Tourist faces $244K fine for breaking drone rules abroad

A British vacationer is facing a jaw-dropping €200,000 (approx. $244,000) fine after flying a drone illegally during a crowded religious festival in Spain’s Canary Islands. Here’s a cautionary tale for drone pilots across the globe, especially those planning to take their birds overseas…

The incident occurred on July 15, during the Virgen del Carmen maritime procession, a major celebration in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, that draws thousands of attendees. Spanish National Police officers monitoring the event noticed an unauthorised drone buzzing above the packed crowd. It didn’t take long for them to trace the signal back to the Hotel Las Águilas, where they confronted the drone pilot, who turned out to be a foreign national on vacation.

According to authorities, the tourist admitted to not holding a drone license, having no liability insurance, and being completely unaware of Spanish aviation laws. The drone was confiscated on the spot, and the case has now been referred to Spain’s State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) for further administrative proceedings.

And the fine? Potentially up to $244,000.

Spain — and by extension, the European Union — takes drone laws very seriously. Flying a drone in an urban environment without proper clearance isn’t just frowned upon; it’s considered a major safety risk, particularly during mass gatherings like festivals.

In this case, three drones were authorized to fly: two operated by the National Police for crowd surveillance, and one for official event filming. The British tourist’s drone was a rogue flyer, and could have caused serious harm if something had gone wrong.

Under Spanish and EU rules, drone operations are categorized based on risk:

• Open: For low-risk recreational flying (but still requires operator registration if the drone weighs over 250g or has a camera).
• Specific: Higher-risk flights, such as those near people or in cities.
• Certified: Complex drone ops like delivery or air taxis.

Even for “simple” recreational flights, rules apply. For example:

• Register as an operator on the AESA portal
• Complete basic online training (available free of charge)
• Label your drone with your registration number
• Obtain liability insurance, especially for anything beyond backyard flying
• Use the ENAIRE Drones app to check flight permissions in real time

Violations are classified into tiers, with minor offences starting at ~$65, and very serious ones, like this one, going up to ~$274,000.

The drone operator reportedly told authorities they were unaware of local rules, but ignorance is no excuse under Spanish law. Police say they hope this case serves as a warning to others: bringing a drone on vacation doesn’t give you a license to fly wherever you want.

Had the drone collided with another aircraft, fallen into the crowd, or caused a panic, the situation could’ve been far worse. Spain’s Royal Decree on the civil use of unmanned aircraft specifically prohibits flying over urban areas, near airports, or during large events without express approval from aviation authorities and the Ministry of the Interior, at least five days in advance.

More: Drone tech meets dust bunnies in DJI’s Romo vacuum cleaner