104 Romania
Three equal vertical bands of cobalt blue (hoist side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red. Modeled after the flag of France, the colors are those of the principalities of Walachia (red and yellow) and Moldavia (red and blue), which united in 1862 to form Romania. The national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed.
Flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook
Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook
Bust of Mihai Viteazul (1558-1601), also known as Michael the Brave, in the Palace of the People. Mihai was a successful military leader, defeating the Turks on many occasions. He was Prince of Wallachia (1593–1601), and briefly Prince of Moldavia (1600) and de facto ruler of Transylvania (1599–1600). Considered one of Romania’s greatest national heroes, his short-lived unification of the three principalities is seen as a precursor to the complete unification of Romania that did not occur until the 20th century.
Photo courtesy of the CIA World Factbook
Government
According to Britannica, following the collapse of communism in 1989, a constituent assembly drafted a constitution that was approved by the Romanian parliament on November 21, 1991, and by referendum on December 8, 1991. This document established a bicameral parliament consisting of a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate. Members of both houses are elected to four-year terms from each of the country’s administrative counties under a system of proportional representation: the number of seats allotted to each county is determined by the number of votes cast within the county, and the seats are divided among political parties according to their share of the vote. The president, who serves a five-year term, is elected directly by a popular vote. As commander of Romania’s armed forces and chairman of the Supreme Defense Council, the president has the power to declare martial law or national emergencies. Laws are approved by the majority vote of the members present in each chamber. In most cases, presidential decrees must be subsequently submitted for parliamentary approval and countersigned by the prime minister, who serves as the head of government. The president nominates (but cannot remove) the prime minister, who, along with the cabinet, is responsible for implementing the domestic and foreign policy of the state.
Romania is divided into 41 județ (counties) and the city of Bucharest. The central government appoints a prefect for each county who acts as the local representative for the national government. Mayors and community councils are directly elected by citizens.
The judicial system is headed by a Supreme Court of Justice, whose members are appointed by the president for six-year terms. Other elements include county courts, local courts (whose decisions may be appealed to county courts), and military courts. In the wake of Romania’s accession to the EU in 2007, judicial reform and anticorruption measures received renewed attention. In 2010 the EU published a report critical of the country’s faltering struggle against corruption, and it expressed concern about the record of the Romanian judiciary. Romania was one of only two members of the EU whose justice system continued to be closely monitored by the organization.
Civil / National Aviation Authority (CAA/NAA)
The Romanian Civil Aviation Authority, Romanian legal entity, with headquarters in Bucharest, Şos. Bucharest-Ploiesti no. 38-40, operates as an autonomous agency of national public interest, based on economic management and financial autonomy, carrying out its activity according to the provisions of the Air Code, government decisions and ordinances, orders of the relevant minister, decisions of the general director and other applicable specific regulations , in force.
Airspace
SkyVector – Google Maps – ADS-B Exchange
ICAO countries publish an Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). This document is divided into three parts: General (GEN), En Route (ENR) and Aerodromes (AD). ENR 1.4 details the types of airspace classes they chose to adopt from classes A through G. Romania AIP
Drone Regulations
Civil unmanned aircraft – UAS operations – Given that unmanned aircraft currently carry out flight activities (UAS operations) in the airspace together with manned aircraft, European / national regulations cover all types of unmanned aircraft, regardless of their operational mass. The technologies used in the construction, equipment and command / control of unmanned aircraft currently make possible a wide range of operations, and those operations are subject to rules commensurate with the associated risks.
In order to implement approaches based on risk assessment and the principle of proportionality, European legislation has provided a degree of flexibility for Member States with regard to the operation of unmanned aircraft, taking into account the different local characteristics of each Member State, while ensuring an adequate level of safety.
European / national legislation on unmanned aircraft also contributes to the enforcement of appropriate rights guaranteed by Union law, in particular the right to privacy and family life, as set out in Article 7 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and the right to the protection of personal data, as set out in Article 8 of that Charter and Article 16 TFEU and governed by Regulation (EU) No. 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Considering the risks that unmanned aircraft may pose to safety, privacy, the protection of personal data, security or the environment, requirements have been established for the registration of certain categories of unmanned aircraft, and registration of unmanned aircraft operators. This requirement has been met by the establishment of national, harmonized and interoperable national registration systems in which information, including the same basic data on unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft operators registered in accordance with the European regulations, is stored. Those national registration systems shall comply with applicable Union law and applicable national law on privacy and the processing of personal data, and the information stored in such registration systems should be easily accessible.
According to the provisions of European legislation, model airplanes are considered unmanned aircraft. In this regard and given that aircraft models have so far had a good safety record, especially those operated by members of model aircraft associations or clubs that have developed specific codes of conduct for such activities, European regulations ensure a smooth transition from the different national systems to the new EU regulatory framework, so that aircraft can continue to operate under the same conditions as at present, but also taking into account existing good practices in some Member States.
Considering the above, starting with December 31, 2020, the European / national normative acts that regulate the field of unmanned aircraft are:
Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 – on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and amending Regulations (EC) No 2111/2005, (EC) No 1008/2008, (EU) No 996/2010, (EU) No 376/2014 and Directives 2014/30/EU and 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 552/2004 and (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91
Commission delegated regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 march 2019 – on unmanned aircraft systems and on third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems
Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2019/947 of 24 may 2019 – on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft
Regulation (EC) no 785/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 – on insurance requirements for air carriers and aircraft operators
Regulation (EC) no 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 – setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 339/93
Regulation (EC) no 2019/1020 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 – on market surveillance and compliance of products and amending Directive 2004/42/EC and Regulations (EC) No 765/2008 and (EU) No 305/2011
Law 21 of March 18, 2020 – Romania’s air code from 2020
Law no. 5/06/03/2000 – regarding the approval of the “Plan for the development of the national territory”, Section III “Protected areas
Government Decision no. 912/2010 – (document repealed as of 18.09.2021) for the approval of the authorization procedure for flights in the national airspace, as well as the conditions under which the take-off and landing of civil aircraft can also be carried out from/on other lands or water surfaces than airfields certificates”
Decision 859/11 August 2021 – for the approval of the authorization procedure for aircraft flights in the national airspace – in force starting from September 18, 2021, the date from which Government Decision no. 912/2021
Government Decision no. 643/2020 – on laying down measures for the application of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems and the Implementing Regulation (EU ) 2019/947 of the Commission of 24 May 2019 regarding the rules and procedures for operating aircraft without a pilot on board
Easy Access Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems – Guidance material published by EASA on the application of Regulations (EU) 2019/945 and 2019/947
In accordance with the provisions of the Government Decision No. 643/2020, Romanian CAA developed and published the following procedures detailing the implementation of Regulations No. (EU) 2019/945 and No. 2019/947, as follows:
Procedura-AO-UAS-CAA – Procedure for the authorization of UAS operations within aeromodelling clubs and associations, approved by the Decision of the General Director of AACR no. D558/03.12.2020, edition 1/2020
Procedure-OPS-UAS – The procedure for carrying out UAS operations with unmanned aircraft systems on board, approved by the Decision of the General Director of AACR no. D584/30.12.2020, edition 1/2020
Procedura-CPD – The procedure for the certification of remote pilots, approved by the Decision of the General Director of AACR no. 583/30.12.2020
Procedure P-SP-UAS – Administrative procedures related to the market surveillance process of unmanned aircraft (UAS), accessory sets and complementary remote identification devices, approved by the Decision of the General Director of AACR no. 585/30.12.2020
Thus, in order to carry out flight activities legally, after December 31, 2020, the following are required:
UAS operations in the ”open” category (Art. 4 of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947)
Online registration of unmanned aircraft operators carrying out activities in the ”open” category – Art. 14 (2) and (5) of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947
Remote pilot licensing – Art. 8 (1) and Art. 9 of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947
(additional information here) – CPD Procedure
UAS operations in the ”specific” category (Art. 5 of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947)
- Online identification of unmanned aircraft operators carrying out activities in the ”specific” category – Art. 14 (2) and (5) of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947
- Remote pilot licensing – Art. 8 (2) of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947 – CPD Procedure
- Approval of UAS operations – Art. 11 and Art. 12 of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947 – OPS-UAS Procedure
UAS operations in the ”certified” category (Art. 6 of Reg. (EU) No. 2019/947)
All UAS operations will be performed in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 2019/947. From the point of view of the authorization of the flight activities, taking into account the normative acts mentioned above, the remote operator / pilot must comply with the following provisions:
- Art. 14 of Law 21/2020 on the Air Code regarding the establishment of the take-off / landing point in the case of flight activities with unmanned aircraft;
- Art. 13, para. (3) of Law 21/2020 on the Air Code regarding the altitude regime;
- Art. 15, para. (2) and (3) of Law 21/2020 on the Air Code regarding the prohibition of flying over densely populated areas / gatherings of people or objectives belonging to structures in the national defense system, public order or national security;
- the authorization procedure detailed in the Government Decision No. 912/2010 (for “open” and “specific” flight activities).
