The State Police recorded 2.3 times more violations related to the use of drones last year Riga, April 27, LETA. The State Police recorded 768 cases related to non-compliance with drone usage rules last year, which is 2.3 times more than in 2024, when 330 violations were recorded, the Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) reported to LETA.
The Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) reviewed 123 administrative offense cases related to the use of drones last year, which is 50 cases more than in 2024.
In recent years, the number of individuals operating drones has also significantly increased. In Latvia, at the end of 2025, there were 11,242 registered drone operators, which is 43.3% more than at the end of 2024, when there were 7,846.
The CAA notes that violations are most often committed by men aged 20 to 45, and since 2024, there has been an increase in offenders under the age of 18. In such cases, legal representatives of the offenders are involved in the proceedings.
The State Police reported that in cases of violations, drones mainly lack proper markings or do not comply with the permitted flight altitude during flight. Additionally, last year, the number of cases where drones flew near infrastructure without the necessary coordination with its owners or managers increased more than sixfold. There was also an increase in cases where flights were conducted outside of direct visibility.
In 2025, four cases were recorded where the blood alcohol concentration of remote pilots exceeded the legal limit of 0.2 promille, with one of them recorded at 1.6 promille, resulting in a fine of 150 euros.
For violations in the use of drones, administrative fines can be imposed by the CAA, the State Police, the Military Police, municipal police, and the State Border Guard.
