Two or three countries, side by side.

Austria

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, insurance. 8 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Belgium

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, radio conformity. 6 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Bulgaria

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age. 6 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Croatia

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance, minimum age, radio conformity, privacy law. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Cyprus

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, Remote ID, airspace zones, privacy law. 7 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Czechia

Open after a step

Decided by registration, radio conformity. 7 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Denmark

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance, minimum age, a permit. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Estonia

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID, minimum age, privacy law, radio conformity. 2 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Faroe Islands

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID.

Finland

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, privacy law, radio conformity. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

France

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, privacy law. 6 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Germany

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance, minimum age. 10 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Greece

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, privacy law, radio conformity. 10 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Hungary

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, airspace zones, privacy law, radio conformity. 4 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Iceland

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age.

Indonesia (Bali)

Closed to you

Decided by registration. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Ireland

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID, minimum age, privacy law, radio conformity. 3 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Italy

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance, Remote ID, batteries, privacy law. 8 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Japan

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID, a permit. 12 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Latvia

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, insurance, privacy law, radio conformity. 3 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Liechtenstein

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID, minimum age, privacy law. 2 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Lithuania

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age. 3 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Luxembourg

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance, minimum age, Remote ID, privacy law. 6 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Madeira (Portugal)

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID, minimum age. 1 place- or time-specific permit to plan around.

Malta

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance, a permit, Remote ID, minimum age, privacy law. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Morocco

Closed to you

Decided by customs.

Namibia

Permit per flight

Decided by a permit. 4 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Netherlands

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, Remote ID, privacy law. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

New Zealand

Open after a step

Decided by the altitude limit, night rules, distances from people, batteries. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Norway

Open after a step

Decided by registration, the commercial regime, radio conformity, a permit. 5 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Poland

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, airspace zones. 7 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Permit per flight

Decided by a permit. 10 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Romania

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, radio conformity. 3 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Slovakia

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, radio conformity. 4 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Slovenia

Open after a step

Decided by registration, insurance. 9 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Spain

Open after a step

Decided by registration, minimum age, privacy law, radio conformity. 2 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Sweden

Open after a step

Decided by registration, customs, privacy law. 9 place- or time-specific permits to plan around.

Switzerland

Open after a step

Decided by registration, Remote ID, minimum age, privacy law. 1 place- or time-specific permit to plan around.

Austria

1. Registration is also required below 250 g where the drone carries a sensor able to capture personal data, which means every camera drone except one falling under the EU toy Directive. Austro Control names the DJI Mini series explicitly.
2. Registration is also required below 250 g where the drone can transfer more than 80 joules of kinetic energy on impact with a person, a so-called high-speed drone.
3. The registration number must be affixed clearly visibly on every drone the operator flies. The form of marking is left to the operator and hand lettering is accepted. On scale models it may go inside the airframe, preferably in the accessible battery compartment.
4. The minimum age to register as a drone operator is 18. From 16 a person may act as remote pilot provided an adult holds the registration, or may fly under the direct supervision of a suitably qualified remote pilot.

1 more in the brief

Belgium

1. Below 250 g, registration is still required if the drone has a camera or other sensor able to capture personal data, unless it complies with the toy directive 2009/48/EC.
2. Display the operator number on every drone so it is visible and readable on the ground, by marker, sticker or QR code (on the battery compartment if the drone is too small, provided it is easy to reach), and upload it into the remote-ID system where one is fitted.
3. The remote pilot must be at least 14 for A1 and A3 and at least 16 for A2. There is no minimum age for a C0 that is also a toy, or a privately built drone under 250 g, flown in A1.
4. The bands listed for drone remote control, telemetry and video are 2400 to 2483.5 MHz at 100 mW EIRP and 5725 to 5875 MHz at 25 mW EIRP. The drone and remote control must carry the CE marking with an EU declaration of conformity referencing the radio equipment directive.

Bulgaria

1. A drone under 250 g still requires operator registration if it carries a camera or other sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. Display your operator number on every drone you fly, including privately built ones, and enter it into the drone's remote identification system.
3. The minimum remote-pilot age is 16. No minimum applies in A1 with a C0 drone, with a privately built drone under 250 g, or under the direct supervision of a competent pilot. A pilot under 18 flies under a parent or guardian registered as the operator.

Croatia

1. Operator registration is unnecessary only if all three conditions hold together: maximum take-off mass under 250 g, the drone cannot transfer more than 80 J on impact with a person, and it carries no sensor able to collect personal data. If one condition fails, registration is required.
2. A drone under 250 g carrying a camera or microphone must be registered. CCAA applies this expressly to FPV drones that carry only a flight camera. A drone that is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC is excepted.
3. The operator registration number must be displayed on the drone, leaving off the characters after the hyphen, in the form HRV123abc456defg-abc.
4. Third-party liability insurance under Regulation (EC) 785/2004 is mandatory whenever aerial work is performed, and aerial work includes filming and photography, whether paid or not and whether for personal or public needs.

4 more in the brief

Cyprus

1. Operator registration is required for a drone over 250 g, or under 250 g with a camera or other equipment able to capture personal data. The operator registers, not the drone; registration is valid 3 years.
2. Remote pilots must be at least 16; a younger pilot may fly when supervised by a person aged 16 or over. Operator registration requires age 18; a parent or guardian may register on a minor's behalf.
3. Display the operator registration number on every drone in a way that cannot be erased, and upload it to the drone where it has that capability.
4. Drones of class C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 must have the DCA geozone JSON loaded into their geo-awareness system. DJI's preinstalled Cyprus map is not the right one.

1 more in the brief

Czechia

1. A drone under 250 g still needs operator registration if it carries a camera or other sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. Display the operator number on every drone you fly, including self-built ones, and upload the full string into the remote identification system if the drone has one.
3. A drone bought in another EU state may be used if CE marked and covered by a Czech general authorisation. Equipment bought outside the EU usually cannot be used in Czechia and cannot be legalised afterwards. A copy of the EU declaration of conformity must be available.

Denmark

1. The operator must be registered for a drone of any weight that carries a sensor such as a camera, unless the drone is a toy drone.
2. The operator number must be marked legibly and visibly on every drone the operator flies, and a drone certificate number is not valid marking.
3. Operator registration is valid for three years and must be renewed before it expires. Renewal issues a new operator number, so the marking on the drone and the Remote ID entry must both be updated.
4. The minimum insurance sum does not apply to a drone under 250 g whose maximum speed cannot exceed 19 m/s and which is used exclusively for personal or hobby activities. Liability cover is still required.

2 more in the brief

Estonia

1. Below 250 g, registration is still mandatory if the drone has a camera or another sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. The operator number is valid one year and must be renewed every year (EUR 10), or it lapses. Mark it on every drone by sticker or marker, or inside the drone, for example on the battery, if it does not fit outside.
3. Where Remote ID must be used, the operator registration number must be entered in it. C1, C2 and C3 drones come with Remote ID; every specific-category flight needs it.
4. The remote pilot must be at least 16, except with a C0 drone, a self-built drone under 250 g and under 19 m/s, or under the direct supervision of a competent remote pilot.

2 more in the brief

Faroe Islands

1. A drone up to 250 g needs no drone certificate; all other Faroese rules still apply.
2. The operator must register a drone of any weight that carries a sensor able to record personal data, such as a camera, unless the drone is a toy.
3. Activating Remote ID requires operator registration, the operator number and a three-digit code.
4. New drones placed on the market from 1 January 2025 must carry a C mark; from the same date distance requirements apply to non-C-marked drones over 250 g.

Finland

1. Below 250 g, operator registration is still mandatory if the drone has a camera or another sensor able to record personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. The operator registration number (FIN followed by digits) must be attached to the side of the drone, and any remote pilot competency certificate carried on every flight, on paper or electronically.
3. The registration fee must be paid for each period; an expired registration is not valid even if the pilot passed the exam earlier.
4. The operator must be 18 or older.

3 more in the brief

France

1. An operator registered in another European state must be able to present the registration certificate when flying in France, and declares the foreign registration in AlphaTango only for an STS-01 or STS-02 flight notification.
2. The remote pilot must be at least 14 years old, unless the drone is a class C0 aircraft classed as a toy, or the pilot is accompanied by a remote pilot aged at least 16.
3. People around the drone must be informed if it carries a camera or any other sensor able to record data about them. Images allowing a person to be recognised or identified may not be recorded or published without their consent, and any publication over a private space needs the owner's authorisation.

Germany

1. An operator of a drone under 250 g must also register if the drone carries a sensor able to capture personal data, for example a camera, and is not a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. Registration is of the operator, not of the aircraft. One e-ID covers every drone the operator flies and only one e-ID is issued per person.
3. The operator must hold third-party liability insurance under section 43 LuftVG. Operating a drone without it is an administrative offence, and valid proof of insurance must be carried during operation.
4. The minimum insured sum for an aircraft under 500 kg maximum take-off mass is 750,000 Rechnungseinheiten.

2 more in the brief

Greece

1. Operator registration is compulsory for almost every drone. It is not required only where the drone weighs less than 250 g and carries no camera or other sensor able to detect personal data, or weighs less than 250 g, carries a sensor, but is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. The minimum age for a remote pilot in the open and specific categories is 16. There is no minimum age for flying a drone with a C0 mark in subcategory A1. An operator aged 16 to 18 files a parental consent declaration with the registration.
3. All national and EU data privacy legislation must be observed. The national regulation refers penalties for personal-data breaches during a drone flight to Law 2472/1997 and requires HCAA to notify the Hellenic Data Protection Authority of related issues.
4. Frequency use by a drone is governed by the National Frequency Table, Government Gazette 105/B/7/27-1-2016, and in particular Annex A.1 on short range devices of the EETT Regulation on the Terms of Use of Individual Radio Frequencies, Government Gazette 1713/B/26.6.2014. Radio equipment must comply with the European decisions harmonised in Greek legislation. On a breach, HCAA notifies EETT, which applies Articles 76 and 77 of Law 4070/2012.

