Drone Insurance

What is Drone Insurance and do I need it?

Drone Insurance is one of the most common topics on drone forums, but much confusion remains.

Drone Insurance refers to an Insurance Policy that primarily covers the operator in the event of an incident with a third party; optional hull coverage is also available to replace the drone. This is referred to as a Public Liability Insurance Policy (PLI). Public Liability offers protection and cover when your drone may injure or damage someone’s property. Under EASA Regulations, Public Liability Insurance is mandatory for commercial operations, and is recommended for recreational and hobbyist users. 

DJI Care Refresh is not Drone Insurance

When purchasing a new drone, many people opt for the care refresh option and mistakenly believe it is drone insurance. DJI Care Refresh is a product replacement policy that covers the drone in the event of a flyaway, a crash, and, in certain cases, water damage. DJI will replace the drone after verifying the claim.  

Drone Insurance Policy Caveats

As with any insurance policy, there are terms and conditions; these are important to read and understand. 

The most important thing to remember is that your insurance policy only covers you when you are flying within the regulations.

That means you are not covered or insured if you are in an Amber Geographical zone that limits you to 30m AGL and flying at 50m. If you have an incident, the insurance company may ask for your flight logs, and failure to provide them may result in your claim being denied. 

This could leave you personally liable for injuries or damages.

Drone Services Ireland recommends Coverdrone for Public Liability Insurance. We have been with them for many years now.

Drone Professional Ireland members can avail of a 10% discount on Coverdrone Policies.

Types of Drone Insurance Available in Ireland

There are two main types of drone insurance relevant to operators in Ireland:

• Public Liability Insurance (PLI) covers you against third-party claims for injury or property damage caused by your drone. This is mandatory for all commercial operations under EASA regulations and strongly recommended for recreational pilots.
• Hull Insurance covers physical damage to the drone itself, including crashes, flyaways and in some policies water damage. This is optional but advisable for high-value platforms such as the DJI Matrice series.

Drone Services Ireland carries €6.5M Public Liability Insurance on all operations.

Who Needs Drone Insurance in Ireland?

Under EASA regulations, Public Liability Insurance is mandatory for all commercial drone operations regardless of drone weight. Any operator being paid to fly – for surveys, inspections, photography, or any other purpose – must hold a valid PLI policy before taking off.

Recreational pilots flying in the Open Category are not legally required to hold PLI, but it is strongly recommended. An incident with a third party can result in significant personal liability if you are uninsured.

What Does a Drone Insurance Policy Cover?

A standard commercial drone PLI policy will typically cover:

• Third-party bodily injury caused by your drone
• Third-party property damage
• Legal costs associated with defending a claim
• Emergency response costs

Hull cover (purchased separately or as an add-on) typically covers:

• Accidental damage to the drone
• Flyaway incidents
• Water damage (policy dependent)
• Payload equipment such as cameras and sensors

How Much Does Drone Insurance Cost in Ireland?

The cost of commercial drone PLI in Ireland varies based on the type of operations (VLOS vs BVLOS), the maximum take-off weight of the drone, annual hours flown, environment operated in, and claims history. For small commercial operators flying standard VLOS operations, annual PLI policies typically start from around €300–€500. Specific Category operations covering BVLOS or complex environments will be priced higher.

Important Policy Caveats

Drone insurance policies only cover you when you are operating within the regulations. If you are flying in an Amber Geographical Zone restricted to 30m AGL and you operate at 50m, your insurance will not be valid for any resulting incident. Insurers may request your flight logs when processing a claim. Logs that show regulatory breaches will likely result in your claim being denied, leaving you personally liable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is drone insurance a legal requirement in Ireland?

Public Liability Insurance is a legal requirement for all commercial drone operations in Ireland under EASA regulations. Recreational pilots are not legally required to hold PLI but it is strongly recommended.

Does DJI Care Refresh count as drone insurance?

No. DJI Care Refresh is a product replacement programme covering the drone hardware. It does not provide any third-party liability cover and cannot substitute for a PLI policy.

Do I need insurance for every flight?

You need an active policy at all times during commercial operations. Most professional operators hold annual policies rather than pay-per-flight cover, which is more cost-effective for regular commercial use.

Related Services

At Drone Services Ireland, we are fully insured and certified operators carrying detailed drone insurance for all commercial operations. Whether you need a drone survey, aerial inspection, or drone consultancy, our insurance covers all aspects of our work. Learn more about drone registration requirements in Ireland.