Drone in Iceland: New Rules Every Photographer Must Know
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Time to read 3 min
You booked your trip to Iceland. You packed your camera, your lenses, and your drone, because how could you not? Gullfoss from above. Látrabjarg at golden hour. Skógafoss with nothing but mist and light. Flying a drone in Iceland has always felt like the ultimate way to capture one of the most photogenic countries on the planet. As of May 17, 2026, that dream just got significantly more complicated.
The Icelandic Nature Conservation Agency has announced a formal change in how drone in Iceland permits are issued in protected areas. At 15 of the country's most iconic locations, recreational drone permits will no longer be issued under any circumstances. Not restricted to certain hours. Not limited to low season. Simply no longer available.
What Changed on May 17, 2026
The Nature Conservation Agency (Náttúruverndarstofnun) published an official announcement confirming that drone in Iceland permits in listed protected areas are now issued exclusively for professional purposes: research, monitoring, supervision, construction, film production, advertising, TV and news coverage. Applications must be submitted through the island.is government portal. Recreational and hobby drone in Iceland applications for these locations will not be processed at all.
The stated reasons are wildlife disturbance, noise pollution, accidents caused by increased drone traffic, and the degradation of the visitor experience. Iceland has seen a dramatic increase in drone use over the past decade, and the agency has drawn a clear line.
The Honest Context: The Rules Were Already There
Here is what most posts covering this story leave out: the drone in Iceland rules at many of these locations already existed on paper. Flying a drone in Iceland's national parks and protected areas has required a permit from the Environment Agency for years. Several locations on the new list were already off-limits or restricted to narrow early-morning windows outside peak season.
What changed on May 17 is not so much the underlying law but the administrative practice. Previously, a tourist could theoretically apply for a recreational drone in Iceland permit and, in some cases outside peak season, receive one, or simply fly without consequences. That grey area has now been formally closed. The drone in Iceland situation was already a nightmare. The difference now is that the nightmare is official.
Nothing has really changed for drone operators. The use of drones in Iceland was and is a nightmare.
The Locations Where Drone Flying as a Tourist is Now Prohibited
These are the protected areas where recreational drone in Iceland permits will no longer be issued under any circumstances:
- Akurey (island)
- Drangar
- Dyrhólaey
- Geysir (geothermal area)
- Gjáin (in the Þjórsárdalur valley)
- Goðafoss
- Gullfoss
- Háifoss and Granni (in the Þjórsárdalur valley)
- Hjálparfoss (in the Þjórsárdalur valley)
- Látrabjarg
- Lake Mývatn and the Laxá River Nature Reserve
- Skógafoss
- Skútustaðagígar
- Stórurð
- The Stapi and Hellnar coastline
Additionally, Iceland's three national parks, Þingvellir, Vatnajökull, and Snæfellsjökull, operate under their own separate drone regulations, which are equally strict. Drone flying in Iceland's national parks requires direct permits from the respective park administrations, not from the Nature Conservation Agency.
Where You CAN Still Fly a Drone in Iceland
The new restrictions apply exclusively to protected areas and nature reserves. Outside of these zones, flying a drone in Iceland is still legal, but you must follow the general aviation rules set by the Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa):
- Always keep your drone within visual line of sight
- Maximum flight altitude is 120 metres
- Flying over crowds, people, or vehicles is prohibited
- Approaching or disturbing animals (horses, sheep, birds) is strictly forbidden
- Maintain at least 2 km distance from airports at all times
- Respect physical signs on location: if a landowner has posted a "No Drones" sign, you are legally required to honour it
Iceland's highlands, remote coastal areas, and vast lava fields outside protected zones still offer extraordinary drone photography opportunities. The country is large, and the restrictions, while significant, do not cover the entire island. With the right planning, exceptional aerial footage of Iceland remains entirely possible: just not at the most famous waterfalls and geothermal areas.
How to Get a Professional Permit
If you are a professional photographer, filmmaker, or journalist, drone in Iceland permits for protected areas are still available. Applications are submitted through island.is. Processing time is typically 15 days, and up to 30 days for the Mývatn area. Fees currently stand at 38,000 ISK for up to two protected locations, and 76,000 ISK for three or more or for larger commercial projects. Apply well in advance — a permit application submitted days before your trip will not be processed in time.
Travelling to Iceland with Esploro Travel
We run expedition trips into Iceland's Highlands and Westfjords, some of the most visually extraordinary terrain in the country and, in many cases, outside the scope of the new protected area restrictions. If you are travelling with us and want to fly a drone in Iceland, we will advise you on what is and isn't permitted along your specific route. For professional photographers and filmmakers joining our trips, we work with a local operator who can assist with the professional drone in Iceland permit application process where applicable. Get in touch if this is relevant to your trip.