Hungary

1. Every drone except a toy must be on the Hungarian drone register before it flies in Hungarian airspace, whatever its weight: 2,000 Ft per drone. A toy is under 120 g, has no camera or other recording device and cannot fly beyond 100 m.
2. Apply for the operator and drone registrations at least 10 days before the first flight.
3. Mark the operator number and the drone's own registration mark on the drone, durably and legibly.
4. Applicants under 18 register with a legal representative's consent.

5 more in the brief

Iceland

1. Operators should not be registered with more than one authority in Europe.
2. Children under 16 may fly drones under 250 g (C0).

Indonesia (Bali)

1. A visitor cannot complete the registration in their own name on the documents as published. The drone-registration form requires the applicant's NIK, the Indonesian population number, with no stated alternative, even though the identity-number field and the upload slot both accept a passport. The remote pilot certificate's identity section has exactly two fields, Indonesian Passport and Indonesian ID Card, with the KTP number marked mandatory and nationality instructed as Indonesia. One reachable page states the bar outright: the registration application has to be made by an Indonesian citizen or legal entity, and visitors cannot register drones in their own name.

Ireland

1. Operator registration is required for a drone over 250 g, or for any drone with a camera or other sensor able to detect personal data. Toy drones that comply with the toy safety regulation and are intended for use in play by children under 14 are exempt.
2. The operator ID must be applied to every drone the operator flies, visible from the outside or within a compartment that can be opened without a tool, and uploaded into the drone's remote identification system.
3. From 1 January 2024 a direct remote identification system is required on all specific-category UAS and on UAS with a C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 class identification label in any category. The registration number plus its three secret digits is uploaded into the system. Legacy drones may be exempt under Article 20.
4. A drone operator must be at least 16 to register. A parent or guardian registers as the operator for a pilot under 16, and must train and supervise them at all times.

2 more in the brief

Italy

1. All UAS operators must register on the d-flight portal and affix the QR operator identification code to every drone they operate.
2. The operator code issued on d-flight has no expiry date, and one code covers every drone the operator holds.
3. No UAS operation is allowed without third-party liability insurance in force, adequate to the purpose, with limits not lower than the minimum parameters in the table of Article 7 of Regulation (EC) 785/2004.
4. No Italian Remote ID carriage rule by class or date is published. Before flight the pilot must check that direct remote identification, where the drone has it, is active and up to date.

3 more in the brief

Japan

1. Outdoor unmanned aircraft of 100 g or more, airframe plus battery, must be registered before flight. An unregistered aircraft may not be flown. Registration has been mandatory since 20 June 2022.
2. The current threshold is 100 g. The 200 g figure belongs to the pre-2022 regime, so any page still presenting 200 g as the current aviation-law threshold is stale.
3. A registered aircraft must display its registration ID and be equipped with a Remote ID function. Marking height is 3 mm or more under 25 kg and 25 mm or more at 25 kg and above, durably and legibly applied.
4. Remote ID information must be written into the equipment before flight using the JCAB DIPS App or the manufacturer's specified app.

6 more in the brief

Latvia

1. Below 250 g, operator registration is still mandatory if the drone has a camera or another sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy for children under 14.
2. Mark each drone with the operator number (LVA followed by characters), readable without tools; the battery compartment is allowed if it opens without tools. Use the operator number, not the remote ID or remote pilot number.
3. Operator registration lapses after one year and must be renewed.
4. Operators must be at least 16 to register.

4 more in the brief

Liechtenstein

1. Open and specific category flights may only be carried out by registered drone operators.
2. A drone under 250 g still needs a registered operator if it has a camera, microphone or other sensor that can record personal data.
3. The operator number (CHE plus 13 characters) must be clearly visible on every drone the operator flies. The final three characters are kept secret and not marked; drones themselves are not registered.
4. Remote ID must be switched on during flight in the open and specific categories. Class C0, legacy and privately built drones are exempt.

2 more in the brief

Lithuania

1. Mark every drone with the operator registration number, legible without optical aids from at least 2 m.
2. The remote pilot must be at least 16 to fly in the open category.

Luxembourg

1. Below 250 g, registration is still required if the drone has a camera or other sensor. A toy under 250 g, made for children under 14, needs none.
2. The operator number must be displayed visibly on every drone operated, without the secret code; printed or handwritten is fine.
3. Every operator must hold third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of 750,000 SDR for a drone under 20 kg. Flying uninsured is punishable by 8 days to 1 year in prison and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 5,000.
4. In flight the remote pilot must be able to show valid theory exam certificates, the A2 certificate where needed, any authorisation or STS confirmation, any light UAS operator certificate, and proof of insurance.

3 more in the brief

Madeira (Portugal)

1. A European citizen not resident in Portugal registers in the EU country of residence, not again in Portugal; the number is valid across EASA states and double registration is forbidden.
2. Registration is required when the maximum take-off mass is 250 g or more, or the impact energy exceeds 80 J, or the UA carries a sensor capable of capturing personal data.
3. Registration is submitted online and remains pending until ANAC approves it; the operator number is issued by email on approval. No processing time is published.
4. Operator registration must be revalidated every three years and kept accurate.

2 more in the brief

Malta

1. Below 250 g, operator registration is still required if the drone has a recording device such as a camera or microphone.
2. Operators registered in another EASA state keep their operator number but must also register on tmcad.idronect.com before flying in Malta; they may choose the three-month tourist registration for 10 EUR.
3. Valid third-party insurance is mandatory for every operator, whatever the drone's weight and whether the flight is recreational or commercial. No minimum cover is set and any insurer is accepted; upload the policy to the portal.
4. Every flight needs an Authorisation Form from a flight submission on tmcad.idronect.com giving date, time, location, height and drone. Flights up to 60 m, outside no-fly zones and between half an hour before sunrise and half an hour after sunset are authorised automatically and the form downloads at once.

3 more in the brief

Morocco

1. Importation by private individuals under the temporary-admission regime is strictly prohibited.
2. Failure to declare the machine to customs at the entry office entails its confiscation.
3. Failure to declare also entails the payment of a penalty conformement a la reglementation en vigueur (in accordance with the regulations in force). No amount, currency figure or statutory article is stated in any cited document.
4. Drones and other remotely controlled flying objects are excluded from the children's-toys and personal-effects tolerance, so a small drone cannot ride in on the accompanied-baggage allowance. The exclusion is categorical, with no size or value carve-out.

Namibia

1. Every RPAS flight requires prior written NCAA approval. There is no casual-tourist exemption and no non-camera-toy exception on any live official page.
2. The instrument a private applicant receives is an RPAS Letter of Approval (RLA), issued by NCAA Flight Operations and signed by the Executive Director for Civil Aviation. It covers only the coordinates and dates named in the application.
3. A foreign pilot applies to the NCAA before travelling. A foreign registration does not substitute for the approval, and no Namibian agent or sponsor appears in any fetched document.

Netherlands

1. An operator number is required for a drone with a camera, or weighing 250 g or more. ILT notes this means an operator number is required in almost every case in practice.
2. The operator number is valid for one year. Renewal costs EUR 13,00 and requires registration in the Dutch population register or the Chamber of Commerce trade register, so a non-resident has no renewal route and applies afresh. An expired number cannot be renewed at all.
3. Affix the operator number visibly to the outside of the drone, leaving off the final three characters.
4. Someone under 16 may fly only when accompanied by a person aged 16 or over who holds a pilot licence.

2 more in the brief

New Zealand

1. Do not fly above 400 feet (120 m) above ground level.
2. Do not operate at night unless the operation is indoors or shielded.
3. Obtain explicit consent from any person the aircraft will operate above, and prior consent from the owner or occupier of property it will operate above. Verbal or written consent is sufficient. There is no numeric separation distance.
4. LiPo batteries connected as per the manufacturer's design to power the craft are not dangerous goods under Part 92. Carried as cargo, LiPo batteries may be regarded as dangerous goods, and an operator carrying batteries other than the one powering the immediate flight is directed to AC92-4.

Norway

1. Registration costs 230 NOK per year for a private person and 1,500 NOK per year for an organisation; the course and exam are free.
2. There is no distinction between recreational and commercial use for registration or insurance.
3. Radio equipment placed on the Norwegian market must be CE marked and carry a manufacturer's declaration of conformity with European rules.
4. Before flying with a camera or other sensors anywhere in Norway, register the use of photos, video and other sensors with the Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM).

Poland

1. A drone under 250 g still requires operator registration if it carries a camera or other sensor able to collect personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. After registration the operator number must be placed on every drone.
3. The minimum remote-pilot age is 14 in the open and specific categories. Exempt: A1 with a C0 toy, privately built drones under 250 g, and flights under the direct supervision of a competent pilot aged 14 or over.
4. Every drone flight must be notified to PANSA before take-off through the DroneTower app (a check-in), by the operator or the pilot. This is a statutory duty for every flight, every category, everywhere in Poland.

1 more in the brief

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

1. A drone able to capture images, and the publication of those images, needs an aerial-survey authorisation from the Autoridade Aeronautica Nacional under Decreto-Lei n.º 42071 of 30 December 1958 and Portaria n.º 17568 of 2 February 1960 as amended. The authorisation is required even if you do not intend to capture images and even if nothing is published.

Romania

1. A drone under 250 g that carries a video camera also needs operator registration; toys under Directive 2009/48/EC without personal-data sensors are exempt.
2. Put your operator code on every drone with a sticker and enter it into the remote identification system of class-labelled drones. Online registration costs EUR 20.
3. The minimum remote-pilot age is 16 in the open and specific categories; there is none for a C0 drone in subcategory A1.
4. AACR makes lawful drone use conditional on the national radio frequency allocation table (HG 376/2020).

Slovakia

1. A drone under 250 g still needs operator registration if it has a camera or other sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC.
2. Display the operator number (without the three secret digits) on every drone, and upload the full string into the remote identification system where there is one.
3. Carry the pilot certificate and the registration confirmation: being unable to show them while flying is an offence (300 EUR), and so is refusing them to the police (up to 300 EUR).
4. The registered operator must be at least 18. Remote pilots must be at least 16, except with a C0 toy in A1, a self-built drone under 250 g, or under direct supervision; minors fly under an adult's registration.

1 more in the brief

Slovenia

1. A drone under 250 g still requires operator registration if it carries a sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is a toy. CAA's example is the DJI Mavic Mini at 249 g.
2. Operator registration is valid for 30 months.
3. Every drone is labelled with the operator registration number; on small drones the label may go on the battery.
4. The operator must take out compulsory insurance for the unmanned aircraft system under the regulation governing compulsory insurance in transport.

Spain

1. Registration is required for a drone of any mass that carries a sensor able to capture personal data, unless the aircraft complies with the Toy Directive 2009/48/EC. AESA names DJI Mavic Mini and Mini 2, Hubsan Zino Mini Se and Xiaomi Fimi X8 Mini as sub-250 g aircraft that must register, and racing drones that exceed 80 joules.
2. Registration with AESA is free of charge, carries no fee in the procedure catalogue, and is automatic and immediate where a Spanish digital certificate is used.
3. Creating the user account is not registering as an operator. The operator registration must be completed within 90 days of user sign-up or the system deletes the user and the whole procedure has to be repeated.
4. The operator registration expires 3 years after issue, and certificates issued before 25 June 2024 expire on 25 June 2027. Renewal is by submitting an amendment to the operator register, which resets the expiry by a further 3 years.

6 more in the brief

Sweden

1. A drone under 250 g still requires an operator ID if it carries a camera, sound recording or other sensor able to capture personal data.
2. An operator ID is also required if the drone can transfer more than 80 J of kinetic energy in a collision, or is used in the specific category.
3. The Swedish electronic self-service register is open only to a private person at least 18 years old and registered as resident in Sweden, or to an organisation with a Swedish seat.
4. The operator ID must be displayed on the drone so the characters are readable at least when it is on the ground, without devices other than eyeglasses or corrective lenses. A QR code may be used.

2 more in the brief

Switzerland

1. Only registered operators may fly a drone in Switzerland.
2. A drone under 250 g still requires registration if it carries a camera, microphone or other sensor able to record personal data.
3. No general Swiss Remote ID obligation is stated. The last three characters of the operator number are needed to activate the drone's Remote ID function and must not be marked on the airframe.
4. The operator number has the form CHE plus 13 characters, then a hyphen and three further characters. The first part must be clearly displayed on the drone and the final three characters must not be. One number covers all of an operator's drones.

4 more in the brief

Austria

Required from 250 g. Cost: 46.80 EUR. Non-residents: Name, address, date of birth, e-mail address, telephone number and the insurance policy number. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, entered as the 16-digit card number. No official page states which identity document a foreign applicant must present, or whether an Austrian address or telephone number is required..

Belgium

Required from 250 g. Cost: Free.

Bulgaria

Required from 250 g. Cost: 10.23 EUR. Time: 1 working day. Non-residents: Login with a qualified electronic signature (КЕП). Foreign citizens enter their ЛНЧ (the Bulgarian personal number for foreigners) and date of birth, plus address, e-mail and telephone, the drone's make and model, and an insurance policy where one is required..

Croatia

Required from 250 g. Cost: HRK 20.00, in a currency Croatia withdrew on 1 January 2023. Time: Immediate on the e-Gradjani route, which is open only to holders of a Croatian OIB. On the e-mail route the certificate is issued after processing the electronic data, with no duration stated.. Non-residents: Name, surname, telephone number, e-mail and a password create the FAUST account. The registration dialog adds the signed original of registration form FOD-FRM-302 and the administrative fee; the payment reference uses the passport or identity-card number without letters, and foreign citizens use the fixed identification number 76108805525..

Cyprus

Required from 250 g. Cost: 15 EUR, paid by VISA card only; registration valid 3 years. Time: Not published. Non-residents: Portal sign-up asks for first name, surname, email and mobile, phone or fax number, with an email and password login; there is no national eID. Minimum age 18. The 2023 model-club leaflet lists name, date of birth, address, telephone, email and ID or passport number..

Czechia

Required from 250 g. Cost: Free. Time: Minutes online; the registration document is emailed. Non-residents: Online identity proof for a natural person only through Identita občana: Czech eGovernment mobile key, Czech eID card, NIA ID, International ID Gateway, První certifikační autorita, mojeID or Czech bank identity. The form collects name, date of birth, address of residence, email and a telephone number that the portal validates as 9 digits. No route for a visitor without one of these is published..

Denmark

Required from 250 g. Cost: 65 DKK (2026). Time: immediate online; the operator number arrives by Digital Post, or up to 30 days by letter where the applicant has no Digital Post. Non-residents: Unknown. The portal logs the applicant in with MitID or NemID and no official page describes an alternative route for operator registration..

Estonia

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 10 state fee to issue the operator number, EUR 10 to renew it each year. Time: Not stated; the number is issued once the state fee is paid. Non-residents: Not published. LOIS offers only an Estonian ID-card or Mobiil-ID login, and no page describes how a resident of a non-EASA state registers..

Faroe Islands

Required from 250 g. Cost: 65 DKK (2026).

Finland

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 40 for 1 year, EUR 95 for 3 years, EUR 125 for 5 years online; EUR 50, EUR 100, EUR 130 by paper form. Time: Online: not stated. Paper form: two weeks from receipt.. Non-residents: Online: a Finnish Authenticator identity, activated with a photo of yourself and of your passport (a national ID card for EU, EEA, UK and Swiss citizens). Paper form: full name, date of birth, address, email and phone number, emailed to rpas@traficom.fi with the reason the e-service cannot be used..

France

Required from 250 g. Non-residents: An AlphaTango account with an address filled in the Contact block, a country of registration, and the declaration that you are not already registered as a UAS operator in another European country. An insurance policy number is required only where Union or national law demands one. No official page requires a French address or a French telephone number, and none lists a passport or identity-document upload..

Germany

Required from 250 g. Cost: 20.00 EUR for a natural person, 50.00 EUR for a legal person. Time: Up to 14 working days. Non-residents: Full name as shown in the identity document, date of birth, a scan of a valid official identity document (national ID card or passport) showing those data and the expiry date in PNG, JPG or JPEG, address, email address, telephone number, the insurer's name and the policy number. Only one e-ID is issued per person..

Greece

Required from 250 g. Cost: 20 EUR (e-paravolo code 8356). Non-residents: On HCAA's UAS OPERATOR REGISTRATION form for applicants with no Greek tax number: first name, middle name, surname, nationality, permanent address, mobile number, email, a declaration that the information is true, and an uploaded passport..

Hungary

Required. Cost: 2,000 Ft for the operator, 2,000 Ft per drone; an optional certificate of registration 4,090 Ft. Time: Apply at least 10 days before the first flight (statute); otherwise the general administrative deadline. Non-residents: Bilingual Hungarian and English forms: full name, birth name, mother's maiden name, place and date of birth, address, e-mail, phone and the insurance policy number; for each drone the manufacturer, type, subtype and serial number. Proof of the fee paid by bank transfer..

Iceland

Required. Cost: 5,863 ISK individual, 7,462 ISK legal entity, both valid 5 years.

Indonesia (Bali)

Required from 250 g. Cost: Basic recreational registration is free on the one reachable page that states a price. The official 40-page portal manual names no registration fee anywhere, and it does require DGCA Form 107-02 to be signed over a 10,000-rupiah duty stamp, which the free claim does not cover. The remote pilot certificate carries a payable charge whose amount is not published.. Time: 3 to 5 business days on the one reachable page that states a figure. The official manual walks through every screen of the submission and states no processing time at all, and neither does the launch deck. Register at least a week before travelling.. Non-residents: Mixed, and the mixture is the finding. The prose checklist names only the Indonesian ID card (KTP). Two form surfaces are wider and do accept a passport: the identity-number field is labelled KTP or Passport, and the upload slot accepts KTP, driving licence or passport. But the NIK field offers no alternative: enter the NIK of the individual applicant or of the company applicant who signs Form 107-02. NIK is the Indonesian population number and a visitor does not have one. For the remote pilot certificate the identity section has exactly two fields, Indonesian Passport (if applicable) and Indonesian ID Card, with the guidance reading passport number if you have one, KTP number mandatory, and nationality instructed as Indonesia. One secondary page describes a simpler route, uploading a passport copy plus the drone's serial number and specifications..

Ireland

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 41. Non-residents: MySRS guides the applicant through authenticating their identity, including name and age. No official page states which documents a non-resident needs, or whether an Irish address or telephone number is required..

Italy

Required from 250 g. Cost: d-flight tariffs: accreditation free, Abbonamento Base 7 EUR per year including VAT, Abbonamento PRO 28 EUR per year including VAT; QR Code UAS Base 7 EUR per drone (the Base subscription includes the first one), QR Code UAS PRO 112 EUR per drone. Non-residents: Not established. d-flight says only that the user must be accredited with a valid subscription, complete the Op. UAS form from the Account area following the user manual, and send the documentation to the registration email address. No page lists the documents or says whether an Italian codice fiscale, address or telephone number is needed..

