If you are planning a shoot that involves filming from the sky, we share a list of things to bear in mind that have been prepared by our fixer team in spain.
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Filming from drones, helicopters and similar are regulated by Civil Aviation regulations, and the production company must have the corresponding permits in order to carry them out. The entity in charge of regulating and controlling the safety of civil aviation in Spain is the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).
For the filming of aerial images by aircraft, it is essential to hire a company and a pilot certified by AESA. It will be the responsibility of this company to carry out the necessary procedures to authorise the flight and ensure that it runs smoothly.
Filming with helicopter and aircraft
Aerial photography flights with helicopter and plane are considered specialised commercial operations. There are minimum altitudes that all flights must respect and which may condition the aerial shots that you wish to record.
On the AESA website on aerial work operations you can find more information on regulations, operator licensing and other issues of interest in relation to this type of operation.
It is recommended that you bear in mind that aerial filming in the Community of Madrid is restricted to a specific flight area, so it is advisable to request all the relevant information from AESA before locating and defining the characteristics and route of the flight to be carried out. In the ENAIRE Insignia application you can consult the areas in which there are flight restrictions.
Filming with drones
As with other aircraft, there is a legal framework that regulates the activity and allows for the safe development of the remotely piloted aircraft sector, known as drones or RPAS. Information on national and EU regulations can be found on the AESA website on drones.
Given these regulations, it is essential to have a certified company and pilot to take images with remotely piloted aircraft, who are responsible for processing the necessary authorisations and for flying in urban areas. The AESA website provides information on the minimum requirements to fly any drone.
Operations in areas where there are agglomerations of buildings, as in the case ¸for example of the main municipalities of the Community of Madrid, will require specific authorisation from AESA based on a specific aeronautical safety study.
Regardless of these aerial permits, it is necessary to inform the local administrations of the operations to be carried out, bearing in mind that take-off and landing will be performed from the ground.
Due to the population density in the Madrid region and the nature of Madrid’s airspace, which has several civil and military airports, heliports and aerodromes in its territory, there are some restrictions on the operation of aircraft. In the ENAIRE drones application you can consult the areas in which there are prohibitions or restrictions on drone flights, as well as dangerous areas and other alerts.
