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Europe drone rules

Bulgaria drone laws for travelers

Bulgaria is workable for travel pilots, but coastal resorts, Sofia, airports, military zones, and protected areas need advance checks.

Coastal terrain photographed from a drone over Europe42.70° · 25.50°

Research note, not yet publication-audited

This record remains useful in the directory but is excluded from search indexing until its official authority and operational claims complete review.

Bulgarian Civil Aviation Administration

Bulgaria

Register or certify first

EASA registration plus Bulgarian CAA checks

Bulgaria is workable for travel pilots, but coastal resorts, Sofia, airports, military zones, and protected areas need advance checks.

Bring it

No routine tourist import permit found; registration and location restrictions are the main trip blockers.

Register it

Use the national aviation authority portal unless you are already registered as a UAS operator in another EASA member state where that registration is accepted.

Fly it

EU/EASA Open Category rules apply. Operator registration and pilot competency depend on drone class, weight, camera/sensor equipment, and where you fly.

Map check

Use Bulgarian CAA UAS guidance and check national airspace restrictions before flight.

Before you travel

  1. 01Confirm operator registration, remote pilot competency, and insurance rules before travel.
  2. 02Check the national UAS map or authority guidance for the exact launch area.
  3. 03Get written permission for restricted zones, protected places, events, and private or managed launch sites.

Operating notes

Max altitude
120 m AGL in Open Category unless a national UAS zone sets a lower limit.
Recreational
EU/EASA Open Category rules apply. Operator registration and pilot competency depend on drone class, weight, camera/sensor equipment, and where you fly.
Commercial work
Low-risk commercial work can fit Open Category when all limits are met. Specific Category work, higher-risk filming, BVLOS, crowd proximity, and controlled-zone work need authorization.
Airspace
Use Bulgarian CAA UAS guidance and check national airspace restrictions before flight.

Compare the route

Check nearby countries before you lock the itinerary.

Registration, import, and commercial-work rules can change at the border even when the flight looks identical.

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