal, a login application.partly confirmedS1S3S4S16S24S13S15S17S53
Remote IDC1, C2 and C3 drones must use an active, updated direct remote identification and geo-awareness function unless a UAS zone says otherwise. An operator flying someone else's drone uploads their own operator number to its remote ID system with the secret key from registration. Zones may require remote ID.The research premise "C1 and above" overstates it: the CAA lists C1, C2 and C3.confirmed on the cited pageS8S1S27
InsuranceMandatory, at least EUR 50,000 per event and per insurance period in subcategory A1 or A2; Regulation (EC) 785/2004 Article 7 limits (750,000 SDR under 500 kg) from 20 kg or in the specific category · Every drone owner under the Aviation Act 117.10. Exempt only under 250 g with a maximum speed under 19 m/s. No minimum is set for A3 under 20 kg.Read off Cabinet Regulation No. 447 itself. The research's "not always mandatory below 20 kg" is the CAA's note on EASA states in general (S2), not Latvia's rule.confirmed on the cited pageS20S23S6S7S2
Altitude ceiling120 mFrom the ground or water surface, unless a UAS zone sets otherwise.confirmed on the cited pageS10S8
Distance from peopleA1: under 250 g may fly over uninvolved people, never over assemblies; C1 flights must reasonably expect not to overfly uninvolved people. A2 (C2 only since 2024): 30 m horizontally, 5 m in low-speed mode. A3: 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas and at least 30 m from people, 1:1 with height. National rule: as far as possible avoid flying over people, vehicles in traffic, animals, buildings and structures.confirmed on the cited pageS10S8S22S7
Line of sightRequired. An observer standing beside the pilot may help keep the drone in sight. Flying several drones at once is not allowed.confirmed on the cited pageS10S8
NightAllowed in the open category with an activated green flashing light and strict visual line of sight. A night-time restricted area (EVR444) runs along the eastern border in 2026.confirmed on the cited pageS8S9S32
Class marksC0 to C4 plus legacy. A1: privately built under 250 g and under 19 m/s, non-C-marked under 250 g placed on the market before 1 January 2024, C0, or C1 with remote ID. A2: C2 only. A3: under 25 kg, C2 to C4 and legacy.confirmed on the cited pageS10S8
FPVFPV flights need an observer beside the pilot who watches the drone without aids and speaks to the pilot directly, without phone or radio.confirmed on the cited pageS10
Commercial usePurpose does not matter: any flight outside the open-category limits, recreational ones included, needs a CAA operational authorisation, valid up to 2 years. Fees: EUR 175 (SAIL I or II), EUR 325 (SAIL III or higher), EUR 75 for up to 10 days, EUR 25 amendment, EUR 100 extension.confirmed on the cited pageS14

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

Altitude

Distance from people

Line of sight

Night

FPV

Events and crowds

Dropping objects

Privacy

Radio conformity

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.

No single distance. Zones around each aerodrome replaced the interim 5 km (IFR), 3 km (VFR) and 1 km (heliport) rules at the end of 2024; the aerodrome or air traffic provider answers within 5 working days, up to 30.

Official map
www.airspace.lv
Dataset
ais.lgs.lv · JSON per EUROCAE ED-269, for loading into C1 to C3 geo-awareness; covers objects of national and public interest and permanent and temporary airspace structures (AIP ENR 5.3, 2026-09-03). The AIS page showed no download link on 2026-10-08.
Licence
No named licence. Free of charge unless processed and redistributed for commercial benefit; commercial use needs an agreement with Latvijas gaisa satiksme, which may charge.
Updated
The map updates automatically every 5 minutes; temporary airspace activations are known one day ahead, with the next day's plan out by 15:00 (14:00) UTC.
Apps named
airspace.lv/drones (eUARV, the only official and binding source), CAA BGKIS at e.caa.gov.lv/uas-operations for zone applications, Manufacturer geo-awareness: the CAA warns it is incomplete or inaccurate

Customs and the border

Declaration
Not established
Import authorisation
Not established
Radio conformity
Drones must use frequencies under the National Radio Frequency Plan; licence-free bands with power limits are listed (2.400 to 2.4835 GHz at 100 mW EIRP, 5.725 to 5.875 GHz at 25 mW EIRP); other bands need approval from VAS Elektroniskie sakari.

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 · 2017-07-19 to 2026-06-13 · practice pass 8 October 2026

Seventeen dated cases from 2017 to 2026, mostly in Riga: detentions at Riga Castle and military sites, police patrols, airport stoppages with no pilot found. Fines located are 75 to 150 EUR; tourists were among ten grounded at the 2023 Song Festival. Nothing confirmed covers parks, Jūrmala, the coast or customs.

How people fly
Mostly leisure flying in Riga. The CAA's monitoring, reported in February 2025, puts most violations in the Old Town, where the pilots are mostly foreigners, then Ķīpsala and the Spice shopping centre area; offenders are mostly men aged 20 to 45 flying for leisure. A month of monitoring around Riga Airport in 2019 recorded 175 drone flights, two of them with a permit. The CAA described the 2017 offenders as people who did not understand the rules.
Police and rangers
Five ways of being found are confirmed. Military Police and armed forces guards at military sites and Riga Castle: a Russian citizen over the Ministry of Defence in 2017, operators at the National Defence Academy and a Liepāja naval berth in March 2019, a launch stopped at Riga Castle on 2025-09-04 and a pilot detained on the 11. novembra krastmala on 2026-06-13, where a sign marks the zone. State Police: a pilot detained at a protest by Riga Castle in 2021, a Russian citizen near restricted sites in Daugavpils in 2024. Patrols with detection equipment: Riga Municipal Police recorded 41 violations in two weeks of July 2022 and, with the State Police, 23 on one August 2022 weekend. Festival restriction zones: ten drones grounded at the 2023 Song and Dance Festival, tourist pilots among them. The State Border Guard in the border zone: a Russian citizen in Krāslava municipality in 2021. One of the 17 cases names visitors; three more involve Russian citizens whose residence is not stated. On the law block's general rules: what the patrols record most is height above 120 m, an unmarked drone, flight beyond line of sight and no liability insurance (Riga 2022), and in 2025 the police counted 150 unmarked or unidentifiable drones among 771 proceedings, so the marking, insurance and registration conditions behind the status are checked in practice, not only at sensitive sites. No ranger or Nature Conservation Agency case was found newer than the two 2022 proceedings in the law block.
At the border
No usable report.
Fines actually reported
Amounts imposed: 75 EUR for a flight over the Pļavnieki school in Riga on 2017-09-01; 150 EUR each for two pilots, one over a public gathering and one over railway infrastructure, one amount halved for a clean record (reported 2018-03-21); 150 EUR for a pilot at 1.6 per mille in 2025, one of four over the alcohol limit that year. Pending: warning or up to 725 EUR for the drunk pilot at Riga Castle on 2026-06-13. The police said at the 2023 Song Festival that not every case is fined and repeat violations can reach several hundred euros. No recreational drone confiscation was located.

