Drone legislation in Romania: what are the rules for flying legally?

Are you planning a trip to Romania with a drone? The country follows the EASA European logic, which already simplifies things a lot for a remote pilot based in the EU. But before taking off, you still need to check the local geographical zones, go through the official Romanian portals when a procedure is necessary, and avoid any improvisation near airports, urban centers, or sensitive sites. Here are the essentials, in a clear and useful version.

Key point	Things to remember for Romania
General framework	Romania applies EASA European rules, with local checks to be done before each flight.
Open category	No individual authorization if you stay within the limits of the open category: 120m max, visual line of sight, no overflying crowds, and appropriate subcategory.
Registration	Yes, if your usage profile falls within the European operator registration framework; the official Romanian portal indicated by EASA is uas.caa.ro.
Training	Training and online tests are also centralized via uas.caa.ro.
Sensitive zones	Systematically check the official ROMATSA map before the flight: flightplan.romatsa.ro/init/drones.
Specific authorization	The EASA directory of national authorities refers to drone@caa.ro for authorization requests.
Travel from the EU	An operator registration obtained in a member state remains valid in the EU, but local Romanian restrictions must be respected.

Quick summary of drone rules in Romania

For classic leisure or creative use, Romania primarily operates within the common European framework. This means that a simple flight generally remains possible in the open category if you stay under 120m, in visual line of sight, away from gatherings of people, and with a drone adapted to the relevant subcategory. If you need a clear reminder on the open / specific / certified logic, our guide on drone flight categories in Europe puts the basics back in place.

• usual maximum height in open category: 120m AGL;
• visual line of sight (VLOS) and careful piloting;
• no overflying crowds or improvised operations over people;
• prior verification of Romanian geo zones before each takeoff;
• respect for privacy as soon as a camera captures identifiable people.

Registration and training: what steps to plan?

In Romania, EASA officially refers to uas.caa.ro for registration as a drone operator and for training / online tests. In practice, this confirms that national procedures go through this portal. If you are already registered in another EU member state, this registration remains valid throughout the Union. If you are starting your operations in Europe via Romania, you must however follow the logic of the first member state of operation. To put these obligations in order, you can also re-read our guide on mandatory drone registration in Europe.

On the remote pilot side, Romania fits into the same framework as other EASA countries: for many uses in the open category, A1/A3 training becomes the basic knowledge required, especially as soon as you move beyond purely toy mini-drones. If you are still hesitating between the different use cases, our article on subcategories A1, A2, and A3 helps avoid classic confusion.

Where is flight prohibited or sensitive in Romania?

This is probably the most important point. The official resource highlighted by EASA to know where you can fly in Romania refers to the ROMATSA map. Before each flight, check your precise zone rather than assuming that an open landscape is automatically authorized. If you are filming near an airfield, an aerodrome, or a sensitive axis, also keep in mind our reminder on drones and airports.

• airports, aerodromes, heliports, and associated airspaces;
• dense city centers and highly frequented areas;
• critical infrastructure or temporary restriction zones;
• tourist, historical, or natural sites where other local rules may apply;
• any zone marked as restricted on the ROMATSA map.

In short: in Bucharest, around an airport, an institutional building, or a busy tourist site, it’s better to assume that the flight requires serious verification before bringing out the propellers. For a more advanced or atypical flight, or if your scenario falls outside the open category, the EASA directory also indicates drone@caa.ro as the contact point for authorization requests.

Traveling with your drone in Romania

For a traveler already in compliance in the EU, the good news is simple: you don’t re-register as an operator in every country. Your registration obtained in one member state remains valid at the European level. However, this never exempts you from checking local zones, the day’s conditions, and any restrictions specific to the targeted Romanian spot. If you often prepare trips with a drone, also keep our guide on drone legislation for cross-border travel handy.

For importing the drone in your luggage, the best practices remain those of classic air travel: batteries carried according to the airline’s rules, drone protected in a suitable bag, and useful documents quickly accessible if a check occurs. If you travel light with a mini-drone, this often simplifies the experience, but does not remove local regulatory checks.

Sanctions and points of vigilance

Officially accessible sources mainly highlight useful portals and contacts, but not a very simple public scale of sanctions. I therefore prefer to remain cautious: a flight outside an authorized zone, near sensitive airspace, over people, or without respecting formalities can lead to a flight interruption, administrative consequences, or even sanctions depending on the situation. And if your images infringe on privacy, the risk is not just a matter of aviation law: our reminder on privacy and GDPR rules remains useful throughout Europe.

Practical advice before taking off in Romania

• check the official ROMATSA map on the day itself;
• keep your proof of operator registration and your training certificate with you if applicable;
• avoid improvised flights in urban centers, around monuments, or near sensitive infrastructure;
• if your case falls outside simple leisure flight, contact the authority via drone@caa.ro before the operation;
• plan for an extra safety margin in the mountains or in windy valleys;
• if you are comparing several countries, also keep our guide to the EASA European framework just a click away.

Also read on Drone & Cam

• All our articles on drone legislation
• Drone legislation in Europe: understanding the common regulations
• Mandatory drone registration: procedures and obligations in Europe
• Drones and airports: European regulations and restricted areas
• European drone law and cross-border travel

Official sources

• EASA – directory of national drone authorities
• EASA – Romania page (redirection to the Romanian authority)
• EASA – where you are allowed to fly in Romania
• UAS CAA Romania – operator registration and training
• ROMATSA – official drone map / flight zones
• EASA – FAQ drones / UAS

Informative article published on July 21, 2026. As regulations and geo zones can evolve, always check the official source just before flying.