Technology
Mapped: Drone Privacy Laws Around the World
Published
2 months agoon
By
Iman GhoshView the full-resolution version of this infographic

Mapped: Drone Privacy Laws Around the World
View the high-resolution of the infographic by clicking here.
From Olympic opening ceremonies to public safety, drone applications have come a long way.
In fact, their modern applications are set to almost double the total value of the commercial drone market from $22.5 billion to $42.8 billion between 2020-2025, at a 13.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Naturally, such diverse and complex uses can go quickly awry if not monitored and regulated correctly by governments—yet in some cases, it’s because of governments that drones’ uses border on sinister.
This in-depth map from Surfshark explores the murky guidelines surrounding drone privacy laws around the world, and some case studies of how they’re used in every region.
How Are Drone Privacy Laws Classified?
According to the map researchers, drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) regulations typically fall into one of the following buckets:
- Outright ban
- Effective ban
- Visual line of sight required
Pilots need to be able to see the drones at all times, and must usually obtain a license or permit - Experimental visual line of sight
Pilots can let the drone fly outside their field of vision e.g. during a race - Restrictions apply
Drones need to be registered, and/or additional observers are required - Unrestricted
When drones are flown around private property and airports, and under 500 feet (150 meters) - No drone-related legislation
Categories are assigned based on legislation as of October 2020.
Clearly, there is some overlap among these categories. They are highly dependent on judgment calls made by specific legal authorities, and change based on what a drone is being used for.
Explore the drone privacy laws in your specific country here:
Country/Territory | Continent | Drone Legal Status (Oct. 2020) |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Asia | Unrestricted |
Albania | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Algeria | Africa | Outright ban |
Andorra | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Angola | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Antigua and Barbuda | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Argentina | South America | Unrestricted |
Armenia | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Aruba | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Australia | Oceania | Experimental visual line of sight |
Austria | Europe | Unrestricted |
Azerbaijan | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Bahamas, The | North America | Unrestricted |
Bahrain | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Bangladesh | Asia | Unrestricted |
Barbados | North America | Outright ban |
Belarus | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Belgium | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Belize | North America | Effective ban |
Benin | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Bermuda | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Bhutan | Asia | Effective ban |
Bolivia | South America | No drone-related legislation |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Botswana | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Brazil | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Brunei Darussalam | Asia | Outright ban |
Bulgaria | Europe | Effective ban |
Burkina Faso | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Burundi | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Cabo Verde | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Cambodia | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Cameroon | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Canada | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Cayman Islands | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Central African Republic | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Chad | Africa | Unrestricted |
Chile | South America | Visual line of sight required |
China | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Colombia | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Comoros | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Congo, Dem. Rep. | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Congo, Rep. | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Costa Rica | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Cote d'Ivoire | Africa | Outright ban |
Croatia | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Cuba | North America | Outright ban |
Curacao | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Cyprus | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Czech Republic | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Denmark | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Djibouti | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Dominica | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Dominican Republic | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Ecuador | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Egypt, Arab Rep. | Africa | Effective ban |
El Salvador | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Equatorial Guinea | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Eritrea | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Estonia | Europe | Unrestricted |
Ethiopia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Faroe Islands | Europe | Unrestricted |
Fiji | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Finland | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
France | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Gabon | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Gambia, The | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Georgia | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Germany | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Ghana | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
Gibraltar | Europe | Effective ban |
Greece | Europe | Unrestricted |
Greenland | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Grenada | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Guam | Oceania | Unrestricted |
Guatemala | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Guinea | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Guinea-Bissau | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Guyana | South America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Haiti | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Honduras | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Hungary | Europe | Unrestricted |
Iceland | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
India | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Indonesia | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Iran, Islamic Rep. | Asia | Outright ban |
Iraq | Asia | Outright ban |
Ireland | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Israel | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Italy | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Jamaica | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Japan | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Jordan | Asia | Unrestricted |
Kazakhstan | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Kenya | Africa | Effective ban |
Kiribati | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Korea, Dem. People’s Rep. | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Korea, Rep. | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Kosovo | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Kuwait | Asia | Outright ban |