The law's own penalty schedule is separate: Acted on sometimes, 12 published fine ranges below.

Where reports cluster

  • Riga Castle and the 11. novembra krastmala

    Confirmed three times (2021, 2025, 2026). Military Police guard the castle as critical infrastructure and a sign marks the no-fly zone.

  • Riga Old Town, Ķīpsala and the Spice shopping centre area

    The CAA says most violations happen in the Old Town, where pilots are mostly foreigners. City patrols with detection equipment recorded dozens of violations in 2022.

  • Riga Airport (RIX)

    Three traffic stoppages (2021, 2024, 2025), none with a pilot found; about two close approaches a day in 2025 and a detection system that identifies operators.

  • Military sites: Ministry of Defence, National Defence Academy, Liepāja naval berth, Daugavpils

    Confirmed four times; operators detained and handed to the police or the security services.

  • Event restriction zones in Riga

    Ten drones grounded at the 2023 Song and Dance Festival, tourist and local pilots both.

  • Eastern border zone

    One case, Krāslava municipality 2021, handled by the Border Guard. No case was found under EVR17A or EVR444 or during the September 2025 closure.

  • Liepāja airport and the Zaķusala TV tower

    Liepāja 2020: the CAA identified a pilot from social media photos. Zaķusala 2021: repeated flights, pilots rarely caught.

  • Jūrmala beaches

    The municipal police listed drones among things banned on Jūrmala's beaches and bathing areas in 2022. No case was found.

  • Gauja, Ķemeri and Slītere national parks, Cape Kolka

    No dated case found in Latvian, Russian or English. Absence of a report is not evidence of tolerance.

Dated reports

  • 2017-07-19 · Ministry of Defence building, Riga · press

    A Russian citizen flew a drone over the ministry; he said he wanted footage of the National Art Museum and the old districts.

    Arrested by the Military Police and handed to the State Police. report

  • 2017-09-01 · Pļavnieki school, Riga · press

    A drone was flown over the school on the first day of the school year. The CAA reported it in January 2018 as last year's case.

    Fined 75 EUR. report

  • 2018-03 · Latvia, places not named · press

    Two pilots, one over a public gathering and one over railway infrastructure without permission. The article dates the report, not the flights.

    Fined 150 EUR each; one amount halved because the pilot had no penalty in the previous year. report

  • 2019-03-20 · Liepāja, over naval berth 84 · press

    A drone was flown over the berth.

    The operator was detained by armed forces personnel and handed to the State Police. Liepāja's cases since January 2018 were all closed, the latest still being assessed. report

  • 2019-03-21 · National Defence Academy, Riga · press

    A drone flew inside the restricted zone, closer than 500 m to the military site.

    The operators were detained by the Military Police and handed to the police. report

  • 2020-02 · Near the runway of Liepāja airport, Grobiņa · official

    Photos from a drone flight near the runway were posted on social media; the flight date is not given and the CAA release is dated 2020-02-24.

    The CAA identified a likely pilot, unregistered and without the exam, and opened an administrative case. report

  • 2021-06-10 · Krāslava municipality, 1,730 m from the state border · official

    A Russian citizen flew an unmarked, unregistered drone in the border zone without a border-zone pass or coordination.

    Administrative proceedings by the State Border Guard under the State Border Law and Article 124.1 of the Aviation Act. report

  • 2021-11-25 · About 3 km from Riga Airport · press

    An aircraft pilot reported drones in a zone where flight is not allowed.

    Air traffic stopped for 30 minutes, three landings and four departures delayed; the CAA opened a case. No pilot found. report

  • 2021-12-13 · Riga Castle, at an unsanctioned protest · press

    A person flew a drone at the protest.

    Detained by the State Police for breaching drone rules and taken to a police station. report

  • 2022-07 · Riga · press

    Two weeks of drone checks by the Riga Municipal Police with the CAA from early July, using a device that reads position, height and speed.

    41 violations recorded, mostly height above 120 m, unmarked drones, flight beyond line of sight and no insurance. report

  • 2022-08-13 · Riga · press

    Joint action by the Riga Municipal Police and the State Police on the weekend of 13 and 14 August.

    At least 23 violations recorded. report

  • 2023-07-01 · Mežaparks, central Riga and the Daugava stadium area, Song and Dance Festival · press

    Drones flown in the festival's restriction zone: two on 1 July and eight on 2 July, by both tourist and local pilots.

    Ten drones grounded by the State Police with the armed forces; not every case fined, repeat violations up to several hundred euros. report

  • 2024-06-14 · Riga Airport · press

    An aircraft pilot reported a drone on the airport grounds.

    Operations briefly suspended; the CAA said the owner was still being sought. report

  • 2024-06-27 · Daugavpils, near restricted-access sites · press

    A Russian citizen born in 1983 was found flying a drone after a tip to the police.

