Flying a drone in Greece: the regulations guide

1 · The open category

The Greek official sources are the most partial of the series of guides: the DAGR map cannot be read automatically, and several points remain to be checked. The page states what the sources establish and what they do not.

The European regulation applies in Greece: the authority is the HCAA (Υπηρεσία Πολιτικής Αεροπορίας), which runs the UAS-FRSS registration portal. In the open category, no authorisation is needed; flights are at most 120 m high, in direct line of sight or with the help of an observer, with no dangerous goods and no dropping of objects — see the European framework. According to the portal’s FAQ:

• ▸A1 — class C0, or a privately built drone under 250 g, except over gatherings of people; class C1 too, minimising flying over people.
• ▸A2 — never within 30 m horizontally of an uninvolved person; according to the HCAA, 5 m with a low-speed mode.
• ▸A3 — at least 150 m from residential, commercial and industrial areas; classes C3 and C4, or a privately built drone up to 25 kg.

• ▸Drones without a class: A1 under 250 g, A3 under 25 kg. The UAS portal’s FAQ dates this regime to 2023, the HCAA’s to 1 January 2024: the two contradict each other.
• ▸Minimum age: 16 years in the open and specific categories; no minimum age for a C0 in A1. Those aged 16 to 18 attach the consent of their parents or guardians to the registration.
• ▸At night: no Greek rule is given in the sources consulted; the European regulation then requires a flashing green light.

2 · Zones: DAGR and the restrictions

The official map is DAGR — Drone Aware GR, developed by HASP (Hellenic Aviation Service Provider): it can be consulted without signing up or a registration number, and the HCAA is categorical — if DAGR shows a restriction, flying there is prohibited; the absence of a restriction does not amount to authorisation. Temporary restrictions appear at their start time.

• ▸Flying is prohibited near an emergency operation in progress.
• ▸Wildfires (HCAA bulletin of 24 July 2025): no flying in a zone set by NOTAM; land immediately as soon as aerial firefighting activity is detected, or on receiving a message from the 112 emergency number.
• ▸A 2016 national regulation required authorisation from the HCAA — and from the competent service, for example the Ministry of Culture for archaeological sites — near controlled airports, military installations, schools, hospitals and prisons, public utility installations, archaeological sites and environmental protection zones. This text predates the European regulation: its current applicability is not confirmed.

⚠️ Glydar’s map does not display Greece’s regulations: the DAGR map prevails, to be checked before every flight — see coverage, country by country.

3 · Registration, certificate and insurance

• ▸Operator registration on uas.hcaa.gov.gr: the operator is registered, not the drone. No registration for a drone under 250 g without a camera or personal-data sensor, nor for a toy. A stamp duty of €20; valid for 3 years, renewable. The number — prefix GRC and 13 characters — is stuck on all drones, including privately built ones.
• ▸Training: A1/A3: online course and a 40-question exam; A2: practical self-study, logbook and a 30-question exam. Certificates are valid for five years; a C0: only the manufacturer’s instructions; a privately built drone under 250 g: no training.
• ▸Third-party liability insurance: required for any drone used professionally, and for private use from 4 kg (UAS portal FAQ). The 2016 regulation set out cover amounts: their amount and current validity are not confirmed.

4 · FPV and immersive flying

The UAS portal’s FAQ says so: to fly FPV, an observer who watches the airspace can be used, and they must stand next to you — see the European framework.

5 · Before every flight

• ▸Consult DAGR, especially in summer: temporary restrictions, fire zones, NOTAMs.
• ▸GRC operator number on the drone, certificate if needed, insurance from 4 kg.
• ▸An observer alongside for FPV.

This guide simplifies — it replaces neither the official texts nor an up-to-date check. In case of doubt: HCAA, DAGR.

6 · Penalties: what the texts say

The UAS portal recalls that failure to meet the operator’s obligations leads to fines and other administrative sanctions under Article 153 of the Aviation Law Code (Law 1815/1988). This is what the sources consulted establish:

• ▸Article 153: for any breach of the provisions on air operations, air traffic and aircraft safety, a fine of 10,000 to 2,000,000 drachmas — the limits of which may be changed by decision of the minister —, imposed by the head of the HCAA, regardless of criminal liability; appeal within ten days before the administrative court.
• ▸Wildfires (HCAA bulletin): administrative fine, criminal prosecution for obstructing a public service, suspension or withdrawal of the operating declaration or certificate, seizure and confiscation of the drone.

⚠️ Article 153 is general: it does not expressly target drones. The text comes from an archived copy of a private site, not the official gazette; its amounts are in drachmas, and neither the current amount in euros nor a drone-specific law appears in the sources consulted. These are maximums: the authority decides. They are those of the text on the date this guide was checked (October 2026) — the text of the law prevails, not this page.

7 · Your responsibility, and what Glydar does

Glydar informs; it exempts from nothing. This guide draws on official sources but is not an official source, does not guarantee that they are exhaustive or up to date, and does not amount to authorisation to fly.

The remote pilot remains solely responsible for their flight and its compliance, as the terms of use recall. Everything needed to check is within reach: coverage, country by country, the official map and the texts cited below.