Drones and photography in Tromsø

It is strictly prohibited to fly a drone on the Tromsø island and parts of the mainland and Kvaløya.
Below, we have gathered information on how to responsibly and legally use drones and photograph around Tromsø.

Drone guide by Luftfarstilsynet

Luftfartstilsynet has made a guide for the use of drones for play and leisure. Using drones for activities that exeed these guidelines, will get you fined. Get an overview of everything you need to know here, and read the complete guide for flying drones in Norway here.

Shortened guides have been made in several languages and are available on Luftfartstilsynets webpages. Download pdf's here:

Droneguide (English)
Droneguide (Norwegian)
無人駕駛指南 (Chinese)
 

Main rules:

1. The drone should always be kept within your sight and operated in a mindful and considerate manner. Never fly near accident sites.
2. Never fly closer than 5 km from airports unless you have explicit clearance to do so.
3. Never fly higher than 120 meters off the ground
4. Never fly over festivals, military facilities or sporting events. Keep a distance of 150 meters.
5. Be considerate of others privacy. Take note of the rules concerning photos and films of other people.

Read more about rules and guidelines here.
 
Important to note:

• The whole island of Tromsø, including parts of Kvaløya, Håkøya, and Tromsdalen (where the Arctic Cathedral and the Cable car are located), falls within the restricted drone flying areas due to its close proximity to Tromsø Airport.
• Flying drones heavier than 250 gram requires a valid EASA certificate or competency. 
• Are you planning to take photos/film with your drone? Then you have to follow the privacy guidelines. Read more here (only in Norwegian).
• There are separate rules and guidelines for drones used for commercial work. More information and details can be found here.
• Illegal use of drones will be reported and fined. The drone will also be confiscated, and if the perpetrator is a foreigner, they may be deported from the Norway.

Check out the restiction areas of Tromsø on this map

Photography guidelines

A lot of people visit Tromsø every year and many are very keen on photography. It is usually fine taking photos everywhere, including at most of the attractions.
However, photographing children or around schools and kindergartens is not accepted. Photographing groups of people is usually ok, but if you are photographing an unknown individual you should ask permission first.

At museums, galleries and exhibitions you also might find signs indicating that photography is not permitted. 

For photography/ filming for commercial purposes, we recommend that you get permission in advance. This most relates to filming/photography inside buildings or museums.