    Detained; information passed to the State Security Service and Military Intelligence. No outcome located. report

  • 2025-01-13 · Riga Airport, landing path · press

    Drones were detected repeatedly in the evening after dark.

    Airport closed about 30 minutes, three flights diverted; the State Police opened a criminal proceeding and detained no one. report

  • 2025-09-04 · Riga Castle · press

    Military Police guards saw a person preparing to launch a drone at 12:55.

    A patrol checked the person's identity and explained that flights there need armed forces and CAA approval. No penalty reported. report

  • 2026-06-13 · 11. novembra krastmala by Riga Castle · press

    A pilot sitting on a bench near the Lielais Kristaps statue flew a drone in the marked no-fly zone on the Saturday before 2026-06-15; suspected drunk.

    Detained by two Military Police officers, municipal police called; warning or up to 725 EUR, not yet decided. 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
Flying an unmarked or unidentifiable droneWarning or up to 30 units (EUR 150)S20S25S21
Remote pilot or observer over 0.2 per mille alcohol or intoxicated, or refusing a testUp to 140 units (EUR 700)S20S25
Flying beyond visual line of sightWarning or up to 60 units (EUR 300)S20S25
Flying without mandatory liability insuranceWarning or up to 140 units (EUR 700)S20S25
Operator, drone or remote pilot not registeredWarning or up to 140 units (EUR 700)S20S25
Mass over the limit, or drone not matching its class or categoryWarning or up to 140 units (EUR 700)S20S25
Not keeping distance from uninvolved people and assemblies without an authorisationWarning or up to 140 units (EUR 700)S20S25
Flying without a remote pilot competency certificateWarning or up to 60 units (EUR 300)S20S25
Spraying, dropping or carrying dangerous goods without a permitWarning or up to 60 units (EUR 300)S20S25
Exceeding the height limit of Regulation 2019/947Warning or up to 200 units (EUR 1,000)S20S25
Breaching a UAS zone's requirementsWarning or up to 140 units (EUR 700)S20S25S88
Breaching a zone that carries airspace structures or aeronautical information, or one over aviation objectsWarning or up to 200 units (EUR 1,000)S20S25S88

Confiscation: The Aviation Act's drone penalties are a warning or a fine only; no confiscation penalty appears in Article 124.1.

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.

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

Sources that disagree

  1. Whether an unverified BGKIS account (no Latvian eID) can complete operator registration, and how long remote verification takes.
  2. Processing time of operator registration, and whether the EUR 5 fee includes VAT.
  3. Whether a UK or US remote pilot competency certificate is accepted.
  4. Customs: declaration, import authorisation and seizure for a traveller's drone (VID not reached). The practice pass found no customs or airport-security case in Latvian, Russian or English; what is documented at Riga Airport is airspace detection.
  5. Radio conformity marking for a drone bought abroad.
  6. Criminal liability, and confiscation under laws other than the Aviation Act. The practice pass found the State Police opened a criminal proceeding over the 2025-01-13 Riga Airport flights (air traffic safety and sabotage provisions), a 2026-06-18 Criminal Law amendment on drones used in crimes, and one seizure, a prison delivery drone in 2025; no statute was read and no recreational confiscation was found.
  7. Fines for breaching the Gauja or Ķemeri park rules. The practice pass found no park case in the press newer than the two 2022 proceedings.
  8. Pape nature park's own regulation; the rule is known only from Nature Conservation Agency releases.
  9. Specific municipal UAS zones in Riga, Jūrmala and at Cape Kolka; the map is a JavaScript application that was not read. The practice pass found that a sign marks the Riga Castle no-fly zone. Jūrmala's municipal police listed drones among things banned on its beaches and bathing areas in 2022 (S85); that ban rested on the 2017 beach regulation, which lost force on 2024-07-01 (S87), and the regulation in force (No. 11, S86, read 2026-10-08) contains no drone provision. No current Jūrmala binding rule on drones was found; whether a UAS zone covers the beach is part of the unread map.
  10. The JSON dataset's download address; the AIS page showed only the map link on 2026-10-08.
  11. Whether a visitor can get State Border Guard permission for EVR17A, and whether EVR444 continues after 2026-12-31. The practice pass found no enforcement case under either area or during the September 2025 closure; the one border-zone case located (Krāslava, 2021) predates both.
  12. How the detentions and investigations end: the Ministry of Defence case of 2017, Daugavpils 2024, Riga Castle 2026 (warning or up to 725 EUR pending) and the three Riga Airport stoppages were reported without an outcome.
  13. How many offenders are visitors. The CAA says Old Town violators are mostly foreigners, but no breakdown of the 768 police cases of 2025 by nationality was found, and the 2024 police count differs between sources (330 in the CAA's 2026 release, 445 in LSM's 2025 report).
  14. Which provision the National Armed Forces' 725 EUR maximum (2026) rests on: Article 124.1 of the Aviation Act, reread 2026-10-08, has no such figure (see conflicts).
  15. The community record. Reddit and MavicPilots refuse every client this project uses and no Latvian pilot forum post was located, so the community half of the practice record is unread.
  16. How an applicant without a Latvian personal code fills the Nature Conservation Agency form's personal code field.

What changed, and when

Dated changes to the rules, newest first.

  1. 19 February 2026

    Temporary restricted area EVR444 EVENTIDE along the eastern border, daily at night until 2026-12-31; drones need BGKIS approval.

    S32

  2. 18 February 2026

    Aviation Act amendments of 2026-01-22 take effect: drone fines become maximum amounts ("up to") and the register and information system articles are rewritten.

    S20

  3. 11 September 2025

    The Ministry of Defence closes the airspace zone along the eastern border for a week, then at night only from 2025-09-18 to 2025-10-08.

    S36S37

  4. 1 January 2025

    Flight applications in UAS zones must go through the CAA's BGKIS; the interim aerodrome distance rules ended on 2024-12-31.

    S22S12S19

  5. 1 July 2024

    Jūrmala's 2017 beach regulation (No. 3), which banned radio-controlled model aircraft including drones in bathing areas outside public events, loses force; Regulation No. 11, in force from 2024-07-02, has no drone provision.

    S86S87

  6. 1 July 2024

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme starts publishing the UAS zone dataset in JSON.

    S26S27

  7. 25 April 2024

    Cabinet Regulation No. 248 on unmanned aircraft flights enters into force, repealing Regulation No. 429 of 2021.

    S22

  8. 3 July 2021

    Cabinet Regulation No. 457 on the drone register enters into force: one-year operator registration, data for people without a Latvian personal code.

    S24

  9. 2 July 2021

    Cabinet Regulation No. 447 on mandatory drone liability insurance enters into force; its minimum limits apply from 2022-01-01.

    S23

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

    Reģistrācija

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-12-17 · opened 2026-10-08

    ja Jūsu dzīvesvieta ir ārpus ES, bet lidojumus vēlaties veikt kādā no ES dalībvalstīm, Jums jāreģistrējas tajā valstī, kur pirmo reizi veicat lidojumus.

    Rule page (modified date). Carries the criteria, fee, validity, marking rules and the non-EU rule both passes missed.

  2. S2official

    Drona pilotēšana ārpus Latvijas

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2023-03-07 · opened 2026-10-08

    Iegūto unikālo UAS ekspluatanta reģistrācijas numuru ... var izmantot visās minētajās dalībvalstīs

    Prints 07.03.2023; the research's 2025-01-06 is the modified date.

  3. S3official

    Bezpilota gaisa kuģu lietotāju reģistrs

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-06-13 · opened 2026-10-08

    Pēc reģistrācijas lietotāja kontam ir pazīme “Neverificēts lietotājs” un pieeja pakalpojumiem ir ierobežota

    Rule page for BGKIS accounts: login methods, manual registration and three verification routes.

  4. S4official

    Flight application in UAS Geographical Zones

    Civil Aviation Agency · document dated 2025-07-30 · opened 2026-10-08

    To access Civil Aviation Agency services (for example, to take remote pilot exams ...) a verified user account in UASIS is required.

  5. S5official

    Lidojumu pieteikšana un saskaņošana UAS ģeogrāfiskajās zonās

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-07-30 · opened 2026-10-08

    sadaļa “UAS operācijas (lidojumi)”, kas ļauj saskaņot lidojumus UAS ģeogrāfiskajās zonās ir pieejama arī neverificētiem lietotājiem

  6. S6official

    Apdrošināšanas prasības

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2024-04-30 · opened 2026-10-08

    Apdrošināšanas prasības Latvijā nosaka Likuma “Par aviāciju” 117.10 pants.

    Links to the insurance regulation (S23), which the research did not open.

  7. S7official

    Local conditions for UAS operations in Latvia

    Civil Aviation Agency · opened 2026-10-08

    Minimum age for UAS operators in Latvia: 16 years

    Informative material. Prints "Version 1.2, Date 30/04/2023" while the file name says 2024-04-30 and it cites the 2024 flight regulation, so the printed date is not relied on.

  8. S8official

    Prasības bezpilota gaisa kuģu (dronu) lidojumu veikšanai atvērtās kategorijas ietvaros

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-07-09 · opened 2026-10-08

    jānodrošina, ka dronam ir aktivizēta zaļa zibšņuguns

    Informative summary, version 3.0.

  9. S9official

    Atvērtā kategorija, informācijas kopsavilkums V2.1

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2024-05-16 · opened 2026-10-08

    jānodrošina, ka dronam ir aktivizēta zaļa zibšņuguns

    Superseded by S8.

  10. S10official

    Atvērtā kategorija

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-07-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    Lai veiktu lidojumus atvērtās kategorijas ietvaros, tālvadības pilotam jābūt sasniegušam 16 gadu vecumu.

    Rule page, one click from S8. Carries the subcategory distances, legacy rules and the FPV observer rule.

  11. S11official

    A1/A3 tiešsaistes apmācību kurss un eksāmens

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-02-24 · opened 2026-10-08

    Valoda Latviešu Cena BEZMAKSAS

  12. S12official

    UAS ģeogrāfiskās zonas

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-12-30 · opened 2026-10-08

    Saskaņojuma saņemšana no UAS ģeogrāfiskās zonas pārvaldītāja neļauj atkāpties no regulējumā noteiktajām pamatprasībām.

  13. S13official

    CAA: Sākums

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2026-03-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    VA "Civilās aviācijas aģentūra"

  14. S14official

    Ekspluatācijas atļaujas

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2026-03-04 · opened 2026-10-08

    Arī fiziskai personai, kura bezpilota gaisa kuģa lidojumus veic atpūtas nolūkos, ir jāsaņem ekspluatācijas atļauju

  15. S15official

    Kontakti

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2026-08-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    E-pasta adrese jautājumiem saistībā ar droniem: droni@caa.gov.lv

  16. S16official

    Reģistrācijas atjaunošana e.caa.gov.lv

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2021-12-28 · opened 2026-10-08

    Reģistrācijas maksa ir pieci euro, reģistrācijas termiņš ir viens gads.

    News release, updated 2025-07-31.

  17. S17official

    Registration of an aircraft in the Register of Civil Aviation Aircraft

    Civil Aviation Agency · opened 2026-10-08

    Manned aircraft register cited by the gaps pass; supports no drone claim.

  18. S18official

    Drons vieglāks par 250g – rotaļlieta, uz ko regulējuma prasības neattiecas?!

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2022-10-13 · opened 2026-10-08

    Drons nav aprīkots ar foto/video kameru (vai citu sensrou, kas spēj nolasīt personas datus)

    Reached by following a link on S2.

  19. S19official

    Lidojumu saskaņošana UAS ģeogrāfiskajās zonās

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-01-06 · opened 2026-10-08

    No 1. janvāra mainās dronu lidojumu pieteikšanas kārtība.

