Cyprus
Cyprus has freedom of panorama for artistic works permanently in public view, including commercial use, but the UN Buffer Zone and military areas are strict no-photography territory.
Guidance, not legal advice
Drone Authority
Check the flight side
Photography access and drone permission are separate questions. Drone Authority covers the flight-law side for this country.
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Municipality, Department of Antiquities, or site manager for commercial shoots; no permit for personal street photography
Cost: No permit for personal photography; commercial productions and archaeological sites need authorization
Personal photography needs no permit. Commercial shoots at archaeological sites (Kourion, Paphos mosaics, Tombs of the Kings) need Department of Antiquities consent; tripods can be restricted at ticketed sites.
Drone / airspace
Governed by EU EASA rules via the Department of Civil Aviation; register as a UAS operator under the Open or Specific category, with substantial no-fly areas around airports, military zones, and the Buffer Zone
The British Sovereign Base Areas have their own airspace rules. For category detail, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes to photograph; GDPR applies to publishing identifiable people
Personal-use shooting falls under the GDPR household exemption. Publishing a recognizable person without consent, especially commercially, is the risk point; public events and journalism are excepted.
Freedom of panorama
Yes, including commercial use
Section 7(2)(c) of the Copyright Law of 1976 (as amended) permits the reproduction and distribution of copies of any artistic work permanently situated in a place where it may be viewed by the public. This covers buildings and public art on the government-controlled side; the north operates under a separate regime.
Practical notes
- Photographing the UN Buffer Zone (Green Line), crossing points, watchtowers, and any military installation is prohibited and enforced on both sides of the divide.
- Varosha (Famagusta) has partially reopened; photography is tolerated in opened streets but the fenced military zone remains off limits.
- Aphrodite's Rock and the Troodos monasteries are unrestricted outdoors; Kykkos Monastery restricts interior photography.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: