IAA drone rules for productions

Drone use on Irish productions is governed by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) under the Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets Order 2015 (S.I. No. 563 of 2015). The same rules apply to model aircraft — both are classed as "small unmanned aircraft" under the SI.

The Northern Ireland equivalent is the UK CAA drone regime — different rules, different authority. See Brexit and the Irish screen industry for the post-Brexit cross-border framing.

The 9 hard limits

A drone may not be operated:

1. If it will be a hazard to another aircraft in flight
2. Over an assembly of people — 12 persons or more (concerts / sporting events / parades)
3. Farther than 300 metres from the operator (line-of-sight rule)
4. Within 30 metres of any person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the operator's direct control
5. Higher than 400 feet / 120 metres above ground level in uncontrolled airspace (50 ft / 15 m in controlled airspace)
6. Closer than 5 km from any aerodrome
7. In a negligent or reckless manner endangering life or property
8. Over urban areas — villages, towns, cities
9. In civil or military controlled airspace or restricted areas (military installations, prisons)

Plus: the operator must have landowner permission for take-off and landing.

Registration

Registration is via ASSET, the IAA's online terrain-mapping system, reached through iaa.ie/drones. The process is two-step: register with ASSET first, then register the drone via ASSET.

Minimum age to register: 16. Parents or guardians may register on behalf of under-16 operators.

The same registration rule applies to model aircraft over 1 kg.

Specific Operating Permission (SOP)

A production needing to fly outside the 9 limits — and most productions filming aerials over a populated street or near an airport will — must obtain a Specific Operating Permission from the IAA. The SOP process:

1. Train with an IAA-Registered Training Facility (RTF) — list at iaa.ie/rtf
2. Produce an Operations Manual acceptable to the IAA
3. Hold a Pilot Competency Certificate
4. Apply via iaa.ie/dronesapplicationforms (Aeronautical Notice U.02)

Commercial drone use does not require IAA permission as long as the operator stays within the 9 limits. Outside the limits, SOP is required regardless of whether the use is commercial.

Insurance

The IAA recommends insurance for every drone operator. The rule is soft — but productions should treat drone insurance as a hard requirement at the production-insurance level. The production's E&O or general production cover may not extend automatically — check with the broker.

Cameras and privacy

The IAA rules apply regardless of whether the drone has a camera. Camera-mounted drone use also falls under GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018. Filming people identifiable from the air needs the same consent treatment as ground-based filming. The Data Protection Commissioner (dataprotection.ie) is the authority on the privacy side.

Airspace assessment — the operator's responsibility

The operator must visually inspect the area on the day of flight and check ASSET for controlled / restricted airspace. Boundaries change — Temporary Restricted Airspace can appear (e.g. for major events, presidential visits). Every flight: visual inspection + ASSET check the same day.

Over private property

The IAA rules apply everywhere in Irish airspace, including over private land. Trespass / privacy / nuisance laws also apply but are outside the IAA's remit.

How Togra supports this

The Bordáil compliance pack and per-project safety surfaces flag drone use as a structured artefact alongside other H&S statutory deliverables. When a producer records "drone" as a planned shooting tool, Togra surfaces a checklist covering: registration status, Pilot Competency Certificate, Operations Manual, SOP (if needed), drone insurance, and landowner permissions for take-off / landing locations.