Flying a drone in Italy: the regulations guide

1 · The open category

ENAC, the Italian civil aviation authority, presents the open category as the reference for leisure flying and certain low-risk commercial activities — the European framework. Always prohibited: flying above 120 m, out of direct sight, over gatherings of people, with a drone of more than 25 kg, or with dangerous goods. The distances, according to ENAC:

• ▸A1 — the flight is planned so that no overflight of uninvolved people is expected; if an unplanned overflight occurs, its duration is reduced as much as possible. Class C0 or C1; with no marking, under 250 g.
• ▸A2 — 1:1 rule (at 50 m height, 50 m from people), 30 m at minimum, 5 m in low-speed mode (3 m/s). Class C2.
• ▸A3 — 1:1 rule, 30 m at minimum, and no less than the distance covered in 2 seconds at maximum speed; at least 150 m from residential, industrial, commercial and recreational areas. Classes C0 to C4, or a drone with no class and under 25 kg placed on the market before 1 January 2024.

A drone with no class marking is only allowed in the open category if it was placed on the European market before 31 December 2023, or if it is privately built for personal use (not a ready-to-fly kit).

2 · Geographical zones: d-flight prevails

Before each flight, the maps of the d-flight portal and ENAC circular ATM-09A are consulted: they carry the UAS geographical zones — for safety (around airports, heliports, landing areas), for security, and for environmental protection. In zones established for safety, open-category flight is prohibited; certain red zones, established for other reasons, allow it with the consent (“nulla osta”) of the body that requested them.

• ▸Nature parks: overflight is only prohibited where the prohibition has been approved by ENAC and published on d-flight. Any consent comes from the park’s managing body; ENAC specifies that the zones displayed are under review, because they are approximate.
• ▸Beaches: ENAC knows of no drone-specific prohibition; the ban on flying over gatherings and the safety distance remain.
• ▸A flight can only be prevented — and failure to observe a prohibition only penalised — if the information appears on d-flight: other bodies cannot establish a prohibition of their own accord.

⚠️ Glydar’s map does not display Italy’s regulations: the official d-flight map prevails, to be consulted before each flight — see coverage, country by country.

3 · Registration, training and insurance

• ▸Operator registration on d-flight: a European identification code is issued as a QR code, to be affixed to each drone. Toys and drones under 250 g with no camera, microphone or other personal data collection device are exempt. Registration fees are paid on d-flight.
• ▸Training: the pilot certificate is required to operate. For a drone under 250 g with a camera, it is not mandatory — registration, insurance and the A1 rules still apply.
• ▸Third-party liability insurance: mandatory for the operator, “adapted to the type of operations”; ENAC gives no amount.
• ▸The operator also ensures pilot training, GDPR compliance and drone maintenance.

4 · FPV and immersive flight

According to ENAC, FPV is permitted only with the assistance of an observer who keeps direct visual contact with the drone, without instruments. The observer stays close to the pilot and gives continuous, timely warnings. The remote pilot remains, in all cases, responsible for flight safety.

5 · Before every flight

• ▸Check d-flight: safety zones around airports and heliports, nature parks, temporary zones.
• ▸Have the operator’s QR code on the drone, the certificate if the drone exceeds 250 g, and the insurance.
• ▸Arrange for an observer beside the pilot for immersive flight.

This guide simplifies — it replaces neither the official texts nor an up-to-date check. The ENAC pages consulted are dated 14 and 15 May 2024. In case of doubt: ENAC, d-flight.

6 · Penalties: what the texts say

ENAC states that penalties fall under the Codice della navigazione, applied by the provincial Questura and, in some cases, by ENAC. Here is what the text provides for the cases closest to drone flying (amounts in lire in the text read; converted equivalents in brackets):

• ▸Flying over built-up areas, gatherings or airports without complying with the regulations or the authority’s orders: detention of up to six months or a fine of up to one million lire (about €516) — art. 1228.
• ▸Failure to comply with a law, regulation or order on navigation safety: detention of up to three months or a fine of up to 400,000 lire (about €206) — art. 1231.
• ▸Failure to comply with an airport policing rule: administrative penalty of two to twelve million lire (about €1,033 to €6,197) — art. 1174.

⚠️ These articles target the “aircraft commander” (art. 1228) or airport policing (art. 1174): ENAC does not say, article by article, which ones target a remote pilot, and this page does not settle it. The equivalents are a calculation at the legal conversion rate, not a text read. These are ceilings, and 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 their completeness or that they are up to date, and does not constitute flight authorisation.

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.