Aerial filming
Permits for aerial shots
No permits are required for aerial photography and filming from a private aircraft and other private airborne vehicles (e.g. hot-air balloons). It is a legal requirement to obtain a permit to take footage in or from commercial airliners. Before editing and publication of the film material, a copy of all the material shot (prints of photos or VHS tapes) and a written application specifying the position from the air, is to be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Defense. If no military installations were photographed or filmed, a fee-based publication permit is usually granted one week after submission.
Federal Ministry of Defense
Legal Department B
Heinz Schieh
T: +43 (0)1 52000 or +43 (0)1 21333
E: recht1@bmlv.gv.at
 Vienna Airport © Austrian Business Agency/Lammerhuber
Filming at airports
A range of small and sometimes private airports in Austria, as well as six international airports, have been used for filming a range of feature and TV movies like DER BERGDOKTOR, DIE PIEFKE SAGA, DIPLOMANDENAUSFLUG (Innsbruck), DALLAS, POWDER PARK (Salzburg), and KAISERMÜHLENBLUES (Vienna). Filming is possible anytime in all public areas – main building, duty free zones, arrival hall, check-in hall and in the restaurants.
There are stricter regulations (pyrotechnic restrictions, limited number of film crew, no smoking, etc.) for filming in the non-public areas – on the tarmac, in the hangars, on and around the runways. At the Vienna Airport a limited amount of filming in hangars and inside an aircraft is permissible. As an alternative, Brains & Pictures in Tullnerbach, Lower Austria, rent out two hangar-like halls with sophisticated film equipment. For more details go to Studios. Additional regulations and higher fees apply for night-time filming. If aircraft are involved in the filming, advance permits must be obtained from the airline. Inquiries about available time slots should be directed to the individual airport authority. For example, it is difficult to get a permit from the Vienna Airport during peak season (July-September). There is a general ban on filming on weekends at the Linz Airport. Filming in the Control Tower of each airport is generally only granted to documentaries and news reports and must be approved by Austrocontrol.
Austrian Airports
In action at the Hintertux Glacier, province of Tyrol © Knaus Helicopter
Aircraft rental
The Salzburg company Flying Bulls rents a variety of historic aircraft, among them aircraft from World War II and from 1956. Two US Navy aircraft and an amphibian aircraft from 1954 are also available. All aircraft sport the Red Bull Company Logo which can easily be covered.
Etrich Taube at the Aviaticum, Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria © Hochhofer
The Aviaticum Air Museum in Wiener Neustadt owns several antique, sometimes still certified aircraft, antique hot-air balloons, pilot equipment, a large collection of vintage and new parachutes, retired Austrian Airlines uniforms and aircraft models of various airlines for simulation purposes. In addition, they own the only still certified “Etrich Taube” aircraft from the year 1910. Filming is possible on ground and in air. The museum is located in a hangar where filming is possible anytime. Other aircraft rental companies, i.e. Businessair and Airlink, offer a wide range of modern aircraft. Helicopter rental companies, i.e. Knaus Helicopter and Haas Helicopter, aditionally offer technical accessories like camera mounts, etc.
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