Tech Talk discussion on Drone regulations in Ireland
In August 2024, we were contacted to see if we would be interested in chatting with Newstalk’s Jess Kelly, one of the country’s top tech podcasters and probably the country’s number-one recognisable Techies, about drone regulations in Ireland. We were delighted as we are passionate about drones and drone use. We love any opportunity to discuss this high-tech industry. Many have a view of drones as toys, we see the many use cases and how drones are being used to keep people out of harms way.
We often discuss drone regulations in our blog posts
We have many blog posts regarding drone registration, restricted airspace and even the “drone license“.
Have a look at our other blog posts and contact us if you have any queries
Speak to our drone experts today
Regulatory context beyond the interview
The Newstalk chat with Jess covers the headline points, but the regulatory picture changes quickly and the details matter. If you run a business that uses drones – or is thinking about starting to – the three areas worth watching are the current Open/Specific category rules, the operator registration and Remote Pilot Competency requirements, and the site-specific authorisations needed when you’re flying near controlled airspace, over people, or beyond visual line of sight. We cover all three in our drone consultancy service and can help operators work through the IAA process end-to-end.
For one-off projects, the more common question is simply “can we legally fly here, and what will we get?” That’s where a structured mission plan and risk assessment saves a lot of time – it defines the airspace, the authorisations, the hardware, and the deliverables before anyone leaves the office. Typical outputs include orthomosaics and topographical survey data, LiDAR point clouds, high-resolution asset inspection imagery, and thermal surveys, depending on the project.
We work with local authorities, civil engineering contractors, utility operators, and researchers across the country. You can see a summary of our recent locations on the areas we service page or jump directly to the closest regional hub: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford or Mayo.