Japan

Required from 100 g. Cost: 1,450 JPY for the first aircraft, 1,050 JPY per additional aircraft applied for at the same time (online application, identity verified with a passport or driver's licence). 900 JPY and 890 JPY need an Individual Number Card or gBizID, which a visitor does not have. Paper application 2,400 JPY and 2,000 JPY. Payable by credit card (online applications only), internet banking or ATM.. Time: Notification of the fee within one to five working days after the application is completed, registration ID within one to five working days after the fee is paid. Non-residents: Where the owner is a foreigner with no residence in Japan: a copy of the passport, plus a copy of a document carrying name, address and date of birth issued by a foreign government recognised by the Government of Japan or by a competent international organisation. The registration directive is stricter than the English handbook, which says only a public institution. That route completes by post: the fee payment slip is mailed to the address on the identity document and verification finishes when the owner receives it and pays. The alternative online route verifies a passport or driver's licence by face recognition and expressly refuses pre-taken photographs. Both cost 1,450 JPY for the first aircraft..

Latvia

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 5 for one year. Time: Not published. The register regulation obliges the CAA to enter information at the latest within two working days of the legal basis arising.. Non-residents: A person without a Latvian personal code gives a foreign identification code and nationality, or the identity document's type, number, issue date, expiry and issuing state, plus a declared residence address. Without a Latvija.lv login, a manual account (citizenship, personal code, names, email, mobile phone) starts as unverified; verification is by qualified e-signature, in person in Riga, or a remote meeting with an identity document booked at uas@caa.gov.lv..

Liechtenstein

Required from 250 g. Cost: CHF 10. Non-residents: Surname, first name, home address, date of birth and telephone number; a scan of a passport or ID uploaded to dLIS; for a drone over 250 g the liability insurer's details. A drone under 250 g enters dronebelow250g in the insurance fields..

Lithuania

Required from 251 g. Cost: 27 EUR.

Luxembourg

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 10 a year (annual tax; registration valid one year). Time: About 3 hours online via MyGuichet, 15 working days on paper; a third-country resident gets DAC's reply on how to register within 5 to 10 working days. Non-residents: Not published. MyGuichet and the paper form DAC-Form-UAS-101 are for Luxembourg residents (the form asks for a Luxembourg social security number); a third-country resident emails uas@av.etat.lu to ask how to register..

Madeira (Portugal)

Required from 250 g. Cost: free. Time: no published service level; the registration stays pending until ANAC approves it and the operator number arrives by email. Non-residents: passport and a valid entry visa, for a tourist with no address in an EU country.

Malta

Required from 250 g. Cost: 25 EUR, renewable annually; 10 EUR for a three-month registration with an existing EASA operator number. Time: Not published. Non-residents: Portal sign-up asks for first name, last name, email and password only; there is no national eID login. Operators need a basic knowledge of English and must give a contact number. The documents asked at operator registration sit behind the login and were not read..

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

Not established

Netherlands

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 23,00. Time: The application form arrives within 5 working days of the email request; the operator number arrives up to 10 working days after payment.. Non-residents: RDW names an operator-number application form and valid ID, and says a business registration number is not mandatory if you do not have one. The two application forms RDW actually publishes are the domestic no-DigiD forms and make a Dutch BSN or a KvK number a mandatory field, with one of them asking for a copy of a Dutch identity document. The form emailed to a foreign applicant is not published, so its fields could not be read..

New Zealand

Not required.

Norway

Required from 250 g. Cost: 230 NOK per year for a private person; 1,500 NOK per year for an organisation; course and exam free. Non-residents: Login is via ID-porten; no document list and no non-resident alternative is published..

Poland

Required from 250 g. Cost: Free. Non-residents: A KSID account: e-mail address, telephone number with a country-code selector, and confirmation of being at least 14. The register holds name and date of birth, address, e-mail and telephone, and the insurance policy number where the law requires one..

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Required from 250 g. Cost: free. Time: no published service level; the request stays pending until ANAC approves it and the number appears in the dashboard. Non-residents: passport and a valid entry visa, plus a Chave Movel Digital obtained in person with passport, phone number and email at a Portuguese consulate or, failing that, at a Loja do Cidadao.

Romania

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 20.

Slovakia

Required from 250 g. Cost: 35 EUR on paper; 17.50 EUR online, which needs a Slovak eID card. Time: Decision within 30 days, up to 60 in complex cases; the number is emailed. Non-residents: English form F186-B (name, date of birth, email, phone, permanent address in the third country, drone serial numbers, insurance policy number for A2 or A3), proof of the 35 EUR fee (fee stamp from a Slovak post office, or a payment order DÚ issues on receipt), a copy of the ID card or passport, and the insurance policy copy where required. Attachments as originals or officially certified copies. By post or in person at the filing office, Letisko M. R. Štefánika, 823 05 Bratislava..

Slovenia

Required from 250 g. Cost: EUR 50 for online operator registration (EUR 70 is the tariff for operator registration not done online); A1/A3 online course and exam free. Time: About 5 minutes for registration and 2 to 3 hours for training and exam, on CAA's own averages. Non-residents: An email address for the login link, proof of being over 18, and a photograph of an identity card or passport showing the photo and document number. No Slovenian qualified digital certificate is needed on the outside-EU route..

Spain

Required from 250 g. Cost: Free. Time: Automatic and immediate with a digital certificate; not published for the e4F route. Non-residents: A valid passport, scanned both sides as a single PDF of 5 MB or less, plus name, surnames, date of birth, nationality, passport number, telephone prefix and number, email and postal address. A resident of another EASA State instead enters and attaches that State's operator registration certificate number..

Sweden

Required from 250 g. Cost: SEK 190 application fee plus SEK 250 annual fee. Time: A couple of weeks. Non-residents: Form TSL7181 and a PDF copy of the passport, emailed to operatorsregistrering.dronare@transportstyrelsen.se. The planned arrival date in Sweden may be included..

Switzerland

Required from 250 g. Cost: CHF 10. Non-residents: Name, first name, home address, date of birth and telephone number; a photo or scan of a passport or ID card; for a drone over 250 g the liability insurer, the insurer's location and the policy number. For a drone under 250 g the insurance field takes the value dronebelow250g..

Austria

Yes

Belgium

Yes

Bulgaria

Yes

Croatia

Yes

Cyprus

Yes

Czechia

Yes

Denmark

Yes

Estonia

Yes

Faroe Islands

Yes

Finland

Yes

France

Yes

Germany

Yes

Greece

Yes

Hungary

Yes

Iceland

Yes

Indonesia (Bali)

Not established

Ireland

Yes

Italy

Yes

Japan

No

Latvia

Yes

Liechtenstein

Yes

Lithuania

Yes

Luxembourg

Yes

Madeira (Portugal)

Yes

Malta

Yes

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

No

Netherlands

Yes

New Zealand

Yes

Norway

Yes

Poland

Yes

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Yes

Romania

Yes

Slovakia

Yes

Slovenia

Yes

Spain

Yes

Sweden

Yes

Switzerland

Yes

Austria

No

Belgium

No

Bulgaria

No

Croatia

No

Cyprus

No

Czechia

No

Denmark

Not established

Estonia

No

Faroe Islands

Not established

Finland

No

France

No

Germany

No

Greece

No

Hungary

No

Iceland

Not established

Indonesia (Bali)

Not established

Ireland

No

Italy

No

Japan

No

Latvia

No

Liechtenstein

No

Lithuania

No

Luxembourg

No

Madeira (Portugal)

No

Malta

No

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

No

Netherlands

No

New Zealand

Yes

Norway

No

Poland

No

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

No

Romania

No

Slovakia

No

Slovenia

No

Spain

No

Sweden

No

Switzerland

No

Austria

No

Belgium

No

Bulgaria

No

Croatia

No

Cyprus

No

Czechia

No

Denmark

Not established

Estonia

No

Faroe Islands

Not established

Finland

No

France

No

Germany

No

Greece

No

Hungary

No

Iceland

No

Indonesia (Bali)

Not established

Ireland

No

Italy

No

Japan

No

Latvia

No

Liechtenstein

No

Lithuania

No

Luxembourg

No

Madeira (Portugal)

No

Malta

No

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

No

Netherlands

No

New Zealand

Yes

Norway

No

Poland

No

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

No

Romania

No

Slovakia

No

Slovenia

No

Spain

No

Sweden

No

Switzerland

No

Austria

Mandatory, at least 750,000 SDR (Sonderziehungsrechte) · Operating a drone in Austria, at the same threshold as registration, so a sub-250 g camera drone is included

Belgium

Mandatory · Civil-liability insurance for bodily and material damage to third parties for an operator flying in the OPEN category, except where only drones under 900 g used for private purposes are concerned. At 20 kg MTOM or more, insurance under Regulation (EC) 785/2004.

Bulgaria

Not mandatory for you · Mandatory for sport or recreational flights with a drone of more than 20 kg take-off mass, and for any professional or commercial work whatever the weight

Croatia

Mandatory, at least 750,000 SDR · Any aerial work. CCAA counts photography and filming as aerial work whether paid or not and whether for personal or public needs, so a camera flight triggers the duty. Only a drone or aircraft model up to 20 kg flown purely for sport and recreation is exempt.

Cyprus

Not established

Czechia

Mandatory, at least 1,000,000 Kč per event in subcategories A2 and A3 · Subcategory A2, subcategory A3 when the take-off mass exceeds 4 kg, and the specific category, whatever the purpose. Not required in A1. Members of an authorised model-flying club are exempt up to 20 kg.

Denmark

Mandatory, at least 0.75 million SDR (approximately 7 million DKK) · Every drone operation, except toy drones under the toy directive weighing under 250 g with a maximum speed of 19 m/s, and self-insured public authorities

Estonia

Not mandatory for you · Third-party liability insurance is mandatory for a drone over 20 kg MTOM, and under the Aviation Act for every flight made on a specific-category operational declaration or authorisation.

Faroe Islands

Mandatory, at least 0.75 million SDR (approximately 7 million DKK) · Every operation, except toy drones carrying a C0 mark and drones under 250 g without a C0 mark

Finland

Not mandatory for you · Not mandatory for most open-category drones. Every drone over 20 kg must carry liability insurance under Regulation (EC) 785/2004. Specific- and certified-category operations with drones under 20 kg need adequate liability insurance under the Aviation Act 139 §.

France

Not mandatory for you · Not mandatory for recreational flight. Liability for damage to people and property on the ground is strict under articles L. 6131-1 and L. 6131-2 of the code des transports, and the DGAC tells pilots to check their civil liability policy.

Germany

Mandatory, at least 750,000 Rechnungseinheiten (IMF special drawing rights) · Every drone flight; the sum band applies to aircraft under 500 kg

Greece

Mandatory, at least Not stated for the 4 kg private trigger. The 2016 national regulation sets cover up to 150,000 EUR for damage to third-party property and up to 1,000,000 EUR for bodily injury, for A2 Open, Specific and Certified category and for all commercial use. · Private use at or above 4 kg take-off mass, and professional use at any weight.

Hungary

Mandatory, at least 0.25 to 4 kg: 3,000,000 Ft per event and 6,000,000 Ft per insurance period; 4 to 20 kg: 5,000,000 Ft and 10,000,000 Ft. Commercial or over 20 kg: Regulation (EC) 785/2004, from 750,000 SDR. · Take-off mass of 250 g or more, or any commercial activity; the policy must exist when the operator registers

Iceland

Mandatory · maximum take-off mass exceeding 20 kg, or operating in subcategory A2, the specific category or the certified category under Regulation (EU) 2019/947

Indonesia (Bali)

Not mandatory for you · Not mandatory to register, required to operate. The official manual lists insurance evidence as an optional upload and then explains that this evidence will be required when applying for the operating permit to the Directorate of Air Navigation. The launch deck confirms the far end: an insurance document is one of the four inputs to the operating approval, and the sample verification table records it as supplied. Commercial operation needs authorisation plus insurance on the reachable secondary pages.

Ireland

Not mandatory for you · Required for every operation except recreational use under 20 kg, which Regulation (EC) 785/2004 Article 2(b) exempts as model aircraft. The IAA recommends third-party insurance even where the exemption applies.

Italy

Mandatory, at least Limits not lower than the minimum parameters in the table of Article 7 of Regulation (EC) 785/2004. The euro figures of that table are on no fetched page, so no amount is published here. · Every UAS operation, with no mass floor and including class C0

Japan

Not established

Latvia

Mandatory, at least EUR 50,000 per event and per insurance period in subcategory A1 or A2; Regulation (EC) 785/2004 Article 7 limits (750,000 SDR under 500 kg) from 20 kg or in the specific category · Every drone owner under the Aviation Act 117.10. Exempt only under 250 g with a maximum speed under 19 m/s. No minimum is set for A3 under 20 kg.

Liechtenstein

Mandatory, at least CHF 1 million · Take-off mass over 250 g

Lithuania

Not established

Luxembourg

Mandatory, at least 750,000 SDR third-party liability below 20 kg · Every operator, at every weight. From 20 kg the cover follows article 19quater of the 1999 DAC law. Proof must be presentable in flight.

Madeira (Portugal)

Mandatory · maximum operational mass over 900 g and up to 20 kg (Decreto-Lei n.º 58/2018), in force since 3 February 2021; above 20 kg Regulation (EC) 785/2004 applies

Malta

Mandatory, at least None set; any valid insurance from any insurance provider is accepted · Every operator flying in Malta, irrespective of drone weight or recreational or commercial use, because all Maltese airspace is controlled. Model aircraft club members flying only inside the Ta' Qali or Hal Far bubble need no extra cover.

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

Mandatory · Every application. The certificate must be valid for the applicant, for the dates of flight, for Namibia and for drones, and the NCAA asks for it in English.

Netherlands

Mandatory · Take-off mass of 20 kilograms or more, for private users, under EU rules

New Zealand

Not mandatory

Norway

Mandatory, at least 750,000 SDR for aircraft under 500 kg · All drones and model aircraft except toys. Not required for a drone under 250 g including payload that is used in the open category.

Poland

Mandatory, at least 50,000 SDR per event, in zloty at the NBP's first SDR rate of the year the policy is signed, for a policy period of up to 12 months · Operators of drones of 0.25 kg to 20 kg take-off mass, since 13 November 2025, in force no later than the day before the first flight. From 20 kg, Regulation (EC) 785/2004 applies.

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Mandatory, at least 0.26 million SDR over 900 g to 1.5 kg; 0.38 million SDR over 1.5 kg to 4 kg; 0.56 million SDR over 4 kg to 20 kg; 0.75 million SDR over 20 kg · maximum operational mass over 900 g and up to 20 kg (Decreto-Lei n.º 58/2018), in force since 3 February 2021; above 20 kg Regulation (EC) 785/2004 applies

Romania

Not mandatory for you · Third-party insurance is mandatory only when the drone's maximum take-off mass exceeds 20 kg. Flying without insurance where the law requires it is fined 25,000 to 40,000 lei.

Slovakia

Mandatory, at least The cover set for aircraft under 500 kg by Regulation (EC) 785/2004: 0.75 million SDR · Subcategories A2 and A3, the specific and the certified category. Every drone over 250 g without a class mark flies in A3 and therefore needs it. Not required in A1. In the open category one policy covers all the operator's drones.

Slovenia

Mandatory · Article 5 of Uredba 39/24: the operator must take out compulsory insurance for the unmanned aircraft system under the regulation governing compulsory insurance in transport.

Spain

Mandatory, at least 220,000 SDR below 20 kg, 750,000 SDR at 20 kg and above (up to 500 kg) · Open category subcategory A2, any aircraft of 20 kg or more, every specific-category operation and every certified-category operation. Open subcategory A1, and open subcategory A3 with an aircraft under 20 kg, are exempt.

Sweden

Not mandatory for you · Not required below 20 kg for leisure, display or recreational flights, under Regulation (EC) 785/2004. Every drone over 20 kg must be insured.

Switzerland

Mandatory, at least CHF 1 million · Take-off mass over 250 g

Austria

Mandatory since 1 January 2024 for every UAS in the specific category and for open-category UAS labelled C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6. The operator stores the 16-digit operator registration number and the 3-digit PIN from the registration in the drone's remote-identification system. Retrofit modules may be fitted. Drones under 250 g (C0) and C4 drones with only simple flight controls are exempt.

Belgium

C1, C2 and C3 drones carry direct remote identification; C0 and C4 do not need it. Where the drone has a remote-ID system the operator number must be uploaded into it. Some geozones require direct remote ID even in the OPEN category, and the SPECIFIC category requires it since 1 January 2024.

Bulgaria

Display the operator number on every drone and enter it into the drone's remote identification system. No Bulgarian page read lists which classes must carry Remote ID.

Croatia

There is no separate national Remote ID rule. The duty arrives through the class marks: subcategory A1 needs a C1 aircraft with electronic identification and the geo-awareness function, A2 needs C2 on the same terms, and A3 needs C2 or C3 on the same terms.

Cyprus

Display the operator number indelibly on every drone and upload it to the drone where it has that capability. Drones of class C1, C2, C3, C5 and C6 must also have the DCA geozone JSON loaded into their geo-awareness system. No Cyprus-specific Remote ID class rule was found.

Czechia

C1 drones in A1, C2 in A2 and C3 in A3 must be flown with active and updated direct remote identification and geo-awareness. The full operator string (number plus three assigned characters) is uploaded into the remote identification system when the drone has one.

Denmark

C-marked drones carrying a sensor and weighing over 250 g must transmit Remote ID. Activating it requires the operator registration number and a three-digit security code.

Estonia

C1, C2 and C3 drones (and C5, C6) come with Remote ID from the manufacturer, and Remote ID is required on every specific-category flight. Since 19 July 2026 the Aviation Act requires the operator registration number to be entered in the Remote ID system wherever Remote ID must be used.

Faroe Islands

Drones with class marks C1 to C4, C5 and C6 must be operated with active and updated direct remote identification systems and geo-awareness functions. Activating Remote ID requires operator registration, the operator number and a three-digit code.

Finland

C1, C2 and C3 drones have remote identification and geo-awareness functions under Regulation (EU) 2019/945; C0 and C4 do not. Traficom's 2023 study page adds that C1 to C3 drones manufactured after 1 January 2021 must have direct remote identification and geo-awareness updated.

France

Two separate systems. EU direct remote identification applies to CE-marked C1, C2 and C3 aircraft in the open category: C1 in subcategory A1, C2 in A2 and A3, C3 in A3; the operator number plus an error-correcting code is loaded into the aircraft. The French electronic signalling device is a national public-security requirement for every drone and model aircraft over 800 g, and the DGAC states that an EU remote-identification system is not assured to meet its technical criteria.

Germany

A drone certified under Regulation (EU) 2019/945 with a maximum take-off mass of more than 250 g must have a direct remote identification function. Drones of class C4 and privately built UAS are excluded. The e-ID is loaded into the remote identification system where the drone has one and must additionally be affixed physically to the airframe.

Greece

From 1 January 2024 a drone in the open category with a C1, C2, C3 or C4 class identification label must broadcast the operator number through Remote ID, and the operator number must be entered into the drone's software. The operator registration number must also be displayed on the drone, for example with a sticker. What is uploaded is the registration number plus three further characters that are kept secret.

