Serbia
Serbia has freedom of panorama including commercial use for 2D reproductions with attribution, but its drone regime is one of Europe's most restrictive for visitors.
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 or site manager for commercial productions; no permit for personal street photography
Cost: No permit for personal photography; commercial crews need location clearances
Personal photography needs no permit. Commercial productions coordinate through the Serbia Film Commission and local authorities; fortress and monastery sites set their own filming conditions.
Drone / airspace
National rules via the Civil Aviation Directorate (CAD): foreign EU certificates are not recognized, drones must be registered, and flights need CAD approval, typically requested through a Serbian legal entity, plus Ministry of Defence clearance for import
Plan several weeks ahead; third-party liability insurance valid in Serbia is required regardless of weight. For detail, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes to photograph; publishing a recognizable person generally needs consent under Serbian personality-rights law
Serbia is not in the EU, so GDPR does not apply directly, but its data-protection law is modeled on it. Exceptions cover public events, public figures, and journalism.
Freedom of panorama
Yes, including commercial use (2D only, with attribution)
Article 51 of the 2009 Law on Copyright and Related Rights permits two-dimensional reproduction, distribution, and communication to the public of works permanently displayed in streets, squares, and other open public places, without permission or payment. Attribution of the author and source is required, and 3D reproduction is excluded.
Practical notes
- Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan are free to shoot; the Church of Saint Sava allows photography, with interior rules set by the church.
- Do not photograph military facilities, and treat anything near the Kosovo administrative line with care.
- If you need aerials, budget 20 to 25 days of lead time for CAD flight approval or hire a licensed local operator.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: