COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

 

Madrid, 4 June 2024 (AESA)

The Council of Ministers approved today, on the proposal of the Ministries of Transport and Sustainable Mobility; Defence; Industry and Tourism; Interior; Economics, Trade and Business; Digital Transformation and the Civil Service; as well as the rest of the agents of the sector, a Royal Decree that updates the regulation of drones to boost the sector and favor the competitiveness of Spanish operators and manufacturers. The new regulatory framework will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

With the new standard, the legal regime for the civilian use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is developed: Unmanned Aircraft Systems), popularly known as drones. The objective is to have a national regulatory framework consistent with that of the European Union, which provides stability and legal certainty to the sector for its development, while this occurs safeguarding public security in its different meanings.

In addition, it aims to help boost the provision of services and, in general, the economic activity of the sector, favoring the competitiveness of Spanish operators and manufacturers within the European and international market.  

All this, in a context in which the use of drones allows a good number of aerial activities with lower costs and polluting emissions, so they are increasingly in demand.

 

Framework for action of the Royal Decree

The new Royal Decree establishes the legal regime applicable to drones of those activities or civil services that are excluded from the application of the European Union regulation, such as customs, police, search and rescue, firefighting, border control, coastal surveillance or similar activities or services.

On the other hand, this standard also complements the European legal regime on a regulatory framework for the U-space, in terms of organization and competences, establishing the limitations and operational conditions associated with the geographical areas of UAS. ENAIRE is also designated as the entity responsible for making available, in a single common digital format, information on the geographical areas of UAS identified in the territory and airspace of Spanish sovereignty.

In these areas, flight within the pilot's visual range is permitted at a maximum height of 60 m without the need to coordinate with the aerodrome manager or ATS providers, except in UAS areas specifically associated with the aerodrome infrastructure. This is a measure long demanded by the sector.

A training regime is completed for operations carried out under an operational authorization, those that are intended for activities not subject to European regulations and those reserved for the training of Radiophonist specific to UAS / drones. In addition, the requirements for all those entities that wish to provide this type of training are described.

It also highlights the creation, in the Secretariat of State for Security, of the Registry of Unmanned Aircraft of the Ministry of the Interior, to prevent, investigate or detect criminal and administrative offences, including protection and prevention against threats to citizen security.