Hungary

C1 and C2 drones may only be flown with active and updated direct remote identification and geo-awareness. The operator number is to be uploaded into the drone's direct remote ID system.

Iceland

Not established

Indonesia (Bali)

Not required.

Ireland

From 1 January 2024 a direct remote identification system is required on all UAS used in the specific category and on UAS carrying a C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 class identification label, whatever the category of operation. Legacy drones may be exempt under Article 20. The operator uploads the registration number, including its three secret digits, into the system of each drone they own.

Italy

No Italian Remote ID carriage rule by class or date is published on any fetched page. What is stated is that d-flight provides remote identification services, and that before flight the remote pilot must check that direct remote identification, where the aircraft has it, is active and up to date.

Japan

A registered aircraft must display its registration ID and be fitted with a Remote ID function. The Remote ID information is written into the equipment before each flight using the JCAB DIPS App or the manufacturer's specified app. It transmits serial number, registration ID, position, speed, altitude and time at least once per second; owner and user information is not transmitted. An aircraft bought abroad must conform to Japan's domestic Remote ID technical standard.

Latvia

C1, C2 and C3 drones must use an active, updated direct remote identification and geo-awareness function unless a UAS zone says otherwise. An operator flying someone else's drone uploads their own operator number to its remote ID system with the secret key from registration. Zones may require remote ID.

Liechtenstein

Remote ID must be switched on during flight in the open and specific categories. Activating it needs the full operator number including the final three characters. Class C0, legacy and privately built drones are exempt.

Lithuania

From 2024-01-01 the operator number must also be entered into the direct remote ID of C1, C2 and C3 drones. Specific-category flights need an active, updated direct remote ID. Above a CTR zone's vertical limit, remote ID and return-to-home are mandatory.

Luxembourg

The registration certificate shows an identification string, which must be entered in the drone if its system supports remote identification.

Madeira (Portugal)

The operator number is affixed to every aircraft in the fleet as PRT plus 16 characters, without the three secret final digits; the complete string including the secret digits is loaded into the remote-identification device. A UA operated in the specific category below 120 m must carry a remote-identification system.

Malta

From 2024-01-01, drones with class label C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 that are equipped with remote ID must fly with it active and updated in any category, as must every specific-category drone. The operator uploads the operator number to each drone's remote ID system.

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

Not established

Netherlands

Required, with one stated exemption: a C0 drone weighing less than 250 g does not need Remote ID. C1, C2 and C3 drones carry direct Remote ID. It broadcasts the operator number, the drone serial number, the drone's position and height, the pilot's position, and the drone's route and speed.

New Zealand

No Remote ID requirement. None appears in Part 101, in CATI 101-1, in AC101-1 Revision 2, or in either CAA public guidance document, all five read end to end.

Norway

Required for every drone flown in the specific category; C1, C2 and C3 drones carry it from the manufacturer. In the open category it is not required for home-built drones, C0 and C4 drones, or legacy drones without a C mark.

Poland

Direct remote identification must be active and up to date on drones marked C1, C2, C3, C5 or C6 and in specific-category operations below 120 m. Not required on C0 or C4, on tethered drones, on unmarked drones placed on the market before 1 January 2024 flown in A1 under 250 g or A3 under 25 kg, or on privately built drones in A1 or A3.

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Open category: required only where the geographical zone mandates it and the aircraft is C1, C2 or C3. Specific category: mandatory, and any aircraft intended for specific-category operation below 120 m must carry a remote-identification system. The operator number is written on every drone in the format PRT0123456789abc, 16 alphanumeric characters without the three secret final digits; the complete string goes into the remote-identification device.

Romania

Enter your operator number into the remote identification system of class-labelled drones (AACR's FAQ says C0 to C6).

Slovakia

Since 1 January 2024, C1, C2 and C3 drones in the open category and every drone in the specific category must fly with active and updated remote identification. The full operator string (number plus the three secret digits) goes into the Remote ID system where there is one.

Slovenia

Mandatory in the open category from 1 January 2024 for every C1, C2 and C3 drone under UAS.OPEN.060(d). The full operator registration number, with three extra characters shown in the portal under the technical-transfer number and not printed on the certificate, must be entered into the drone.

Spain

Direct Remote Identification has been required since 1 January 2024 for class-marked C1, C2 and C3 used in the open category, and in the specific category under a European standard scenario or an operational authorisation. The system must transmit the operator registration number with the verification code issued at registration, the aircraft's unique serial number, a timestamp, the aircraft's position and height above the surface or take-off point, course from true north, ground speed, the remote pilot's position and an emergency indication.

Sweden

Direct remote identification and geo-awareness are required on C1, C2 and C3 drones manufactured after 1 July 2020. New drones shall be programmed with the network ID, and the full string, the operator registration number plus the three randomly generated alphanumerics, shall be uploaded into the electronic identification system if one is available.

Switzerland

No general Swiss open-category Remote ID carriage obligation is stated on any fetched official page. What is stated is the mechanic: the final three characters of the operator number should not be marked on the drone, and are needed to activate the drone's Remote ID function.

Austria

120 m

Belgium

120 m

Bulgaria

120 m

Croatia

120 m

Cyprus

120 m

Czechia

120 m

Denmark

120 m

Estonia

120 m

Faroe Islands

120 m

Finland

120 m

France

120 m

Germany

120 m

Greece

120 m

Hungary

120 m

Iceland

120 m

Indonesia (Bali)

Not established

Ireland

120 m

Italy

120 m

Japan

150 m

Latvia

120 m

Liechtenstein

120 m

Lithuania

120 m

Luxembourg

120 m

Madeira (Portugal)

120 m

Malta

120 m

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

45 m

Netherlands

120 m

New Zealand

120 m

Norway

120 m

Poland

120 m

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

120 m

Romania

120 m

Slovakia

120 m

Slovenia

120 m

Spain

120 m

Sweden

120 m

Switzerland

120 m

Austria

By subcategory. A1 is for drones under 900 g and allows uninvolved persons to be overflown only with a C0 drone under 250 g. A2 is for drones up to 4 kg and requires a minimum 30 m from uninvolved persons. A3 is for drones up to 25 kg, at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas, with no uninvolved persons in the flight area. Mere attendance at an event does not make a person involved: participation must be voluntary, the risks understood and safety instructions given.

Belgium

A1: may overfly uninvolved persons but never an assembly of people; with a C1, not intentionally. A2 (C2): never over uninvolved persons, 30 m horizontally from them or 5 m in low-speed mode, and the 1:1 rule. A3: only where uninvolved persons are not endangered, 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas, 30 m from persons, the 1:1 rule, and never closer than the distance the drone covers in 2 seconds at maximum speed.

Bulgaria

A1: over people but never over crowds. A2: at least 30 m from people, or 5 m with low-speed mode active. A3: at least 150 m horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas, with no uninvolved people in the area of operation.

Croatia

Overflying assemblies of people is never allowed in the open category; an assembly is a gathering so dense that people cannot move away. Subcategory A1 allows flight near uninvolved persons with a drone under 900 g. Subcategory A2 requires at least 30 m from uninvolved persons, reducible to 5 m in active low speed mode. Subcategory A3 requires an area where no uninvolved persons are expected and at least 150 m from areas used for residential, commercial, industrial or recreational purposes.

Cyprus

A1: never over assemblies of people (a C1 drone also minimises flying over uninvolved people). A2: a horizontal distance at least equal to the height, never less than 5 m. A3: at least 150 m from residential, commercial or industrial areas and away from uninvolved people.

Czechia

A1: a C0 or self-built drone under 250 g may fly over uninvolved people but should avoid it; with a C1 the pilot must reasonably expect not to overfly anyone. A2 (C2): 1:1 rule and never closer than 30 m to uninvolved people, 5 m in low-speed mode. A3: no uninvolved people within range and at least 150 m from residential, commercial or industrial areas. Never over assemblies of people.

Denmark

The 1:1 rule: hold horizontal distance from uninvolved people equal to your flight height, so 50 m up means 50 m away. Assemblies of people may never be overflown. A1 allows brief, unavoidable overflight of individuals; A2 and A3 do not, and an A2 holder keeps 30 m from uninvolved people.

Estonia

A1 (C0, C1): may fly over single people but never over crowds. A2 (C2 only): at least 30 m horizontally from uninvolved people, 5 m in low-speed mode, and the 1:1 height to distance rule. A3: at least 150 m from uninvolved people and from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas.

Faroe Islands

Set by the European rules via the class and certificate matrix, not restated numerically on the Faroe page. Drones under 250 g may overfly people but not assemblies of people; assemblies of people may not be overflown at any weight.

Finland

A1: a C0 drone may fly over individual people but never over assemblies; a C1 drone is not expected to fly over uninvolved people and never over assemblies. A2: a C2 drone under 4 kg keeps 30 m from uninvolved people, or 5 m with low-speed mode active. A3: C2 to C4 and legacy drones under 25 kg keep at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas and at least 30 m from uninvolved people, and no less than the height (1:1 rule) or the distance covered in 2 seconds at maximum speed.

France

A gathering of people is never overflown, with a stated recreational separation of 150 m. Subcategory A1 (class C0 and C1, or under 250 g): flight near people is allowed and overflight of a C0 or sub-250 g aircraft is tolerated but should be avoided. Subcategory A2 (class C2 with the A2 certificate): more than 50 m from any uninvolved person, or 5 m in low-speed mode. Subcategory A3 (class C2, C3, C4 and legacy): more than 150 m from any residential, industrial, commercial or recreational area, and no approach to uninvolved people.

Germany

By subcategory. A1: no assembly of people may be overflown, and the pilot must reasonably be able to assume no uninvolved person is overflown. A2: no uninvolved person may be overflown and a horizontal safety distance of at least 30 m applies, reducible to 5 m with the low-speed mode engaged, with an A2 remote pilot certificate and a C2 aircraft. A3: an area where no uninvolved person is endangered, plus at least 150 m horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.

