Drone Regulations
Malta
A practical guide to operating UAVs legally in Malta under EASA's EU-wide drone framework. Updated for 2025.
Malta applies EU drone law directly.
As an EU member state, Malta implements the EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) drone regulatory framework in full. This means EU Regulation 2019/947 and its amendments govern all civil UAV operations across the Maltese Archipelago — the same rules that apply in France, Germany, or Italy apply here.
The Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (MCAD) is the national competent authority responsible for registering operators, issuing authorisations, and enforcing compliance. MCAD operates under the authority of Transport Malta.
Malta also has specific airspace considerations relevant to drone operators: two international airports (Malta International and Gozo), active military zones, dense urban areas, and UNESCO-protected heritage sites that impose additional operational constraints beyond the standard EASA framework.
IRAS Ltd is Malta's authorised integrator for enterprise drone systems. We support operators in understanding these requirements and deploying systems that are compliant, insured, and appropriately authorised for their specific mission profile.
Three Categories.
One question: what's your risk?
Open
Low-risk operations with UAVs under 25 kg, flown within visual line of sight (VLOS), below 120 m AGL, away from assemblies of people. No prior authorisation needed — but registration and competency are still required above 250 g.
Specific
Operations that exceed Open category limits — flying over people, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), above 120 m, or in controlled airspace. Requires a risk assessment (SORA) and an Operational Authorisation from MCAD before flight.
Certified
Highest-risk operations: carrying people, operating over large assemblies, or UAVs above 25 kg in complex environments. Treated similarly to manned aviation — the operator and aircraft must be certified. Rare in commercial practice.
Subcategories A1, A2, A3
A1
Fly over (but not intentionally over assemblies of) people. UAV must be C0 or C1 class marked, or a privately built UAS under 250 g. Pilot must have passed the EASA online theory test (A1/A3). No minimum separation from uninvolved people required for C0 class.
- Urban area photography
- Event coverage (not over crowds)
- Real estate aerial
A2
Fly close to (but not over) people — minimum 30 m horizontal separation in normal mode, 5 m in low-speed mode with C2-class UAV. Pilot requires the A2 Certificate of Competency from MCAD, obtained via online theory exam plus self-declaration of practical skills.
- Infrastructure inspection near roads
- Construction site monitoring
- Port and harbour survey
A3
Fly in areas where no uninvolved people are expected — minimum 150 m horizontal from residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas. Pilot must hold the A1/A3 Certificate of Competency. Suitable for rural and remote operations away from populated areas.
- Agricultural survey
- Countryside mapping
- Remote coastal inspection
Who must register?
Any operator flying a drone heavier than 250 g, or any drone equipped with a camera or sensor (regardless of weight), must register as a UAS operator with MCAD via the EASA Drone Portal.
Registration applies to the operator, not the aircraft — a single registration number covers your entire fleet. The operator's e-registration number must be marked on all UAVs you operate.
Commercial operators and organisations register as legal entities. Individual hobbyists register as natural persons. Both must hold valid third-party liability insurance for UAV operations — this is a mandatory legal requirement in Malta, not optional.
Registration is currently free and valid for one year, renewable annually via the EASA Drone Portal.
Where you cannot fly
without authorisation.
Airport & Aerodrome Zones
A 5 km radius exclusion zone applies around Malta International Airport (MLA) and Gozo Heliport. Flying within the Malta TMA (Terminal Manoeuvring Area) or control zone without MCAD/Air Traffic Control authorisation is prohibited and carries serious legal penalties.
Heritage & Sensitive Sites
Low-altitude flight over UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Grand Harbour area, Valletta City Gate, and other designated heritage areas requires specific MCAD permission. Applications must include a full risk assessment and flight plan.
Port & Maritime Areas
Operations over the Grand Harbour, Marsaxlokk, and other designated port areas are controlled. Coordination with Transport Malta's Port Directorate and the Armed Forces of Malta may be required depending on the nature of the operation.
Military Zones
Malta has designated military restricted areas, including zones around AFM installations and training grounds. These are absolute no-fly areas for civilian UAV operators without explicit AFM clearance, which is rarely granted.
Assemblies of People
Flying directly over festivals, sporting events, outdoor concerts, or any assembly of people is prohibited in the Open category. Specific category authorisation and extensive risk mitigation is required for operations above or near such gatherings.
Gozo Channel & Offshore
Extended operations over water between Malta and Gozo, or offshore beyond visual line of sight, require Specific category authorisation. Coordination with the Malta Maritime Authority and AFM Maritime Squadron may also be required.
When you need an Operational Authorisation.
Operations that fall outside the Open category — flying BVLOS, above 120 m, over people, in controlled airspace, or with UAVs above 25 kg — require an Operational Authorisation from MCAD before any flight takes place.
The standard route is the SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) methodology defined by EASA. SORA is a structured risk assessment process that evaluates ground risk and air risk for the intended operation and prescribes the operational safety objectives the operator must meet.
MCAD also accepts applications based on Predefined Risk Assessments (PDRAs) — standardised scenarios published by EASA that cover common use cases (e.g. PDRA-S01 for BVLOS over sparsely populated areas) and allow faster authorisation without a full SORA.
Enterprise operators running recurring commercial operations — pipeline inspection, port survey, infrastructure monitoring — typically obtain a standing Operational Authorisation covering their standard mission profiles, rather than applying per-flight.
Need a system that's
already compliant?
IRAS Ltd supplies enterprise drone systems that are correctly categorised, registered, and supported for Maltese operations. We can advise on the right authorisation route for your mission profile.