Kyrgyz Republic | Asia | Outright ban |
Lao PDR | Asia | Unrestricted |
Latvia | Europe | Unrestricted |
Lebanon | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Lesotho | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Liberia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Libya | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Liechtenstein | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Lithuania | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Luxembourg | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Macao SAR, China | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Madagascar | Africa | Outright ban |
Malawi | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Malaysia | Asia | Effective ban |
Maldives | Asia | Effective ban |
Mali | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Malta | Europe | Unrestricted |
Marshall Islands | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Mauritania | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Mauritius | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Mexico | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Moldova | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Monaco | Europe | Unrestricted |
Mongolia | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Montenegro | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Morocco | Africa | Outright ban |
Mozambique | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Myanmar | Asia | Effective ban |
Namibia | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Nauru | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Nepal | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Netherlands | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
New Caledonia | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
New Zealand | Oceania | Experimental visual line of sight |
Nicaragua | North America | Outright ban |
Niger | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Nigeria | Africa | Effective ban |
North Macedonia | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Norway | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Oman | Asia | Effective ban |
Pakistan | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Palau | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Panama | North America | Unrestricted |
Papua New Guinea | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Paraguay | South America | No drone-related legislation |
Peru | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Philippines | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Poland | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Portugal | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Puerto Rico | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Qatar | Asia | Unrestricted |
Romania | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Russian Federation | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Rwanda | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
Samoa | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
San Marino | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Sao Tome and Principe | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Saudi Arabia | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Senegal | Africa | Outright ban |
Serbia | Europe | Unrestricted |
Seychelles | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Sierra Leone | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Singapore | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Slovak Republic | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Slovenia | Europe | Outright ban |
Solomon Islands | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Somalia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
South Africa | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
South Sudan | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Spain | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Sri Lanka | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
St. Kitts and Nevis | North America | No drone-related legislation |
St. Lucia | North America | Unrestricted |
St. Martin (French part) | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Sudan | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Suriname | South America | No drone-related legislation |
Swaziland | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Sweden | Europe | Unrestricted |
Switzerland | Europe | Unrestricted |
Syrian Arab Republic | Asia | Outright ban |
Taiwan | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Tajikistan | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Tanzania | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Thailand | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Timor-Leste | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Togo | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Tonga | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Trinidad and Tobago | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Tunisia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Turkey | Europe | Unrestricted |
Turkmenistan | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Turks and Caicos Islands | North America | Unrestricted |
Tuvalu | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Uganda | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
Ukraine | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
United Arab Emirates | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
United Kingdom | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
United States | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Uruguay | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Uzbekistan | Asia | Outright ban |
Vanuatu | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Venezuela, RB | South America | Unrestricted |
Vietnam | Asia | Unrestricted |
Yemen, Rep. | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Zambia | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Zimbabwe | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
So How Are Drones Used Worldwide?
The myriad of drone uses are literally and metaphorically up in the air—while they originated in military needs, drone uses now range from hobbies such as aerial photography to supporting disaster relief.
The following regional maps show privacy laws in closer detail, while also highlighting interesting case studies on how drones are used.
North America
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
According to the latest drone numbers, 70.5% of registered U.S. drones are recreational, but these proportions may soon decline in favor of commercial uses. As of December 2020, civilian drones are allowed to fly over populated areas, a step towards fulfilling their potential in package delivery.
Meanwhile, countries like Mexico are beginning to rely on drones to combat crime, with good results. In the city of Ensenada, a single drone’s surveillance patrol resulted in a 10% drop in overall crime rates in 2018. Drones are increasingly being used to monitor illicit activity such as drug trafficking routes.
South America
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
Interestingly, the environmental applications of drones come into play in the Amazon rainforest. An indigenous tribe in Brazil is using drones to track levels of deforestation and forest fires—and presenting that data evidence to authorities to urge them to act.