In airspace areas where flight activities with manned aircraft are prohibited or subject to specific authorizations / approvals, areas already published in AIP Romania, the existing limitations / restrictions are also applicable in the case of flight activities with unmanned aircraft. Full information on these areas is available on the websites: AACR (https://www.caa.ro/ro/pages/drone), AAMN (http://www.aamn.ro in the UAS section), ROMATSA
In the case of “open” UAS operations, the operator no longer has a legal obligation to require Romanian CAA to authorize flights below the minimum safety altitude (ZSIS), provided that they take place outside restricted airspace areas. This implicit approval does not apply to “specific” category flight activities.
Guidelines for planning and conducting flight activities with unmanned aircraft (drones, UAS, model airplanes) in the national / European airspace, after 31.12.2020
The provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 2019/947 “on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft”, with subsequent amendments and completions are applicable on the territory and airspace of the EU Member States from 31.12.2020.
The European legislative framework applicable to flight activities involving unmanned aircraft consists of:
a) Regulation (EU) No. 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing the European Union Aviation Safety Agency amending Regulations (EC) No. 2111/2005, (EC) No. 1008/2008, (EU) No. 996/2010, (EU) No. 376/2014 and Directives 2014/30 / EU and 2014/53 / EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, as well as repealing Regulations (EC) No. 552/2004 and No. 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EEC) No. 3922/91 of the Council;
b) Commission delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and on third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems, as subsequently amended and supplemented;
c) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2019/947 of 24 May 2019 on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft, as subsequently amended and supplemented; d) AMC and GM to Regulation (EU) No. 2019/947.
As regards the planning and performance of flight activities with unmanned aircraft in the national airspace of Romania, taking into account the provisions of para. 33 of the preamble of Regulation (EU) No. 2018/1139, in addition to the provisions of the European normative acts mentioned above, the following national normative acts also apply:
a) Law No. 21 / 18.03.2020 on the Romanian Air Code, March 2020 edition;
b) Government Decision No. xx / 2021 for the approval of the procedure for the authorization of aircraft flights in the national airspace (pending issuance);
c) Order of the Minister of Transport (OMT) No. 1338/2016 for the approval of the Romanian Civil Aviation Regulation RACR-IA “Registration of civil aircraft”, Issue 1/2016;
At the moment, national drone laws distinguish between the use of drones for recreational or professional purposes. Recreational use is limited to sports and leisure activities, such as drone racing or photography for private purposes. Trading drone photos is reserved for professional users. The use of drones for recreational purposes is allowed in the vast majority of European countries without requiring a special authorization from the aeronautical authorities. However, just because the operation is permitted, does not mean you can fly a drone without restrictions. There are some essential rules that you need to understand and follow. In many EU member states, drones are sold with an outline of the main rules to follow. Read it carefully! While a common aviation regulatory framework is currently under development at European level, you should be aware that to date, applicable rules and legislation differ from country to country.
The Commission is updating the content of this website to reflect the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Any excerpts that do not yet reflect the UK’s withdrawal are intentionally not appearing on the site and will be amended shortly.
- Most European countries have recently established aviation-specific safety and operating rules governing the use of drones in their national airspace. When flying a drone, I must follow these rules and not endanger other people, aircraft or property on the ground.
- The protection of privacy and personal data is a fundamental right. When flying a drone, I must always comply with privacy and data protection laws.
- In the event of an accident, the drone operator is directly liable and must compensate for the damage caused. When flying a drone, I need to make sure I have the appropriate insurance for the type of operation I’m doing.
Failure to follow these rules may result in financial penalties and/or legal consequences.
Important information!!! (updated at 15 March 2021)
INFORMATION of UAS operations in aerodrome control areas (CTR) – 17.09.2021
INFORMATION temporarily restricted area Romania_Ucraina
ONLINE PLATFORM – REGISTRATION OF OPERATORS / PILOT LICENSING
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Regulations & Policies
None found by the author.
However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) News
None found by the author.
However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!
Short Essay Questions
Question 1
You have been hired by a Drone Startup Company. Your boss has immediately assigned this job to you.
They need you to prepare a one-page memo detailing the legalities of using a drone to film in Bucharest.
They need you to mention any national laws and local ordinances.
They specifically want to know what airspace you will be operating in and whether or not you need an airspace authorization.
Does it matter whether or not you are a citizen of the country?
Lastly, there is a bonus for you if, as you scroll through this chapter, you find any typos or broken links!
Question 2
Do you need a certificate to fly UAS?
If so, how do you obtain one?
Are there fees associated with this?
If so, how much?
Question 3
May you operate beyond visual line of sight?
If so, what procedures must you follow?
Question 4
Does the country have UAM/AAM laws? If so, describe, citing the exact law.
Question 5
Are you aware of any new laws or policies not mentioned above? If so, describe, citing the exact law or policy.
