Registering RC Models & Drones in Portugal — 2026 Guide (ANAC, EASA)

RC plane ready to fly

To fly drones or other unmanned aircraft (UAS) legally in Portugal, you need to register as an operator with ANAC, mark the aircraft, hold the right pilot competency, and get airspace authorization for camera/imagery flights. This is the current setup as of 2026.

What changed: ANAC now runs everything through one unified platform — uas.anac.pt ("Voe na Boa") — covering operator registration (REPIF/TRACE), pilot training, aircraft registration and EASA airspace authorizations. The old separate AAN flow is now integrated.

Step 1 — Register as an operator (ANAC)

  1. Go to uas.anac.pt → Register.
  2. Complete operator registration. You receive an operator number (REPIF/TRACE) — this is the EU-wide ID that must be displayed on every drone you fly.
  3. Mark the aircraft with that number (printed sticker, engraved, written — any visible permanent marking is fine). Flying without it can carry a fine of up to €2,000.

Step 2 — Get your pilot competency

Under the EASA Open Category, anyone flying anything heavier than a toy needs the A1/A3 online training and exam:

  • The official ANAC course can be done on the EU portal — Eurocontrol's Luxembourg-hosted version is free and accepted across the EU:
    Eurocontrol Training Zone — A1/A3 Open Category
  • For more advanced operations (A2 sub-category, Specific category) further training and a practical exam are required.

Step 3 — Insurance

  • < 250 g — no insurance legally required, but recommended.
  • ≥ 250 g — third-party liability insurance is mandatory under EU Regulation 785/2004.
  • Group insurance via the APDrone protocol can be cheaper than individual policies — check current providers via ANAC or APDrone.

Note: the old "< 900 g" rule comes from the previous Portuguese-only regime — under the EU rules now in force, the cut-off is effectively 250 g.

Step 4 — Airspace authorization (cameras / imagery)

For any flight that captures photos or video, or anywhere outside the standard Open Category, you need airspace authorization. This is now also requested through the same ANAC platform:

uas.anac.pt → EASA Authorizations

Useful Reference Videos

Need physical ID labels?

Community-produced operator-number stickers/labels (in Portuguese) used to be available via the APDrone-linked address uas.matriculas@gmail.com. Always verify any third-party label provider before sharing personal data.

Last reviewed: May 2026. Regulations evolve — always confirm on anac.pt before flying.

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