The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued an announcement regarding the advertising drone show of a well-known sports footwear and clothing company with the Acropolis as a backdrop.

As it says, “the licences granted to DRNS Show Experience for the organisation of a drone show on 15 May 2025 at the Zappeion Hall, on behalf of Essence Mediacom and Adidas Hellas, as part of a promotional event, relate to the operation and use of drones and have been issued by the current legal and regulatory framework, as well as after a risk assessment study.”

“We note that the company has fully complied with the safety conditions stipulated by European legislation and the oversight framework of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The flight of the drones took place exclusively in a controlled area, with a ban on public access and the specified safety distances, as defined in the approved operational plan, were observed,” the statement stressed.

At the same time, it points out that “according to the available photographic material, both from fixed and mobile recording devices, it is confirmed that the activity of the SSEAs was limited to the predefined flight area, which was delineated over Zappeion Park, by the approved permit.”

A detailed announcement:

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informs that the licences granted to DRNS Show Experience for the organisation of a drone show on 15 May 2025 at the Zappeion Hall, on behalf of Essence Mediacom and Adidas Hellas, in the context of a promotional event, concern the operation and use of drones and have been issued in accordance with the current legal and regulatory framework, as well as after a risk assessment study.

We note that the company has fully complied with the safety conditions stipulated by European legislation and the oversight framework of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The flight of the drones took place exclusively in a controlled area, with no public access, and the defined safety distances, as defined in the approved operational plan, were observed.

According to the available photographic material, both from fixed and mobile recording devices, it is confirmed that the activity of the SSEAs was limited to the predefined flight area, which was clearly demarcated over the Zappeion Park, in accordance with the approved permit.

The APA monitors the implementation of the regulations and ensures public protection as well as the smooth and safe operation of the airspace.

Any information referring to illegal or improper permitting procedures is not accurate.

Finally, it is clarified that the responsibilities of the APA are limited exclusively to matters of flight safety and airspace use. The APA has no authority over the taking or management of any photographs or videos that may have been taken during the event.

Prosecutorial intervention

It is noted that the conducting an urgent preliminary examination was ordered by the Athens Prosecutor’s Office of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office for the drone case.

In particular, the head of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office, Aristides Koreas, ordered the investigation based on the complaint of the Ministry of Culture. The investigation will be conducted by the Acropolis Security Department. The object of the investigation is to determine whether various violations of the law on antiquities and other criminal acts have been committed.