Across the continent, drones are also in place to deliver everything from hospital supplies to life jackets in Chile and El Salvador.
Europe
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
The first unmanned, radio-controlled aircraft test flight occurred in the United Kingdom in 1917. The Kettering Aerial Target (or “The Bug”) carried 180 pounds of explosives and became the basis for modern missiles.
While Europe has some of the most liberal drone privacy laws today, that doesn’t mean they’re lenient. Even among countries that allow experimental visual lines of sight (such as Finland and Portugal), special permissions are required.
Middle East and Central Asia
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
The military applications of drones persist in this region. Iran was one of the first to use armed drones and continues to do so, while simultaneously banning their public use.
Neighboring Turkey also relies on kamikaze drones, augmented by AI and facial recognition, to strengthen border security.
Rest of Asia and Oceania
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
China-based DJI is the world’s largest drone manufacturer, dominating 70% of the global market. Across Asia, drones have been in use for mass surveillance, particularly in China. In recent times, drones also track compliance with strict COVID-19 guidelines in Malaysia and Singapore.
Meanwhile, in Japan, Nokia is testing out a drone network to provide a more rapid response to future natural disasters. The relief capabilities include disseminating more real-time updates and monitoring evacuation progress.
Africa
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
While many parts of Africa haven’t developed any drone-related laws yet, promising innovation is rearing its head. Medical drones are already saving lives in Rwanda, delivering supplies in as little as 15 minutes.
In the same vein, the pioneer African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) opened in Malawi. The academy promotes drone usage for humanitarian and disaster preparedness, and aims to equip individuals with the relevant skills.
Towards Greater Heights?
As the uses of drones evolve over time, so will their legal status and the privacy concerns surrounding them. However, the adoption of any technology is always accompanied by a certain level of skepticism.
With drones, it remains to be seen whether they’ll mostly occupy the role of a friend or a foe for years to come—and that power lies only in the hands of those who remotely control them.
You may like
Technology
Which Streaming Service Has the Most Subscriptions?
From Netflix and Disney+ to Spotify and Apple Music, we rank the streaming services with the most monthly paid subscriptions.
Published
2 days agoon
March 3, 2021
Which Streaming Service Has The Most Subscriptions?
Many companies have launched a streaming service over the past few years, trying to capitalize on the digital media shift and launching the so-called “streaming wars.”
After Netflix grew from a small DVD-rental company to a household name, every media company from Disney to Apple saw recurring revenues ripe for the taking. Likewise, the audio industry has long-since accepted Spotify’s rise to prominence, as streaming has become the de facto method of consumption for many.
But it was actually the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic that solidified the foothold of digital streaming, with subscription services seeing massive growth over the last year. Although it was expected that many new services would flounder along the way, media subscription services saw wide scale growth and adoption almost across the board.
We’ve taken the video, audio, and news subscription services with 5+ million subscribers to see who came out on top—and who has grown the most quickly—over the past year. Data comes from the FIPP media association as well as individual company reports.
Streaming Service Giants: Netflix and Amazon
The top of the streaming giant pantheon highlights two staples of business: the first-mover advantage and the power of conglomeration.
With 200+ million global subscribers, Netflix has capitalized on its position as the first and primary name in digital video streaming. Though its consumer base in the Americas has begun to plateau, the company’s growth in reach (190+ countries) and content (70+ original movies slated for 2021) has put it more than 50 million subscribers ahead of its closest competition.
The story is the same in the audio market, where Spotify’s 144 million subscriber base is more than double that of Apple Music, the next closest competitor with 68 million subscribers.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s position as the second most popular video streaming service with 150 million subscribers might be surprising. However, Prime Video subscriptions are included with membership to Amazon Prime, which saw massive growth in usage during the pandemic.
