We also wanted to fly our drone* during our Israel tour, after all, the Holy Land has beautiful landscapes to offer. We were there at the end of 2017 with the super small DJI Spark* and, accordingly, familiarized ourselves with the drone laws in Israel. We have summarized the regulations for you, and further down in the text you can read our personal experience report.

What else you should know:

  • What else you should know:
  • Israel’s new drone law at a glance
  • Drone regulations in Israel
  • Field report – Flying with a drone in Israel

Israel’s new drone law at a glance

In 2018, the regulations became significantly stricter than in the previous year! While tourists (non-commercial) previously did not have to obtain permits, they now require three (!) forms: a permit from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAI), another permit from the Ministry of Communications, and a form regarding drone use (commercial/private). We cannot currently say whether an additional certificate is required for Israeli customs (importing the drone) – we are in contact with the Israeli association regarding this matter.

Required documents (English): Process-to-bring-your-drone-to-israel

Israel-Totes-Meer-En-Bokek-Drohne

The main problem: The forms are only available in Hebrew. The official statement is: Contact the AeroClub, they will help you. But… The AeroClub knows nothing about the new regulations! Even after consulting the CAAI, there was no new information other than that only AeroClub membership is required (see regulations below). So, at the moment, there’s no clarity on what to do next.

We’ll stay on top of this! To be on the safe side, you should choose the red exit at customs and clarify everything necessary there, or leave the drone at home for safety’s sake. We can handle the entire procedure exclusively through the Israeli Aeroclub.

autofahren-israel-mietwagen-wueste

Therefore, contact the Aeroclub at the email address: office@aeroclub.org.il and describe your plans. See information below.

Drone Regulations in Israel

(The following information may no longer be current – we are in contact with the Israeli association regarding this matter) The following points apply to drones weighing 300 grams or more, including the small DJI Spark. These are the points that every drone pilot must adhere to.

  • Do not fly higher than 50 meters
  • Fly only during the day and within sight
  • A (temporary) membership in the Israeli Aeroclub is required
  • Email office (at) aeroclub.org.il and describe your plans there. See details in the ✎ example email to
  • This membership includes a take-off permit and insurance
  • The temporary membership costs 100 shekels (approx. €24, PayPal payment only)
  • In Israel, flying is only permitted on the 2.4 GHz frequency
  • Flying in national parks is prohibited
  • 250 meters of safety distance from buildings and people, 2 km from airports
  • Prohibited: Over crowds, military zones, power plants, and other public buildings
  • Click here for the no-fly zones in Israel – Google Maps (colored markings = prohibited)
  • Permission is required for commercial flights ✎ www.en.caa.gov.il

Field report – Flying with a drone in Israel

We arrived at the airport in Ovda a little nervous. We were well prepared, but you never know what questions you might be confronted with. We were questioned about my entry stamp from Dubai, about our laptop, and… that was it! Neither customs nor the immigration officials were interested in the drone.

We’re relatively new to the drone and still quite unsure how people would react to a drone like this (the DJI Spark). Accordingly, we stood as inconspicuously as possible in quiet corners. Nevertheless, we occasionally reacted to it from passersby. Some were curious and just wanted to take a look at the display; others spoke of “spy” and observed us critically.

eilat-strand-coral-beach-israel-rotes-meer-drohne

All’s well that ends well!

Ultimately, we never really felt comfortable flying the thing. As a drone pilot, I (Marco) definitely wouldn’t have been so nervous in another country. I was just unsure how sensitive the police, military, etc. would be to such a drone. Perhaps you become more hardened with time.

The bottom line is that anyone who follows the above rules has nothing to fear, regardless of critical glances or comments. We had a particularly good time flying the drone over the Dead Sea, the Red Sea, and in the Stone Desert. Mostly where there were hardly any people around. This meant we could always adjust everything and fly our circuits in peace.