Ready to take to the Cork skies with your new Santa pressie?

Stop right there; the The Irish Aviation Authority has some important advice for new drone users.

Consumers who buy a drone that is over 250gm or has a camera are legally required to register as a drone operator.

Drone use is on the rise and the number of drones and operators registered in Ireland has risen exponentially over past number of years. Safety is paramount, and so since 2021, the IAA has registered over 8,000 drone operators and trained over 21,500 drone pilots.

This year has seen a 24 per cent increase in the number of pilots trained.

“Piloting a drone is fun but it comes with responsibility to fly it safely while respecting people’s privacy.” explains Jim Gavin, Chief Operations Officer of the Irish Aviation Authority.

“Remember, a drone is not a toy and can have very serious consequences if it collides with a person, an animal or another aircraft. So, if you do get a drone this Christmas, remember it’s your responsibility to know the rules and fly it safely.”

Reckless use of a drone or inappropriate use of a drone camera may result in prosecution so check out all the rules and regulations over here before you get started.