In accordance with the provisions of the Government Decision no. 859/2021 (G.D. no. 859/2021), flights with civil aircraft for cartographic purposes, aerial shooting or filming, according to the national legislation on the protection of classified information, can be carried out based on an approval granted by the Ministry of National Defense (MoND), through the Overflight Department; flights with civil unmanned aircraft for aerial filming or shooting, in accordance with the “open” category conditions, as defined in the EU Regulation 2019/947 and outside the restricted areas (please see map here, but only those labeled aerofoto@mapn.ro) do not require an approval from the Ministry of National Defense.  
 
In order to request the MoND approval, the applicant has to proceed as follows:

• Fill in the application form available here; 
• Send the application at aerofoto@mapn.ro, in accordance with terms established in annex no. 2 from G.D. no. 859/2021;
• If the application does not meet all the requirements or it’s incomplete, the applicant will be informed about this and the deadline for granting the approval will run from the moment when a complete application is sent;
• During the operations the following rules are mandatory.

The approval may be granted for a flight, a series of flights or for certain periods, without exceeding one calendar year.
The applications must be addressed directly to the MoND, through the Overflight Department, at least 7 working days before the flight.
 
Applications shall be completed with data and information regarding the air operator identity, aircraft registration/identification, parameters of flights, characteristics of the on-board cameras, as well as the areas of operation. Applications shall be accompanied by copies of the air operator's certificate, identity document, aircraft registration/identification certificate and, where applicable, special authorization issued by the National Registry Office for Classified Information (ORNISS), according to provisions of the national legislation.
 
In the case of Bucharest overflight at heights below 3,000 m, in the restricted area published in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP – Romania), with the exceptions provided in G.D. no. 859/2021, the air operators must obtain an overflight authorization granted by the MoND, through the Overflight Department, in accordance with the provisions of annex no. 2 from G.D. no. 859/2021.
 
Also, given the specificity of the LRR3 area (the restricted area related to Bucharest), the air operators will attach at their applications documents justifying the opportunity to approve the request (e.g. collaborations, commitments, letters from beneficiary institutions, etc.).
 
According to the provisions of annex no. 2 from G.D. no. 859/2021, the requests for Bucharest overflight at heights below 3,000 m, in the restricted area published AIP Romania, are addressed within 5 working days before the estimated take-off date.
 
National legislation:

1. Legea nr. 21 din 18 martie 2020 privind Codul aerian;  
2. Legea nr. 182 din 12 aprilie 2002 privind protecția informațiilor clasificate, cu modificările și completările ulterioare;
3. Hotărârea Guvernului nr. 859 din 11 august 2021 pentru aprobarea procedurii de autorizare a zborurilor cu aeronave în spațiul aerian național;
4. Hotărârea Guvernului nr. 585 din 13 iunie 2002 pentru aprobarea Standardelor naționale de protecție a informațiilor clasificate în România, cu modificările și completările ulterioare.

 
European legislation:

1. Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018;
2. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and on third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems;
3. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 of 24 May 2019 on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft;

 
Useful links:
Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority (CAA)  - https://www.caa.ro/en/pages/drone
Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration (ROMATSA) - https://flightplan.romatsa.ro/init/drones (UAS geographical zones)
 
Contact details for Overflight Department:
Phone: (+ 40) 21.410.01.43
Fax:  (+40) 21.410.26.95
E-mail: aerofoto@mapn.ro
Working hours: Monday to Friday between 08:00 – 15:00