Greece

A1: flying above a few uninvolved people is allowed, above crowds is not, above buildings is allowed. A2: flying over uninvolved people and above crowds is not allowed, with a minimum 30 m from uninvolved persons or 5 m in low-speed mode; the EASA wording HCAA republishes adds the 1:1 rule, keeping a lateral distance not less than the flight height. A3: a minimum of 150 m from non-affected persons, buildings, industry and recreational areas, and no uninvolved people within the range of the operation.

Hungary

A1: C0 and self-built drones under 250 g may overfly uninvolved people but never crowds; C1 should not overfly uninvolved people. A2: no overflight, at least 30 m horizontally, 5 m in low-speed mode. A3: at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas. Never over crowds.

Iceland

A1 with C0 and C1 drones: few distance restrictions, over people but never over crowds. A2 with C2 drones: 30 m from uninvolved persons without low-speed mode, 5 m with low-speed mode. A3 up to 25 kg: minimum 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.

Indonesia (Bali)

Not established

Ireland

Set by subcategory, not by a published number. A1 may not fly over assemblies of people, A2 is flying close to people, A3 is flying far from people. An assembly of people is a gathering who cannot disperse because of population density, such as a sports or cultural event, a crowded beach or park, or a street of shops. Uninvolved persons are those who take no part in the operation and do not know the operator's procedures.

Italy

By subcategory. A1 (C0 under 250 g, C1 250 g to 900 g): overflight of assemblies of people is always forbidden; with C1 fly where no overflight of uninvolved people is reasonably expected; with C0 overflight of uninvolved people is acceptable but to be avoided, and deliberate prolonged overflight is not acceptable even under 250 g. A2 (C2, 900 g to 4 kg): the 1:1 rule, minimum 30 m, minimum 5 m with low-speed mode selected at 3 m/s. A3 (C3 4 to 25 kg, C4, and C2 flown there): the 1:1 rule, minimum 30 m horizontal from uninvolved people and also from animals and property, and minimum 150 m horizontal from residential, recreational, commercial or industrial areas.

Japan

30 m from third parties, or from a third party's building or vehicle. The operator's own people and own property are not counted.

Latvia

A1: under 250 g may fly over uninvolved people, never over assemblies; C1 flights must reasonably expect not to overfly uninvolved people. A2 (C2 only since 2024): 30 m horizontally, 5 m in low-speed mode. A3: 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas and at least 30 m from people, 1:1 with height. National rule: as far as possible avoid flying over people, vehicles in traffic, animals, buildings and structures.

Liechtenstein

No overflight of assemblies of people in the open category. A1: C0, legacy under 250 g and privately built under 250 g may overfly uninvolved people, C1 should avoid it. A2: no overflight, at least 30 m (5 m in low-speed mode) or the flight height, whichever is greater. A3: no overflight, 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, and 30 m or the flight height from uninvolved people.

Lithuania

A1: may fly over isolated uninvolved people, never during mass events or over gatherings, and overflight is minimised. A2: 30 m horizontally from uninvolved people, 5 m in low-speed mode, otherwise the 1:1 rule. A3: at least 150 m horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, with no uninvolved people present.

Luxembourg

A1: C0 or C1 close to people without flying over them; unmarked drones only under 250 g. A2: C2 at 30 m, or 5 m in low-speed mode. A3: C3, C4 or unmarked 250 g to 25 kg, 150 m from industrial, commercial, residential or leisure sites. No overflight of gatherings in the open category; no overflight of uninvolved people except under 250 g or with C0 or C1.

Madeira (Portugal)

No overflight of uninvolved persons in the open category, except with a privately built UA under 250 g or a C0 or C1 marked drone. C2 in A2: lateral distance at least equal to the flight height (1:1) and never closer than 30 m horizontally, reducible to 5 m with an active low-speed mode. C3, C4, C5, C6 and private builds over 250 g: no uninvolved persons may be present in the operating area. No spectators in the open category.

Malta

Never over assemblies of people. A1 may fly over people, A2 close to people, A3 far from people. Malta publishes no numeric distances.

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

Not established

Netherlands

By subcategory. A1: flying over people and over crowds is not allowed. A2: no flying over people, and keep sufficient distance. A3: stay well away from people and keep at least 150 m from residential, retail, industrial and recreational areas.

New Zealand

No numeric separation distance. The rule is consent based: explicit consent from any person the aircraft will operate above, and prior consent from the owner or occupier of property it will operate above. CAA guidance adds only to stay a safe and considerate distance away from people and buildings, with no figure.

Norway

A1: with C1 drones and drones over 250 g, do not fly over other people. A2: with C2 drones keep 30 m horizontal separation from other people, and at least as much horizontal distance as the drone's vertical height above the ground. A3: keep at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.

Poland

A1: over people but never over assemblies of people. A2: at least 30 m horizontally from people, or 5 m with a low-speed function. A3: away from people and at least 150 m horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

No flight over assemblies of people in any open subcategory. A1: uninvolved persons may be overflown with caution. A2: keep 30 m horizontal clearance from uninvolved persons, reducible to 5 m under the 1:1 rule with an active C2 low-speed mode. A3: keep 150 m horizontal distance from uninvolved persons and from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas.

Romania

A1: over uninvolved people only in limited conditions (C0, C1, under 250 g), never over crowds. A2: 30 m from uninvolved people, 5 m with low-speed mode, and as a rule no closer than the flight height. A3: 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.

Slovakia

Keep a safe distance from people and never fly over assemblies of people (crowds so dense that people cannot move away). DÚ refers to Part A of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 for the subcategory distances without restating them.

Slovenia

Keep a safe distance from people and never fly over assemblies of people. On top of that, Slovenia prohibits open-category flight over areas of buildings and above-ground structures where people are, unless the drone is at most 1,200 g, stays at or below 50 m above ground, flies by day only, has the approval of the owner or user of the property overflown, and the flight has been announced to CAA in advance.

Spain

By subcategory. A1 is flown avoiding the overflight of uninvolved people and of assemblies of people. A2 keeps a horizontal safety distance of at least 30 m from uninvolved people. A3 is flown where no uninvolved person is put at risk and at least 150 m horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas. Inside an urban environment a separate distance applies to buildings: none for A1 with C0, C1 under 250 g, legacy under 250 g or privately built under 250 g; 5 m for A1 with C1 of 250 g or more; 30 m for A2 with C2 under 4 kg, or 5 m if a low-speed mode is active; 150 m for A3.

Sweden

A1: a C0 drone may be flown over uninvolved people but it should be avoided; a C1 drone may not. A2: a C2 drone under 4 kg keeps 30 m from uninvolved people, or 5 m in low-speed mode, and is never flown over them. A3: a C2, C3 or C4 drone and any legacy drone over 250 g keeps 30 m from uninvolved people and 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas. Flight over assemblies of people is never allowed at any weight. The 1:1 rule applies for C2 to C4: the distance to the obstacle equals the height above ground.

Switzerland

No numeric separation distance is published for the open category. Flying over assemblies of people is forbidden and needs a SORA operational authorisation; an assembly is any group in which at least one person cannot move away freely. The applicable minimum safe distance depends on the subcategory A1, A2 or A3.

Austria

Not established

Belgium

Permitted in the OPEN category as long as the flight stays within visual line of sight and a green flashing light on the drone is activated.

Bulgaria

Not established

Croatia

Permitted in all categories. Under UAS.OPEN.060 (2)(g) the remote pilot must make sure a green flashing light is switched on during a night flight.

Cyprus

Not established

Czechia

Permitted. The pilot must switch on a green flashing light on the drone when flying at night.

Denmark

Night flight is permitted if the drone carries a green flashing light showing its position.

Estonia

Allowed. The operator must make sure the drone's green flashing light is switched on at night, and the open-category rules, including VLOS, still apply.

Faroe Islands

Not established

Finland

Not established

France

Prohibited in the open category, including with lighting devices, except on certain aeromodelling sites published in the aeronautical information. Night means aeronautical night: in metropolitan France it starts 30 minutes after sunset and ends 30 minutes before sunrise. A derogation may be requested from the territorially competent prefect with at least 30 days' notice, and is obtained separately from AlphaTango.

Germany

Permitted and needing no special authorisation. The drone must be fitted with a green flashing light during night operation and the flight is flown in direct visual contact as by day. Additional position lights are recommended.

Greece

The national UAS Regulation limits visual-line-of-sight and extended-visual-line-of-sight operation to the period from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Flying later needs a special permit from HCAA Flight Standards Division and is available only for the specific and certified categories. The HCAA visitor authorization route is daylight-only in its own terms.

Hungary

Permitted in the open category with a green flashing light switched on.

Iceland

Night flying is allowed as long as the pilot can see the drone, and a green flashing light on the drone is mandatory at night.

Indonesia (Bali)

Daylight only, sunrise to sunset. Flight beyond visual line of sight needs DGCA authorisation.

Ireland

Permitted. From 1 July 2022 the drone must be able to indicate its position from all sides with a green flashing light.

Italy

Permitted. During operations carried out at night the pilot must make sure a green flashing light is activated on the aircraft.

Japan

Daytime is defined as sunrise to sunset. Flight outside daytime is a regulated method requiring approval.

Latvia

Allowed in the open category with an activated green flashing light and strict visual line of sight. A night-time restricted area (EVR444) runs along the eastern border in 2026.

Liechtenstein

Permitted within visual line of sight if the drone has position lights, with distances shortened for the reduced visibility. FOCA's FAQ adds that a green flashing light should be activated.

Lithuania

Allowed. The remote pilot ensures the drone's green flashing light is on (required since 2022-07-01).

