Can you fly your drone in Portugal?

Two separate things are easily confused here. Registration as a drone operator is required as soon as your drone weighs 250 g or more, or has a camera or sensor able to capture personal data — so it covers many sub-250 g drones too, unless they qualify for the toy exemption. The A1/A3 Certificate competency certificate is something else: you need it once your drone weighs 250 g or more, or carries a C1 or higher class mark. A camera drone under 250 g therefore needs registration, but no exam. You get the certificate by passing an online theory test with ANAC Portugal, and it is then valid across the whole EASA area, not just here.

Yes — EU drone rules apply to visitors too. If you are already registered as a drone operator in another EASA country, that registration and your A1/A3 certificate (also A2) are valid in Portugal as well. Coming from outside the EASA area, you register once — in the first EASA country where you plan to fly, here with ANAC Portugal. Portugal requires prior, free authorisation from the military aviation authority AAN for any aerial image capture — apply via the e-AAN portal, ideally 10 days before flying — and liability insurance is mandatory for drones over 900 g.

The short version: Maximum of 120 m above ground level (EASA Open Category). On top of that: Registration as a UAS operator (free, valid for 3 years) if the drone weighs 250 g or more, or has a camera. Also: Mandatory A1/A3 online training for drones weighing 250 g or more — minimum pilot age: 16 years. These are central aviation rules — location-specific airspace, land, nature, privacy and photography requirements can also apply in Portugal, so always check the official sources.

The no-go areas are the restricted zones — typically around airports, prisons, military sites and protected nature. In Portugal you can see every zone on the interactive map on this page, and in the DroneKoll app wherever you are standing.

Drone flying in Portugal is regulated by ANAC Portugal. The airspace itself is managed by NAV Portugal. You will find both organisations' official pages under Sources below — those are the links worth bookmarking.