Drone regulations in Finland

Last update on 04.12.2023 | 6 Kommentare

In this post, you will learn about the Finnish rules for the operation of drones.

The EU Drone Regulation has been in force in Finland since December 31, 2020. This has largely harmonized the rules for remote pilots. You only have to register as an operator in one European country and your EU drone license is also recognized across countries.

If you want to register in Finland, you can do so via this link.

Overview of the European rules that apply in Finland

In Finland, the regulations of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) apply. The following is a summary of the key facts. For a complete overview, read our article on the new EU drone regulation.

National peculiarities in Finland

Each country can define certain aspects of its drone regulations. For Finland, the following requirements apply in addition to the European regulations.

Special features for aerial photography of military zones

A permit is required to fly your drone over military zones and to take photos from the air. This is required regardless of the flight altitude and the type and weight of your drone. The permit is issued by the Finnish Defense Command and costs 86 euros.

You need a permit for aerial photography and storing information for:

• Areas that are permanently closed to air traffic (EFR11, 35, 37, 43, 45, 54 and 100)
• Fortified areas, fortifications and garrisons
• Military ports or military airfields
• Warehouses or storage areas of the Finnish armed forces
• FDF signal stations, antenna sites and other defense equipment or material
• FDF or Border Guard field exercises
• You do not need permission if

You do not need permission if:

• your images are for private use
• what you are photographing is already known and identified and is not troops, buildings or vehicles referred to in section 14 of the Territorial Surveillance Act
• the photography does not cover a large area and is limited to a predetermined target (a narrow power line, a block, a park area, an industrial area, a forest area) or an area of less than 500 km²
• The use of drones or flying in terrain must be carried out in accordance with the applicable aviation laws and regulations.

If you are not sure whether you need a permit or suspect that you may have photographed targets listed in the Area Surveillance Act, you can contact the Defense Command by email at [email protected].

How to apply for an aerial photography permit

You can apply for a permit by sending an email to [email protected]. The application must include the photographed area as an attached map as well as geoinformation (ESRI, shp, KMZ) or coordinate points. The processing time for an application is approx. 14 days.

Further information can be found on the website of the Finnish Defense Command.

Further rules for drone pilots in Finland

If you want to take off within a radius of 5 kilometers distance to an airport, you need a clearance from air traffic control. Outside the perimeter, a maximum flight altitude of 50 meters applies within a control zone. You can find several maps with information on prohibited zones in this list.

We have researched the listed drone regulations for Finland to the best of our knowledge. We can not guarantee the correctness of the information. If you want to be on the safe side, please contact the competent aviation authority. Alternatively, you can also ask the embassy in your country for further information about the regulations. Please leave us a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your copter in Finland!