Luxembourg

Authorised in the open category. Night flight is banned without prior authorisation inside the airport and heliport zones.

Madeira (Portugal)

Not established

Malta

Automatic authorisation excludes flights earlier than half an hour before sunrise or later than half an hour after sunset; those need manual authorisation, submitted 5 working days ahead. No page says whether night requests are granted.

Morocco

Not established

Namibia

Daylight hours only.

Netherlands

Not allowed. Flying outside the daylight period is prohibited, and the daylight period runs from fifteen minutes before sunrise to fifteen minutes after sunset. No exemption is available in the open category; an exemption exists only in the specific category, where the decision period is 8 weeks and an operating permit is needed as well.

New Zealand

Night flight is prohibited unless the operation is indoors or shielded, or all four CATI 101-1 night conditions are met: an authorised course, a 30-minute shielded refamiliarisation flight after 90 days without a night flight, lighting adequate to determine the aircraft's orientation, and not more than one aircraft at a time.

Norway

Mainland: not stated on any cited official page. Svalbard: flying a drone in the dark is forbidden.

Poland

Permitted. A flashing green light must be switched on on the drone at night.

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Allowed. ANAC's open-category page states that open-category operators may fly by night and by day without ANAC authorisation.

Romania

Not established

Slovakia

Permitted, only with an activated green flashing light on the drone.

Slovenia

No national night ban was found in the rules in force. The exception that allows a light drone over built-up areas applies by day only.

Spain

No Spanish official page reached states an open-category night rule or a night prohibition. What is official is adjacent: C2 and C3 class aircraft must carry lights for attitude control and night flight, and AESA's swarm exemption shows that the green flashing light plus active remote identification duty sits in UAS.SPEC.050, the specific-category provision, exempted for swarm operators only between 31 August 2025 and 31 August 2026.

Sweden

Permitted. A green flashing light on the drone must be activated at night or in poor visibility. Night runs from the end of evening civil twilight to the beginning of morning civil twilight, civil twilight being bounded by the centre of the sun's disc 6 degrees below the horizon.

Switzerland

Permitted. A green flashing light should be activated on the drone when flying at night, and the visual line of sight requirement applies at night as well.

Austria

• An administrative offence under section 169 of the Luftfahrtgesetz, covering breaches of the Austrian Aviation Act, of national ordinances and of the applicable EU drone rules. Depending on the nature and severity of the infringement, the competent district administrative authority may impose fines of up to 22,000 EUR. Operating a drone contrary to the applicable rules
• A breach of Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2019/947. No tariff is stated; Austro Control asks which numbers to cancel and recommends keeping the most recent one. Holding more than one operator registration
• ACGV tariff post 102: one third of the fee for the official act, plus the 92 EUR official-act charge. Withdrawal before the submitted documents have been examined attracts no fee. Withdrawing a permit application after the documents have been examined

Belgium

• Imprisonment from 8 days to 1 year and a fine from EUR 200 to EUR 4,000,000, or either alone (law of 27 June 1937, art. 32). An administrative fine can be imposed instead of prosecution, within the same range increased by the statutory surcharges (art. 45 and 48). Breach of EU civil-aviation regulations, including (EU) 2019/947, or of the royal decrees implementing the 1937 aviation law, where no special penalty is set
• Imprisonment from 8 days to 1 year and a fine from EUR 200 to EUR 1,000,000, or either alone (art. 32, second paragraph). Whether the geozone ministerial decree falls under this paragraph is not stated. Breach of ministerial regulations on aviation
• The minister may ban the remote pilot or operator from any UAS operation for up to 24 months and suspend or withdraw an A2 certificate (royal decree of 8 November 2020, art. 11). An administrative measure, not a fine. Intentional or negligent breach of the OPEN-category rules

Bulgaria

• 3,000 to 10,000 лв (Civil Aviation Act art. 143(1) т. 20) Flying a drone without a required permission, or in breach of the applicable rules or the operator's procedures
• 4,000 to 13,000 лв (art. 146) Repeat breach under art. 143
• 1,000 to 10,000 лв (art. 147(1)) Any other breach of the Act, its ordinances or the EU drone regulations with no penalty of its own
• 500 to 5,000 лв for a person, up to 10,000 лв for a company Breaching the regime of Rila, Pirin or Central Balkan National Park (not drone-specific)

Croatia

• Penalties are prescribed by the Air Transport Act and run from a warning, through fines from 700 EUR upwards, to temporary or permanent withdrawal of pilot licences and of operator approvals and registrations. Breaching the air traffic safety rules, generally
• 2,652 EUR to 26,520 EUR Declaring at registration that you will fly only for sport and recreation, then performing aerial work, and so avoiding compulsory insurance

Cyprus

• Up to 2 years' imprisonment and/or 1,500 Cyprus pounds as printed in the consolidated Law (6 months and/or 500 pounds if by negligence) Breach of the geozone decree (geozones count as prohibited areas under article 6 of the Civil Aviation Law)
• Administrative fine up to 5,000 Cyprus pounds as printed, or 10 per cent of turnover; it may exceed the cap Administrative breach of the Civil Aviation Law or a ministerial decree
• The equivalent of 2,500 GBP in euros; endangering persons or property, an unlimited fine or up to 2 years or both Sovereign Base Areas: breach of the Order or the drone Ordinance

Czechia

• Up to 100,000 Kč (zákon 49/1997 § 92c(1)(a)(1)) Flying without a valid competence certificate
• Up to 100,000 Kč (§ 92c(1)(a)(5)) Breaching a geozone rule, an ÚCL measure or a Police instruction
• Up to 100,000 Kč each (§ 92c(1)(c)(3) and (4)) Operator not registered, or operator number not displayed on the drone
• Up to 100,000 Kč (§ 92c(3)(c)(3)) No mandatory liability insurance

5 more in the brief

Denmark

• Typically a fine of up to 10,000 DKK, and the drone may be confiscated Illegal drone flying, as the authority states it publicly
• 3,000 to 10,000 DKK depending on how many rules were broken and the nature of the breach; the Ministry says the level is still being set through test cases Breach of the Air Navigation Act or rules issued under it, as the Ministry of Transport describes the level in practice
• Fine; no tariff appears in the instrument Breach of the drone order's insurance, logbook, aerodrome, HEMS, security, castle, military, Natura 2000, livestock, railway, road, power-line, residential, response-area, restricted-access or tethered-obstacle provisions
• Fine, amount not stated in the act Breach of Air Navigation Act section 126 b (1) on critical areas and particularly sensitive nature areas, section 126 c (1) on insurance, or section 126 g (2) to (3) on market surveillance

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Estonia

• Up to 300 fine units, EUR 2,400 at EUR 8 per unit; a legal person up to EUR 400,000 Remote pilot breaching UAS operating requirements (Aviation Act § 60⁵³)
• Up to 300 fine units, EUR 2,400; a legal person up to EUR 400,000 Flying a drone without remote pilot competency (Aviation Act § 60⁵⁴)
• Up to 300 fine units, EUR 2,400 Flying a drone while intoxicated (Aviation Act § 60⁵⁵)
• Up to 200 fine units, EUR 1,600; with negligent property damage up to 300 units or detention Flying without a permit in a restricted area or geographical zone, or breaching the permit's conditions (Aviation Act § 60¹⁴, processed by the zone's authority)

Faroe Islands

• Fine or imprisonment up to 4 months Breach of Annex 1, Articles 4 to 11, 14, 19, 20 or 22 of the Faroese drone order
• Fine, amount not stated in any instrument checked Breach of section 126 b (critical areas and particularly sensitive nature areas), section 126 c(1) or section 126 g(2) to (3) of the Aviation Act as in force for the Faroe Islands
• Fine, amount not stated Flying after consuming alcohol (section 126 e(1) to (3))
• Criminal liability for legal persons under chapter 5 of the Penal Code Corporate offenders

1 more in the brief

Finland

• A fine (sakko, day-fines). No euro amount is printed. Aviation violation (ilmailurikkomus): breaching a prohibited or restricted area, a UAS-zone ban, restriction or condition, flying a drone not marked as Regulation (EU) 2019/947 article 14 requires, or breaching a Traficom drone regulation
• Unlawful and an aviation violation; the penalty is the fine above. Flying without operator registration
• The Aviation Act 175 § refers to the Criminal Code chapter 23, sections 1 and 2; the range itself was not read. Endangering traffic safety
• A Criminal Code offence; the range was not read. Unlawful viewing or filming of a person in a private place (salakatselu)

France

• One year's imprisonment and 75,000 EUR, under article L. 6232-4 of the code des transports. Operating a drone in conditions that do not comply with the safety rules
• Six months' imprisonment and 15,000 EUR, under article L. 6232-12 of the code des transports. Causing a drone to overfly a prohibited area by clumsiness or negligence
• One year's imprisonment and 45,000 EUR, under article L. 6232-12. Deliberate overflight of a prohibited area, or refusal to comply with an order of the administrative authority
• 450 EUR. A third-class contravention. Flying without having obtained the required training attestation

7 more in the brief

Germany

• Administrative offence under section 44(1) no. 17d LuftVO, which is an offence within the meaning of section 58(1) no. 10 LuftVG. Section 58(3) LuftVG sets the maximum for that group at fifty thousand euros. Operating a drone in a geographic area without meeting the conditions section 21h(3) and (4) LuftVO sets for it
• Administrative offence under section 44(1) no. 17e LuftVO, with the same fifty thousand euro maximum under section 58(3) LuftVG. Acting contrary to an enforceable condition attached to a permission under section 21i(1) LuftVO
• Administrative offence under section 58(1) no. 15 LuftVG, maximum fifty thousand euros. The LBA states separately that operating a drone without liability insurance is an administrative offence. