Travelling with drones

If you are planning to take a drone on board, here are some useful tips to ensure a smooth airport security check.

You can leave your drone in your checked baggage, but make sure that is completely switched off and protected from unintentional activation or damage to the drone (e.g. by keeping the drone in a hard case).

The general rules laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) can be found here (Hazardous substances).

If you bring batteries into the cabin of the aircraft, always check with your chosen airline if there are any special rules. We recommend that you place them in a safety bag (e.g. Lipo safe bag) and make sure that the contacts are protected against short-circuits. When passing through the security checkpoint, open the bag and tell the security guard what is in it.

If you also have a tool kit for repairing your drone, you have to put it into checked baggage, as sharp objects should not be brought on board in hand luggage.

Drone safety rules

Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones, were initially used only for military purposes, but as technology has developed, these modern devices present a tremendous economic opportunity in a variety of industries, for example to assist in construction or for parcel delivery.

However, with the ease of accessibility and the exponential growth in popularity of the use of drones for private purposes, their safe use and integration into the airspace poses a major challenge. While drones have until recently been able to fly unrestricted in the air and cause disruption to regular air traffic, this is no longer the case.

The number of drone incidents near airports has been steadily increasing in Europe and worldwide in recent years. Most of these cases involve the unauthorised intrusion of drones into the vicinity of airports and areas within them.

As the consequences of a collision between an aircraft and a drone can be catastrophic, airport operators and air navigation service providers are often forced to halt or restrict air traffic, causing disruption to air traffic, significant costs for airlines and airports, and many inconveniences for passengers.

Such incidents mostly occur by accident - when individuals are simply unaware of the problems their actions can cause, or due to individuals acting with the deliberate intent to disrupt air traffic. In extreme cases, such acts may be criminally motivated.

This is why the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has prepared and issued an information bulletin "Restrictions on drone operations", which covers the main rules for drone operations.

How to operate a drone correctly?

• The remote pilot is responsible for the safe operation of the drone, so he must know how to use it properly and check that it is working properly before each use.
• The drone user must check with the competent national authority where he is allowed to fly the drone. The website of the Civil Aviation Agency of the Republic of Slovenia provides an interactive map of the geographical areas where drone flying is prohibited or restricted.
• In general, however, airports, airfields and other aircrafts should be avoided, as the use of drones is prohibited within five kilometres of an airport.
• Drones must be kept in sight at all times and must not be flown higher than 120 metres above the ground.
• The drone user must maintain a safe distance between the drone and property/objects, other aircraft, animals and people, while respecting their privacy.
• In certain cases (depending on the type of drone), the user of the drone must also register as a drone operator and complete the appropriate training and tests. The training is free of charge and the remote pilot is thus provided with all the relevant knowledge to enable him to use the drone in accordance with aviation safety regulations. More detailed information on registration and training can be found here. The unique drone operator registration ID, which you will be issued with, can be used on your drone throughout all EASA Member States.
• If you take your drone to anywhere outside the EASA Member States, you need to follow national legislation in place for operating and flying drones.
• If you are a resident of a non-EASA Member State and plan to visit and operate a drone in an EASA Member State, you need to register as a drone operator with the National Aviation Authority of the first EASA state you intend to operate from.

Please note that there are fines for infringements of these rules. For example, a fine of €2,500 is imposed on an individual who enters an unauthorised geographical area with his drone.