Am I allowed to fly a drone in Norway?
Yes — you may fly a drone under the EU's common drone rules, which apply in Norway via the EEA agreement and are enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority. Most private flying is in the Open category: under 25 kg, within visual line of sight, and max 120 metres altitude. You must register as an operator if the drone weighs 250 g or more, or has a camera — a camera triggers the requirement whatever the weight, and the fee is 230 kr a year. A drone licence, an online test, is required from 250 g, and you must keep at least 5 km from airports without clearance. The minimum age is 16. Check the drone map before you fly: flying near an airport without clearance brings a fine from 12,000 kr and confiscation of the drone.
📋 The rules
- Open category: max 120 m altitude, within line of sight
- Register as operator if the drone is ≥250 g or has a camera
- Fee: 230 kr a year
- A drone licence (online test) is needed from 250 g
- Keep at least 5 km from airports without clearance
🔓 Exceptions
- CE-marked toy drones are exempt from the test and insurance requirements
- Drones under 250 g with no camera need no registration
- Model-flying clubs with an approved safety system have their own conditions
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Flying within 5 km of an airport without clearance brings a fine from 12,000 kr and confiscation of the drone, and serious cases can bring up to 2 years prison. Registration costs just 230 kr a year, while flying unregistered with a drone of 250 g or more, or with a camera, is a breach in itself. What people overlook is privacy: filming neighbours in homes and gardens can breach the rules the Data Protection Authority enforces, regardless of whether the flight was lawful. Flying above 120 metres or beyond line of sight is a breach even if nothing goes wrong.
📎 Official sources
- Civil Aviation Authority · Drone rules →
- Civil Aviation Authority · Registration →
- Data Protection Authority · Drones →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I have to register my drone?
You register as an operator, not the drone, if it weighs 250 g or more — or has a camera, whatever its weight. That means even a small 200-gram camera drone triggers the duty to register, and the fee is 230 kr a year.
How high can I fly?
Max 120 metres above the ground in the Open category, which covers drones under 25 kg and is where nearly all private drone flying happens. You must also keep the drone within visual line of sight, meaning you see it with your own eyes and not just on the screen.
Do I need a drone licence?
Yes, for drones from 250 g upwards. It is an online test with the Civil Aviation Authority, and it comes on top of the operator registration at 230 kr a year — CE-marked toy drones are exempt from both the test and the insurance requirement.
How close to an airport can I fly?
At least 5 km away without clearance. Check the drone map before you fly — a breach brings a fine from 12,000 kr and confiscation of the drone, and serious cases can bring up to 2 years prison.
Can I film people with the drone?
Not people in homes or gardens against their will. The Data Protection Authority enforces the privacy rules, and they apply independently of the aviation rules — a registered drone on a lawful flight is no defence to a privacy breach.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I fly a drone norway”
- “drone registration 250 grams”
- “drone licence aviation authority”
- “drone max altitude 120 m”
- “drone 5 km airport norway”
- “drone fee 230 norway”