Service | Type | Subscribers (Q4 2020) |
---|---|---|
Netflix | Video | 203.7M |
Amazon Prime Video | Video | 150.0M |
Spotify | Audio | 144.0M |
Tencent Video | Video | 120.0M |
iQIYI | Video | 119.0M |
Disney+ | Video | 94.9M |
Youku | Video | 90.0M |
Apple Music | Audio | 68.0M |
Amazon Prime Music | Audio | 55.0M |
Tencent Music (Group) | Audio | 51.7M |
Viu | Video | 41.4M |
Alt Balaji | Video | 40M |
Hulu | Video | 38.8M |
Eros Now | Video | 36.2M |
Sirius Xm | Audio | 34.4M |
YouTube Premium | Video/Audio | 30M |
Disney+ Hotstar | Video | 18.5M |
Paramount+ | Video | 17.9M |
HBO Max | Video | 17.2M |
Starz/StarzPlay/Pantaya | Video | 13.7M |
ESPN+ | Video | 11.5M |
Apple TV+ | Video | 10M |
DAZN | Video | 8M |
Deezer | Audio | 7M |
Pandora | Audio | 6.3M |
New York Times | News | 6.1M |
Another standout is the number of large streaming services based in Asia. China-based Tencent Video (also known as WeTV) and Baidu’s iQIYI streaming services both crossed 100 million paid subscribers, with Alibaba’s Youku not far behind with 90 million.
Disney Leads in Streaming Growth
But perhaps most notable of all is Disney’s rapid ascension to the upper echelons of streaming service giants.
Despite Disney+ launching in late 2019 with a somewhat lackluster content library (only one original series with one episode at launch), it has quickly rocketed both in terms of content and its subscriber base. With almost 95 million subscribers, it has amassed more subscribers in just over one year than Disney expected it could reach by 2024.
Service | Type | Percentage Growth (2019) |
---|---|---|
Disney+ | Video | New |
Apple TV+ | Video | New |
Disney+ Hotstar | Video | 516.7% |
ESPN+ | Video | 475.0% |
Starz/StarzPlay/Pantaya | Video | 211.4% |
Paramount+ | Video | 123.8% |
HBO Max | Video | 115.0% |
Amazon Prime Video | Video | 100.0% |
Alt Balaji | Video | 100.0% |
YouTube Premium | Video/Audio | 100.0% |
DAZN | Video | 100.0% |
Eros Now | Video | 92.6% |
Amazon Prime Music | Audio | 71.9% |
Tencent Music (Group) | Audio | 66.8% |
New York Times | News | 60.5% |
Spotify | Audio | 44.0% |
Hulu | Video | 38.6% |
Viu | Video | 38.0% |
Netflix | Video | 34.4% |
Tencent Video | Video | 27.7% |
iQiyi | Video | 19.0% |
Sirius Xm | Audio | 17.4% |
Apple Music | Audio | 13.3% |
Youku | Video | 9.6% |
Pandora | Audio | 1.6% |
Deezer | Audio | 0% |
The Disney+ wave also spurred growth in partner streaming services like Hotstar and ESPN+, while other services with smaller subscriber bases saw large growth rates thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lingering question is how the landscape will look when the pandemic starts to wind down, and when all the new players are accounted for. NBCUniversal’s Peacock, for example, has reached over 30 million subscribers as of January 2021, but the company hasn’t yet disclosed how many are paid subscribers.
Likewise, competitors are investing in content libraries to try and make up ground on Netflix and Disney. HBO Max is slated to start launching internationally in June 2021, and ViacomCBS rebranded and expanded CBS All Access into Paramount+.
And international growth is vital. Three of the top six video streaming services by subscribers are based in China, while Indian services Hotstar, ALTBalaji, and Eros Now all saw surges in subscriber bases, with more room left to grow.
Technology
How Do Esports Companies Compare with Sports Teams?
With some esports companies more valuable than traditional sports teams, we visualize esports vs sports in franchise value.
Published
1 month agoon
January 29, 2021
How Do Esports Companies Compare with Sports Teams?
Are esports on the same level as “real” sports? These comparisons range from tricky to subjective, but the monetary value of companies speak for themselves.
