Iceland Drone Laws

Iceland is one of the few countries in the world with fairly minimal drone laws, which means you can capture absolutely incredible footage from above! The Icelandic Transport Authority breaks down Iceland’s drone laws into two categories: Leisure Use and Commercial Use. Below are the details of these two groupings of laws, along with an outline of exceptions that can be made for flying drones in some National Parks with special permission.

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Iceland From Above:

Iceland Drone Laws When Flying For Leisure:

With so much natural beauty in Iceland, and a relatively low population of people, it’s an incredible place to capture drone footage from above. When flying a drone for leisure, below is a summary of the Icelandic Transport Authority’s Drone Laws (per the Icelandic Transport Authority’s official website as of 2020):

Icelandic Transport Authority Use of Drones in Iceland.png

Drones for commercial use, under 25 kg do not need to be registered with the Icelandic Transport Authority.
Mark the drone with your name, address, and phone number.
Insurance is required if the drone’s total weight is more than 20 kg.
Do not fly over crowds of people.
Do not fly higher than 120 m above the ground or sea.
Keep the drone in line of sight at all times.
Follow general rules around protection of property and privacy.
Do not fly within 2 km of international airports and 1.5 km of other airports.
Do not fly within 150 m of public buildings.
Do not fly within 50 m of residential buildings in urban areas without the owner’s approval.
Do not fly within 150 m of residential buildings in rural areas without the owner’s approval.
Check area specific flight regulations and restrictions before flying.
The operator is responsible for damages that may arise from the use of the drone.
Drone flights may not interfere with air traffic, ship, or vehicle traffic.

Exceptions TO Leisure DRONE LAWS:

Some areas are marked as “No Drone” or “No Fly” zones, especially the larger tourist attractions like Skogafoss. You will still see people flying drones at these locations, however, you face the risk of a fine. As of 2016, the recreational use of drones is banned at all National Parks in Iceland, including: Vatnajökull National Park, Snæfellsjökull National Park and Þingvellir National Park.

That being said, you can request special permission to fly your drone at the National Parks. We were able to get permission to fly our drone in Vatnajökull National Park by completing and emailing their Application Form for UAV Use.

Iceland Drone Laws When Flying For Commercial Use:

The laws for flying drones in Iceland for commercial use are similar, yet slightly different than the laws for leisure use.

Icelandic Transport Authority Use of Drones in Iceland for Commercial

Mark the drone. Register flight into & make a safety assessment for urban areas.
Total weight of the drone may not exceed 7 kg in urban areas and 25 kg in rural areas.
Insurance is required if the drone’s total weight is more than 20 kg.
Register the drone at www.icetra.is, where you can also apply for exemptions from restrictions.
Do not fly the drone higher than 120 m above the ground or sea.
Do not fly drone over crowds of people
Drone flights may not interfere with air traffic, ship, or vehicle traffic.
Do not fly within 50 m of residential buildings in urban areas without the owner’s approval.
Do not fly within 150 m of residential buildings in rural areas without the owner’s approval.
Follow general rules around protection of property and privacy.
Do not fly within 2 km of international airports and 1.5 km of other airports.
Do not fly within 150 m of public buildings.
Check area specific flight regulations and restrictions before flying.
Keep the drone in line of sight at all times.
The operator is responsible for damages that may arise from the use of the drone.