    News release, reached by following a link on S2.

  20. S20official

    Par aviāciju (Aviation Act), consolidated

    Latvijas Vēstnesis (likumi.lv) · document dated 2026-02-18 · opened 2026-10-08

    Par lidojuma veikšanu ar bezpilota gaisa kuģi, kas nav marķēts vai identificējams, piemēro brīdinājumu vai naudas sodu fiziskajai personai līdz trīsdesmit naudas soda vienībām

    Statute. Article 124.1 as amended by the law of 2026-01-22, in force 2026-02-18. Linked from S6.

  21. S21official

    On Aviation (English translation)

    likumi.lv · opened 2026-10-08

    a warning or a fine from ten to thirty units of fine shall be imposed on natural persons

    Translation marked "Translation validity: 01.01.2023.–31.12.2024."; out of date for Article 124.1.

  22. S22official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 248, Bezpilota gaisa kuģu lidojumu noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2024-04-23 · opened 2026-10-08

    pēc iespējas izvairās lidot pāri cilvēkiem, transportlīdzekļiem, kas piedalās ceļu satiksmē, kā arī dzīvniekiem, ēkām un inženierbūvēm

    Statute, in force 2024-04-25, no amendments listed. Linked from S5 and S12.

  23. S23official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 447, civiltiesiskās atbildības obligātā apdrošināšana bezpilota gaisa kuģu lidojumiem

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2021-06-29 · opened 2026-10-08

    50 000 euro vienam apdrošināšanas gadījumam un apdrošināšanas periodam kopā, ja lidojumi tiek veikti atvērtās kategorijas A1 vai A2 apakškategorijā

    Statute, in force 2021-07-02. Linked from S6.

  24. S24official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 457, bezpilota gaisa kuģu reģistra noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2021-06-29 · opened 2026-10-08

    Personai, kurai personas kods nav piešķirts, – ārvalstī piešķirto identifikācijas kodu un valstisko piederību

    Statute, in force 2021-07-03. Linked from S1.

  25. S25official

    Administratīvās atbildības likums

    Saeima · opened 2026-10-08

    (2) Viena naudas soda vienība ir pieci euro.

    Statute, in force 2020-07-01. Located by search to read the fine unit; not one click from a cited page.

  26. S26official

    AIC A 005/2024, Aeronautical information provision for unmanned aircraft flights operation

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · document dated 2024-07-01 · opened 2026-10-08

    From 01 JUL 2024, SJSC "Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme" provides a new service - the UAS geographical zone data set.

    No longer in force: absent from the AIC checklist of 2026-02-10 (S33).

  27. S27official

    AIP SUP 015/2024, UAS geographical zones

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · document dated 2024-06-28 · opened 2026-10-08

    allow access only to UAS equipped with certain technical features, in particular remote identification systems

    Valid 2024-07-01 to 2024-09-04, then incorporated into the AIP.

  28. S28officialcould not be opened

    eAIP ENR 5.3, issue of 2025-11-27

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · opened 2026-10-08

    Superseded issue; returns an empty page. Current version is S30.

  29. S29officialcould not be opened

    eAIP ENR 5.3, issue of 2025-01-23

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · opened 2026-10-08

    Superseded issue; returns an empty page.

  30. S30official

    eAIP ENR 5.3 Other activities of a dangerous nature

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · document dated 2026-09-03 · opened 2026-10-08

    permanent and temporary airspace structure elements that may affect the operation of UA flights

    Current issue, reached from the eAIP index on ais.lgs.lv.

  31. S31official

    eAIP ENR 5.1 Prohibited, restricted and danger areas

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · document dated 2026-09-03 · opened 2026-10-08

    Aircraft and unmanned aircraft that are not involved in coordinated and authorized use of the area are not allowed to perform flights within the restricted area.

    EVR17A BORDER EAST and the military areas.

  32. S32official

    AIRAC AIP SUP 005/2026, Temporary restricted area EVR444 EVENTIDE

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · document dated 2026-01-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    Non-participating aircraft, including unmanned aircraft, are prohibited from entering the active temporary restricted area EVR444 EVENTIDE

    Effective 2026-02-19 to 2026-12-31. Reached from the AIS list of valid supplements.

  33. S33official

    AIC A 003/2026, Checklist of aeronautical information circulars

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · document dated 2026-02-10 · opened 2026-10-08

    With effect from 10 FEB 2026, the following AIC remain in force:

  34. S34official

    UAS geozones

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme, AIS · opened 2026-10-08

    Visualization of UAS geographical zones in the form of an interactive map is available on the website https://airspace.lv/drones.

    Rendered in headless Chrome; no dataset download link on the page.

  35. S35official

    Electronic Unmanned Aircraft Restrictions Viewer (eUARV)

    Latvijas gaisa satiksme · opened 2026-10-08

    JavaScript map application; its content was not read.

  36. S36official

    Latvia to Close Airspace Zone Along Eastern Border with Belarus and Russia

    Aizsardzības ministrija · document dated 2025-09-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    Latvia will close its airspace zone along the eastern border with Belarus and Russia for at least one week – until September 18.

    Located by search for the eastern-border check.

  37. S37official

    Restrictions will continue in Latvian airspace near the eastern border

    Aizsardzības ministrija · document dated 2025-09-18 · opened 2026-10-08

    the airspace will be closed during the hours of darkness from 20.00 to 07.00

    Located by search.

  38. S38official

    Nepārdomāta dronu izmantošana dabā var kaitēt dzīvniekiem un putniem

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · document dated 2023-02-13 · opened 2026-10-08

    Pērnā gada laikā pārvalde izsniegusi 13 atļauju bezpilota lidaparātu izmantošanai aizsargājamās teritorijās

    News release.

  39. S39official

    Unconsidered use of drons in nature can harm animals and birds

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · document dated 2023-02-13 · opened 2026-10-08

    It is prohibited to move below 500 metres in nature park above Pape Lake and the Nidas swamp from 15 March to 20 September

    Machine-translated English version of S38.

