Best practice in the natural environment
Fly your drone responsibly
Enjoying the landscape from a different perspective is one of the qualities that attracts many people to the world of drones. Taking flight for a bird’s eye view of the wonderful spectacle that nature offers us is a dream come true.
Problems it can cause
However, we must be aware that the noise and appearance of drones can cause significant disturbance to wildlife, especially when flown during breeding season. Consequences can range from revealing the location of prey to predators or causing unnecessarily flight (which can lead to serious accidents) to the abandonment of nests.
Best practices
Knowing this, we can apply the following Best Practices and fly responsibly:
- There should always be a pilot on the ground who has permanent visual contact with the drone.
- You must request permission from the landowner or the property or land from which the drone is flown.
- If the area is within a protected natural space, you may need to request authorisation from the Directorate-General for Environmental and Natural Policy of the Government of Catalonia (Direcció General de Polítiques Ambientals i Medi Natural de la Generalitat de Catalunya), if applicable.
- Remember that drone flights are not permitted in the airspace near airports, airfields and other infrastructure, unless you have authorisation and coordinate with the entity responsible for the infrastructure.
- If you detect wildlife, keep the drone away from the animals and avoid attempting close-up recording.
Associated resources
Restricted flying zones map – ENAIRE
Drones in the website Muntanyes Vives
Drone regulation in Catalonia – Mossos d’Esquadra