When you set out to hire a drone company in Barcelona you have plenty of options: from a hobbyist with a mid-range drone to an aerial production studio with a licensed operator. They'll all give you a pretty shot, but only some will do it legally, with insurance, and with a deliverable you can actually use without trouble. The difference doesn't show in the portfolio: it shows when there's an inspection, a claim, or when you need the footage in high resolution and you don't have it.
We've written this guide so you understand how to choose a drone company with sound judgement. It isn't a list of reasons to hire us; it's the checklist we'd use ourselves if we had to hire another operator. If a company passes these six points, you're on the right track.
The checklist for choosing a drone operator
1. AESA licence and registration
This is the first filter and the most important one. In Spain, any company that flies a drone for professional purposes must be registered as an operator with AESA (Spanish Aviation Safety Agency) and its pilots must hold the corresponding training depending on the category of the operation. Ask for the operator number and check that the person who will fly is authorised for the area and the type of flight you need.
A trustworthy operator shows you this without your having to ask twice. If a company dodges the question, talks about "you don't need that" or tells you "nobody checks", you already have your answer. Flying without authorisation isn't just an infringement: it's the first step towards your brand appearing in a video that was filmed illegally.
2. Civil liability insurance
A drone is an aircraft, and as such it can cause damage to people or property. That's why civil liability insurance (RC) is mandatory for professional operations. It isn't a decorative formality: if a drone falls on a car, a roof or, in the worst case, a person, the policy is what marks the difference between a scare and a financial disaster.
Ask them to prove the cover and the insured capital. A serious company keeps the policy up to date and can show it to you before turning up at the shoot. If you have to take their word for it, you're not trusting them: you're taking on the risk yourself.
3. Permit management (CTR, Interior Ministry and restricted zones)
A large part of Barcelona lies within restricted zones: the proximity of El Prat airport, controlled airspace (CTR), dense urban areas and sensitive sites that require authorisation from the Generalitat Police – Mossos d'Esquadra. A trustworthy drone company knows how to read the map, coordinates with ENAIRE when needed and processes the permits well in advance. It doesn't improvise on the day of the shoot.
Ask directly: "who handles the permits and how long does it take?". If the answer is vague or they pass the responsibility on to you, that's a bad sign. We explain how it all works in our guide to permits for flying a drone in Barcelona, so you can verify for yourself that the talk matches reality.
4. A real, verifiable portfolio
A good portfolio isn't the one with the most spectacular images, but the one you can verify. Ask for real work, similar to yours: if you need real estate video, ask to see real estate video; if it's tourism or hospitality, ask for examples from that sector. Stock images mixed in with their own work are a red flag.
Pay attention to consistency too: framing, colour, the rhythm of the edit. An operator who has mastered the craft keeps a steady level across projects. You can see examples on our work page and compare them with what other companies offer you. If you like, ask for references from previous clients: anyone whose work is well done has no problem providing them.
5. Clearly defined rights and deliverables
This is the point that causes the most grief and is talked about the least. Before hiring, put in writing what usage rights you have over the footage and what exactly they deliver to you. Receiving a video compressed for Instagram is not the same as the high-resolution master; nor is a licence for a single use the same as a full licence for all your campaigns.
Ask without embarrassment: in what format and resolution do you deliver? Do you include the raw files? Can I use the footage on my website, social media and advertising with no time limit? Who owns the rights? A transparent company answers you in writing and sets it out in the quote. If everything comes back as half-answers, the day you need the footage for something new you'll find yourself paying an extra you didn't expect.
6. A clear quote with no small print
An honest quote details what's included and what isn't: flight hours, travel, editing, colour grading, licensed music, revisions and delivery. Be wary of suspiciously low prices. They often hide one of two things: either there's no licence or insurance (which is why it's cheap), or the "cheap" is the bait and the extras arrive afterwards, one by one.
Compare quotes on the same basis. If you want a market reference before asking for anything, take a look at our drone prices in Barcelona page and the guide on how much a drone video costs. Having a starting figure helps you spot both inflated prices and the ones that are too good to be true.
Summary: the question that unlocks everything
If there's only one idea you take away: a good drone company shows you the paperwork before you ask for it. AESA licence, insurance, permits, a real portfolio, clear rights and a detailed quote aren't demands you have to make: they're the normal way a serious operator works. When all that is transparent, the conversation stops being about risks and becomes about what really matters: the images.
At drone.barcelona we've worked this way from the very first email. We're a licensed AESA operator, insured, we handle the permits and we set out the rights and deliverables in writing in the quote. If you want to see it applied to your project, take a look at our services, read more articles in the Journal or tell us what you need and we'll get back to you with a clear quote within 24 hours.