New and stricter rules for flying drones in Iceland will take effect in the first half of 2021. While the country is not a member state, it is heavily integrated into the European Union, and the new stricter drone rules will be in accordance with the new European regulation.

Stricter rules for flying drones in Iceland

The new European drone rules will come into effect on January 1st, 2021, however, the implementation in Iceland will take a while states Þórhildur Elínardóttir, media representative for the Icelandic Transport Authority, reports the Morgunblaðið.

The new rules aim to increase safety and knowledge among the people who operate drones whether they fly for recreational or commercial purposes.

The regulation distinguishes three different categories:

recreational use,
professional use,
and the operation of large drones.

Each of these categories is further divided into subcategories based on the size of the unmanned aircraft and the type of use.

Drones that weigh less than 250 grams, such as the new DJI Mini 2 will not face any special requirements. However, for drones that weigh over this limit, the operators will be required to take a course and exam on the website of the Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) before they can take flight.

As the weight of the drone increases, so do the requirements that the pilot must meet. The new drone rules are also more strict when it comes to operating an unmanned aircraft in an urban environment. As the potential risk increases so do the demands on the pilot and additional training and exams will be required.

Similarly to the United States, drone operators in Iceland are required to register and attach the number provided by the Icelandic Transport Authority to their aircraft.

Iceland Monitor reports that in the future it is expected that drones will be required to be remotely detectable so that they can be tracked and monitored, similar to Remote ID for Drones in the United States.

Recently the German aviation authority LBA postponed the upcoming registration requirement for drone pilots by four months.

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