Droning in Santorini, some stuff to take into account

Lately there are more and more people in Santorini that want to capture the great views of this small island in the Aegean Sea from the sky. Since the rise of consumer drones, now a lot of vacationers just pack one in their back to get those extra juicy travel shots. Here’s some things to know before takeoff.

First things first, here’s the legal situation. Droning is allowed in Greece, but of course you must follow all the general EU rules and exercise common sense. Sadly, that means that most likely your droning on vacation is largely illegal, if you do not have an EU issued drone pilot license. Also, you are required to inform the police before takeoff (much like any other EU state). Practically, this is pretty tough to enforce, but let this be a warning for you to evaluate your situation. Be especially careful about bothering people’s sleep in the sunrise time, somehow it seems to be linked with getting busted more often than not :)

As to practical things, you should know that Santorini is a pretty remote island and it gets really windy at points, especially during the winter season and August. The Aegean Sea gusts have taken many a drone so far that it disconnects and sees its final days in the waves when it lands running out of battery.

Still worth it though – the Caldera and small colorful villages look amazing from top. Some spots to look into when droning in Santorini are definitely Oia, Imerovigli, Firostafani and Fira.

That about covers most of it, the rest is up to you – Google the locations, use street view to check the angles and have fun!