The world’s largest esports companies have definitely risen to the occasion. Valued at almost half-a-billion dollars, they’ve started to pass some sports franchises in value.
In the above graphic, we compare Forbes’ valuation of the top 10 esports companies in 2020 against median franchises in the “Big Four” major leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL). Despite competitive gaming’s rapid growth, there’s still a long way left to go.
Esports Impress but NFL Teams Reign Supreme
The world’s top esports companies have grown quickly, and impressively.
As of 2018, there was only one esports company worth more than $300 million in valuation. By 2020, four of the top 10 were valued at more than $300 million.
Esports Company | Games with Franchises | Value (2020) |
---|---|---|
TSM | League of Legends | $410M |
Cloud9 | League of Legends, Overwatch | $350M |
Team Liquid | League of Legends | $310M |
FaZe Clan | Call of Duty | $305M |
100 Thieves | League of Legends, Call of Duty | $190M |
Gen.G | League of Legends, Overwatch, NBA 2K | $185M |
Enthusiast Gaming | Call of Duty, Overwatch | $180M |
G2 Esports | League of Legends | $175M |
NRG Esports | Call of Duty, Overwatch | $155M |
T1 | League of Legends | $150M |
When compared to traditional sports valuations, esports companies have already reached major league hockey status.
TSM, the world’s most valuable esports company in 2020, has a higher valuation than five NHL franchises. In fact, four esports companies were estimated to be more valuable than two NHL franchises, the Florida Panthers and Arizona Coyotes.
But other sports leagues are further away. While the median value of an NHL franchise in 2020 was $520 million, the MLB, NBA, and NFL all saw median values of over $1.6 billion.
Esports vs. Sports Franchises | Lowest Valued Team | Highest Valued Team | Median |
---|---|---|---|
NFL | $2.0B | $5.7B | $3.0B |
NBA | $1.3B | $4.6B | $1.8B |
MLB | $980M | $5.0B | $1.6B |
NHL | $285M | $1.6B | $520M |
Esports (Top 10) | $150M | $410M | $188M |
Differences in Esports vs Sports Structures and Growth
Try as we might to make a clean apples-to-apples comparison between esports and traditional sports teams, there are significant differences in the business models to consider.
For starters, major esports companies own multiple franchises and non-franchise teams across many games. Cloud9 owns both the eponymous Cloud9 League of Legends franchise and the London Spitfire Overwatch franchise, for example, as well as non-franchise teams in Halo, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Fortnite, and other games.
The revenue streams for esports companies are also extremely varied. Companies like TSM, 100 Thieves, FaZe Clan and Enthusiast Gaming made 50% or more of their revenue from outside of esports, having instead expanded into diverse companies with an equal focus on content creation and apps.
But it’s this greater ability to diversify, and the still-increasing size of esports fandom, that continues to grow esports valuations. In fact, TSM’s estimated 2020 revenue of $45 million is less than half of the Arizona Coyotes’ estimated revenue of $95 million, despite a $100+ million valuation difference in favor of TSM.
That’s why the continued maturation of esports is only going to make traditional sports comparisons easier, and closer. Instead of having to pit companies against franchises, direct league-to-league comparisons will be possible, and the differences will likely shrink from billions to millions.
Popular
-
Markets2 months ago
Prediction Consensus: What the Experts See Coming in 2021
-
Green1 week ago
Mapped: The Greenest Countries in the World
-
Green1 month ago
Visualizing Countries by Share of Earth’s Surface
-
Technology1 month ago
The 50 Most Visited Websites in the World
-
Money4 weeks ago
Mapped: The Wealthiest Billionaire in Each U.S. State in 2021
-
Technology1 month ago
Global Stars: The Most Innovative Countries, Ranked by Income Group
-
Sponsored2 weeks ago
The Carbon Footprint of Trucking: Driving Toward A Cleaner Future
-
Business2 months ago
Mapped: The 50 Richest Women in the World in 2021