  40. S40official

    Atļaujas saņemšana lidojumiem zemāk par 300 metriem, plašāks skaidrojums (2025)

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · document dated 2026-01-26 · opened 2026-10-08

    gaisa telpā virs visas Ķemeru Nacionālā parka teritorijas aizliegts veikt lidojumus ... zemāk par 300 metriem bez Dabas aizsardzības pārvaldes rakstiskas atļaujas saņemšanas

    Word document; date is the service page's update date for it.

  41. S41official

    Atļaujas saņemšana lidojumiem (older explanation)

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · opened 2026-10-08

    Šis aizliegums neattiecas uz lidojumiem fotografēšanai, filmēšanai, attālai novērošanai un datu iegūšanai pēc Dabas aizsardzības pārvaldes rakstiskas atļaujas saņemšanas

    Older version of S40; refers to Cabinet Regulation No. 368 of 2019, since repealed.

  42. S42official

    Atļaujas saņemšana lidojumiem zemāk par 300 metriem Gaujas un Ķemeru Nacionālajā parkā

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · document dated 2025-03-08 · opened 2026-10-08

    Cena Bezmaksas ... Saņēmējs Jebkura persona

    The service page S40 is attached to; located by search.

  43. S43official

    Iesniegums lidojumiem Gaujas Nacionālajā parkā un Ķemeru Nacionālajā parkā

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · document dated 2026-01-26 · opened 2026-10-08

    Personas kods/ Reģistrācijas Nr.

    Application form, one click from S42.

  44. S44official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 317, Gaujas nacionālā parka individuālie aizsardzības un izmantošanas noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2012-05-02 · opened 2026-10-08

    Gaisa telpā virs dabas rezervāta (stingrā režīma) zonas aizliegts veikt lidojumus (arī gaisa balonu un bezpilota gaisa kuģu lidojumus) zemāk par 300 metriem.

    Statute, in force. Named in S40; located on likumi.lv by search.

  45. S45official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 601, Ķemeru nacionālā parka individuālie aizsardzības un izmantošanas noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2016-09-06 · opened 2026-10-08

    9.6. gaisa telpā virs nacionālā parka teritorijas veikt lidojumus (arī gaisa balonu un bezpilota gaisa kuģu lidojumus) zemāk par 300 metriem

    Statute, in force. Named in S40; located by search.

  46. S46official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 751, Slīteres nacionālā parka individuālie aizsardzības un izmantošanas noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2016-11-29 · opened 2026-10-08

    Statute, in force. Contains no flight or drone provision. Located by search.

  47. S47official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 447 (2007), Rāznas nacionālā parka individuālie aizsardzības un izmantošanas noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2007-06-26 · opened 2026-10-08

    Statute, in force. Contains no flight or drone provision. Located by search.

  48. S48official

    Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 264, īpaši aizsargājamo dabas teritoriju vispārējie noteikumi

    Ministru kabinets · document dated 2010-03-16 · opened 2026-10-08

    Statute, in force. Contains no flight or drone provision. Located by search.

  49. S49official

    Vadlīnijas orientēšanās sacensību ietekmes uz vidi samazināšanai, 2. pielikums

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · opened 2026-10-08

    2014 orienteering guideline annex cited by pass 1; no drone content.

  50. S50official

    Gaujas Nacionālais parks

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · opened 2026-10-08

    Park page cited by pass 1; no drone content.

  51. S51official

    Current events

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · opened 2026-10-08

    News index page cited by pass 1; an index is never a citation.

  52. S52official

    Filmējot dabu ar bezpilota lidaparātiem, ar pietāti un izpratni

    Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde · document dated 2018-11-12 · opened 2026-10-08

    Lai filmētu, piemēram, Ķemeru tīreli rītausmā vai dabas lieguma zonas Gaujas senlejā, ir jāsaņem Dabas aizsardzības pārvaldes atļauja.

    Older release; located by search.

  53. S53official

    BGKIS e-services portal

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · opened 2026-10-08

    Login application; content not readable without an account.

  54. S54official

    With the rapid growth in the number of UAV or drone users, the number of administrative offences committed also increased significantly last year

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2026-04-27 · opened 2026-10-08

    In one case, a pilot was found to have as much as 1.6 per mille, for which a fine of 150 euros was imposed.

    Research report [1]. 123 CAA cases and 768 State Police cases in 2025, 330 police violations in 2024, four pilots over the alcohol limit. No case is dated.

  55. S55press

    Rīga Airport continues equipping itself against drones

    LSM · document dated 2025-10-16 · opened 2026-10-08

    Two incidents a day on average

    Research report [12]. The CAA director: about 100 CAA infringement cases near the airport in 2025, the police more. No individual case.

  56. S56official

    Ministry of Transport launches campaign on safe drone use

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2025-12-03 · opened 2026-10-08

    the operator can be identified and may receive a warning, a fine, or in serious cases even face criminal liability.

    Research report [13]. Riga Airport's detection system; names Imanta, Zolitūde and Āgenskalns as neighbourhoods where violations are common. No case.

  57. S57press

    Штраф до 1000 евро! Вступили в силу более строгие правила пилотирования дронов

    Jauns.lv · document dated 2026-02-23 · opened 2026-10-08

    зафиксировано 150 случаев, когда дроны не были маркированы или идентифицируемы

    Research report [14]. State Police figures: 771 proceedings in 2025, 150 unmarked drones, 91 flights beyond line of sight. Prints up to 200 EUR for missing insurance, where the Aviation Act (S20) reads 140 units.

  58. S58press

    Drone-related crimes to be punished more strictly in Latvia

    LSM · document dated 2026-06-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    Research report [15]. The Saeima approved on 2026-06-18 Criminal Law amendments making use of a drone an aggravating circumstance for crimes such as smuggling. The page prints no year; the URL carries it. No penalty levels or entry-into-force date stated.

