New report for the unlawful operation of drones in protected areas of Tenerife. Environmental Agents from the Cabildo de Tenerife identified a citizen piloting one of these devices in a restricted zone of the Chinyero Special Natural Reserve, where this activity is forbidden unless a special permission and licence for their use are obtained.
The Association of Forestry and Environment Agents reminds users on the X social platform (formerly Twitter) that “compliance with sectoral and environmental regulations is essential when operating a drone“. This means that drones may only be deployed in naturally protected spaces on the Island with a specific permit that must be processed through the electronic office of the Cabildo de Tenerife.
The utilisation of drones in the areas of greatest natural significance across the Canary Islands and, broadly speaking, in Spain is strictly regulated to prevent potential harm to wildlife and plant life, as well as to safeguard delicate regions from aerial activities, particularly those near airports.
As is the case nationwide, the recreational use of drones is prohibited in national parks, wildlife conservation zones, biosphere reserves, and other safeguarded natural territories.
The improper operation of such devices can lead to incidents such as wildfires. This was evident in October last year when environmental agents tracked down the owner of a drone that had been flown on June 29, 2024, in a protected area without authorisation, leading to a fire outbreak in Buenavista del Norte, within the Teno Rural Park.
Subsequently, the Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability, and Security and Emergencies, Blanca Perez highlighted, “a crucial duty of Environmental agents is the investigation into the causes of fires. On June 29, there was an incident in the upper Masca area where our agents investigated and found that a drone had crashed into the rocks and ignited very dry vegetation.”
Fortunately, the incident did not result in a fire due to the swift action of response teams, but it could have had far more severe repercussions. This underscores the importance of stringent regulations in the most vulnerable natural locations of the Islands.
There are additional instances of actions taken against such irregular practices. In December 2023, a holidaymaker operated a drone in the Mirador de la Tarta within Teide National Park without the necessary permit. Furthermore, he shared the footage captured during that flight on social media. Not only did he lack a permit, but he also did not hold a licence to operate these devices, which is another requirement under Canarian and national laws.
This was not the first complaint regarding similar occurrences in Teide National Park. In December 2016, the Civil Guard reported another tourist for utilising a drone at the summit of Tenerife without possessing the required permit, insurance, and licences necessary for engaging in this activity.
