THE IRISH AVIATION Authority (IAA) has warned all drone operators not to fly unauthorised drones over the St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin tomorrow. 

In a statement, the aviation regulator said it is “directing all those who are thinking of flying in the vicinity of the parade to comply with the safety notice to ensure the safety of people on the ground”. 

The notice states that a temporary restriction is in place between 7am and 7pm “to ensure the safety of all St. Patrick’s Day Parade participants and attendees in the vicinity of Dublin City Centre” tomorrow.

The IAA said that as the St Patrick’s Day festival draws a large crowd, the airspace over the events has been designated a ‘No Drone Zone’.

The restricted air space over Dublin tomorrow. Irish Aviation Authority Irish Aviation Authority

It said that unauthorised flights over parade routes “pose a significant risk and may result in serious consequences for both participants and spectators”.

“The safety and security of the public are of the utmost importance, and the IAA urges cooperation from all drone users to ensure a successful and incident-free St. Patrick’s Day celebration.”

Organisers said that half a million people will watch the parade in Dublin tomorrow. 

The theme of this year’s parade is ‘Spréach’, the Irish word for spark. It will feature six large scale pageants, 11 showpieces and 14 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and France, with over 4,000 participants.