  59. S59press

    Russian arrested for flying drone over Defense Ministry

    LSM · document dated 2017-07-25 · opened 2026-10-08

    Russian citizen has been arrested

    Event on 2017-07-19 after 14:00. Handed to the State Police; residence not stated.

  60. S60press

    Pērn fiksēti vairāk nekā desmit dronu lietošanas pārkāpumu gadījumiem

    LSM · document dated 2018-01-21 · opened 2026-10-08

    Četrās administratīvo pārkāpumu lietās lietvedību izbeidza

    CAA count for 2017: more than ten cases, four closed, six pending, one fine of 75 EUR for the flight over the Pļavnieki school on 1 September.

  61. S61press

    Spriedīs par tiesisko regulējumu dronu notriekšanai

    LSM · document dated 2018-03-21 · opened 2026-10-08

    Sods noteikts 150 eiro apmērā

    Two pilots fined: one over a public gathering, one over railway infrastructure; one amount halved. The CAA head says most cases concern military infrastructure.

  62. S62press

    Bruņotie spēki militāro objektu lieguma zonās konstatē dronus

    LSM · document dated 2019-03-22 · opened 2026-10-08

    Militārā policija aizturēja bezpilota lidaparāta operatorus, kas tālāk nodoti policijai.

    Two cases: Liepāja naval berth 84 on 20 March and the National Defence Academy on 21 March 2019.

  63. S63press

    Liepājā gada laikā reģistrēti deviņi gadījumi, kas saistīti ar dronu lidošanu aizliegtās vietās

    LSM · document dated 2019-04-01 · opened 2026-10-08

    Visos gadījumos lietvedība ir izbeigta, pēdējais gadījums vēl tiks vērtēts.

    Nine Liepāja cases since January 2018.

  64. S64press

    Dronu lidojumi lidostas «Rīga» apkārtnē lielākoties nesaskaņoti

    LSM · document dated 2019-04-17 · opened 2026-10-08

    175 lidojumi, no kuriem tikai divos gadījumos

    A month of monitoring near Riga Airport: 175 flights, two with permits. CAA cases: 5 in 2017, 32 in 2018; 14 unmarked drones got advice instead of fines.

  65. S65official

    Ierosināta administratīvā pārkāpuma lieta par civilās aviācijas apdraudēšanu

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra · document dated 2020-02-24 · opened 2026-10-08

    Lidojumi ar droniem šajā vietā ir pilnībā aizliegti, jo rada augstu risku civilās aviācijas gaisa kuģiem.

    Photos near Liepāja airport's runway posted on social media; the CAA identified a likely pilot, unregistered and without the exam. Flight date not given.

  66. S66official

    Robežsargi konstatē personu, kas pierobežas joslā veic bezpilota gaisa kuģa lidojumu

    Valsts robežsardze · document dated 2021-06-11 · opened 2026-10-08

    vienu Krievijas pilsoni

    Event on Thursday 2021-06-10, Piedruja unit, 1,730 m from the border; proceedings under State Border Law Article 36 and Aviation Act Article 124.1.

  67. S67press

    Pie TV torņa Zaķusalā lidina dronus: neatļauti un arī bīstami

    LSM · document dated 2021-09-08 · opened 2026-10-08

    The State Police respond to calls but lacked equipment to identify pilots; 28 reports of suspicious flights over private property in four months. Flights at the tower are not dated.

  68. S68press

    Dronu dēļ šodien īslaicīgi apturēta gaisa satiksme Rīgas lidostā; sākta pārbaude

    LSM · document dated 2021-11-25 · opened 2026-10-08

    3 kilometru attālumā no lidostas

    Event the same day. Traffic stopped 30 minutes; the CAA opened an administrative case and asked the public for information.

  69. S69press

    Pie Rīgas pils aiztur personu ar izkapti; vēl divi cilvēki aizturēti par drona pilotēšanas pārkāpumiem

    Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze (LETA) · document dated 2021-12-13 · opened 2026-10-08

    viena persona par drona pilotēšanas noteikumu pārkāpumiem

    Unsanctioned protest at Riga Castle the same evening. The headline says two people over drones; the body says one, the other carried a scythe.

  70. S70press

    Rīgā divu nedēļu laikā policija konstatē 41 dronu lidojumu pārkāpumu

    LSM · document dated 2022-07-29 · opened 2026-10-08

    Divu nedēļu laika Rīgas pašvaldības policijas (RPP) darbinieki fiksējuši 41 pārkāpumu

    Checks from early July 2022 with the CAA. No fine amounts stated.

  71. S71press

    Numerous drone flying infringements over the weekend in Rīga

    LSM · document dated 2022-08-15 · opened 2026-10-08

    no fewer than 23 violations of drone flying rules in the Latvian capital

    Weekend of 13 and 14 August 2022, municipal and State Police jointly. Outcomes not stated.

  72. S72press

    Ten drones caught on unauthorized flights above Song Festival

    LSM · document dated 2023-07-04 · opened 2026-10-08

    Both tourist and domestic pilots' aircraft have been landed.

    Two on 1 July and eight on 2 July 2023; restriction zone over Mežaparks, central Riga and the Daugava stadium area.

  73. S73press

    Par liegumu laist dronus Dziesmu un deju svētku norises vietās pieķerti jau 10 piloti

    LSM · document dated 2023-07-03 · opened 2026-10-08

    Ne visos gadījumos tiek piemērots naudas sods

    Latvian original of S72; adds that fines can reach several hundred euros.

  74. S74press

    Аэропорт Риги приостанавливал работу из-за неизвестного дрона

    Evropeiska Pravda · document dated 2024-06-14 · opened 2026-10-08

    Event the same day; reports Delfi, which the fetch tools here cannot open. The CAA said the owner was still being sought.

  75. S75press

    Daugavpilī pie ierobežotas pieejas objektiem aizturēts Krievijas pilsonis ar dronu

    LSM · document dated 2024-06-28 · opened 2026-10-08

    Ceturtdien Daugavpilī pie ierobežotas pieejas objektiem aizturēts Krievijas pilsonis

    Event on Thursday 2024-06-27. Information passed to the State Security Service and Military Intelligence; no outcome.

  76. S76press

    Planes redirected from Rīga Monday due to drone presence

    LSM · document dated 2025-01-14 · opened 2026-10-08

    Event on Monday 2025-01-13 in the evening: airport closed about 30 minutes, flights from Sofia and Kutaisi diverted to Vilnius, Helsinki flight returned.

  77. S77press

    Policija izmeklēs kriminālprocesu par nelikumīgi pilotētajiem droniem Rīgas lidostas teritorijā

    TVNET · document dated 2025-01-15 · opened 2026-10-08

    nevienu personu patlaban nav izdevies aizturēt

    Criminal proceeding under air traffic safety and sabotage provisions.

  78. S78press

    Valsts policija aiztur divus vīriešus, kuri cietuma teritorijā ar dronu mēģināja piegādāt mobilos telefonus un bezvadu rūteri

    LV portāls · document dated 2025-02-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    kopā piemēroti naudas sodi 2000 eiro apmērā

    Event on 2025-02-12 at Riga Central Prison; six administrative cases and the drone seized. A smuggling attempt, not recreational flying.

  79. S79press

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra: Pieaug neapzinīgo dronu pilotu skaits

    LSM · document dated 2025-02-27 · opened 2026-10-08

    visvairāk pārkāpumu tiek veikti Vecrīgā, kur dronus pārsvarā vēlas pilotēt ārzemnieki

    CAA monitoring: Old Town first, then Ķīpsala and the Spice area; mostly leisure flying, men 20 to 45; one pilot above 900 m in 2024.

  80. S80press

    CAA: More drone offenses recorded in 2024 in Latvia

    LSM · document dated 2025-02-27 · opened 2026-10-08

    the highest number of infringements is committed in the Old Town

    English version of S79: 73 CAA cases in 2024; 445 State Police cases in 2024 against 358 in 2023, which differs from the 330 for 2024 in S54.

  81. S81press

    Pie Rīgas pils apturēts neatļauts drona pacelšanas mēģinājums

    Jauns.lv · document dated 2025-09-05 · opened 2026-10-08

    gatavojās pacelt bezpilota lidaparātu

    Event on Thursday 2025-09-04 at 12:55. Identity checked; no penalty reported; nationality not stated.

  82. S82press

    Piedzēries vīrieties pie Rīgas pils nelikumīgi lidojis ar dronu

    Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze (LETA) · document dated 2026-06-15 · opened 2026-10-08

    Viņu aizturēja divi Militārās policijas darbinieki.

    Event on the Saturday before publication. The page prints 15 June without a year; S83 of 2026-06-16 fixes it. Warning or up to 725 EUR, not yet decided.

  83. S83press

    В Латвии задержали пьяного мужчину, запускавшего дрон в запретной зоне

    Evropeiska Pravda · document dated 2026-06-16 · opened 2026-10-08

    Reports Delfi; dates the Riga Castle detention to the previous weekend and cites the National Armed Forces on the 725 EUR maximum.

  84. S84press

    Civilās aviācijas aģentūra: Pieaugot dronu lietotāju skaitam, palielinās arī pārkāpēju skaits

    LSM · document dated 2026-05-03 · opened 2026-10-08

    Pērn četri dronu piloti pieķerti alkohola reibumā, kur vienam bijušas pat 1,6 promiles.

    Corroborates S54 in Latvian; names airports and armed forces and Interior Ministry sites as where restrictions are breached.

  85. S85official

    Kas jāņem vērā, atpūšoties pludmalē

    Jūrmalas valstspilsētas pašvaldība · document dated 2022-06-14 · opened 2026-10-08

    izmantot dronus un citus radiovadāmus lidmodeļus;

    Municipal police reminder listing what is banned on Jūrmala's beaches and bathing areas. Names no enforcing body for drones and no fine. The underlying rule was the 2017 beach regulation (S87), repealed on 2024-07-01.

  86. S86official

    Jūrmalas domes saistošie noteikumi Nr. 11, Par Jūrmalas valstspilsētas pludmales un peldvietu izmantošanu Rīgas līča piekrastē

    Jūrmalas pilsētas dome (likumi.lv) · document dated 2024-04-24 · opened 2026-10-08

    6. Pludmalē un peldvietās aizliegts:

    Rule page, municipal. Status in force from 2024-07-02. Point 6 lists seven prohibitions (swimming past the buoys, craft in bathing areas, attractions, camping, fires, grills, smoking); none concerns drones or model aircraft. Added 2026-10-08 in the law-block correction.

  87. S87official

    Jūrmalas domes saistošie noteikumi Nr. 3, Par Jūrmalas pilsētas pludmales un peldvietu izmantošanu

    Jūrmalas pilsētas dome (likumi.lv) · document dated 2017-01-12 · opened 2026-10-08

    peldvietās izmantot radiovadāmus lidmodeļus (helikopterus, dronus un citas ierīces), izņemot publisku pasākumu laikā, kā arī Pašvaldības vajadzībām.

    Rule page, municipal, marked lost force on 2024-07-01 (point 14.5). The basis of the 2022 municipal police reminder (S85); not in force. Added 2026-10-08 in the law-block correction.

  88. S88official

    Noteikti bargāki sodi arī dronu lidojumu drošuma jomā

    LV portāls (Latvijas Vēstnesis) · document dated 2026-02-19 · opened 2026-10-08

    paredzēts brīdinājums vai naudas sods fiziskajai personai līdz 700 eiro, bet juridiskajai personai – līdz 2000 eiro;

    Explainer by the official publisher's legal portal on the 2026 Aviation Act amendments; corroborates S20's zone fines (700 EUR, and 1,000 EUR over aviation objects). Says nothing on the insurance fine. Added 2026-10-08.