Remote pilot competency in Spain

What the rules say

Each line is resolved from published facts of Spain. "Not resolved" means the corpus does not answer it in a machine-checkable way — never that the law is silent.

• Competency requiredConditional
• Training requiredConditional
• Examination requiredConditional
• Proof of competency issuedConditional
• Operation-specific qualificationConditional
• Validity periodConditional
• Renewal or recurrent trainingConditional
• Minimum age16 yearsConditional
• Weight-based trigger0.25 kgConditional

What changes the answer

The published rules distinguish the a1, a2, a3 and open categories of operation.

• altitude

  Flight altitude at or below 120 m

• other

  Examination questions at or above 30 questions

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Alternative Accreditation via AMC

  AESA may adopt Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) recognizing alternative ways to accredit radiotelephony qualifications and language proficiency.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Language proficiency certificate requirement

  When the use of the aviation band is required for aeronautical communications, remote pilots must hold a valid language proficiency certificate of at least operational level (level 4) under Orden FOM/1146/2019 to prove adequate knowledge of the language(s) used.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Monthly reporting of practical skills training accreditations to AESA

  Entities authorized for national standard scenarios, recognized entities, and UAS operators conducting practical skills training for standard scenarios must report pilot training accreditations and complementary information to AESA on a monthly basis.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Practical radio operator certificate requirement

  When the use of the aviation band is required for aeronautical communications, remote pilots must hold a practical radio operator training certificate issued by an authorized examiner, valid for two years, to prove their radio operator qualifications.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Radiotelephony Qualification Requirement

  Remote pilots requiring the use of the aeronautical mobile service band must hold a theoretical radiotelephony certificate of indefinite validity issued by AESA and a practical radiotelephony certificate valid for two years issued by an authorized examiner.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Real Decreto 517/2024, art. 20 - section overview

  This article establishes the training and certification requirements for remote pilots operating UAS in Spanish national standard scenarios (STS-ES), requiring both a theoretical knowledge certificate issued by AESA and a practical skills accreditation issued by an authorized entity.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Real Decreto 517/2024, art. 22 - section overview

  Establishes the obligation for authorized training entities, recognized entities, and UAS operators to report pilot practical skills training accreditations for standard scenarios to AESA on a monthly basis.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Theoretical radio operator certificate requirement

  When the use of the aviation band is required for aeronautical communications, remote pilots must hold an indefinitely valid theoretical radio operator training certificate issued by AESA to prove their radio operator qualifications.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• Real Decreto 517/2024, de 4 de junio, por el que se desarrolla el regimen juridico para la utilizacion civil de sistemas de aeronaves no tripuladas (UAS) — Ministerio del InteriorOpen

Other drone rules in Spain

• Do I need to register my drone in Spain?Registration in Spain is governed by a published mass threshold of 0.25 kg, alongside the further conditions cited below. Whether it applies to a given flight depends on those conditions, each cited to its rule.
• What is the maximum drone altitude in Spain?Drone flights in Spain are held to a published general height limit of 120 m above_nearest_obstacle. The limit is not absolute: the published conditions that change it are cited below.
• Can I fly a drone near an airport in Spain?Drone flights near aerodromes in Spain are governed by airspace and aerodrome restrictions: whether permission is needed depends on the airspace, distance or aerodrome type published below.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in Spain?Whether an operation in Spain needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.
• Do I need drone insurance in Spain?Drone insurance in Spain is published with a minimum third-party cover of 0.75 million SDR. Whether cover is required for a given flight depends on the published conditions below.

All drone laws in Spain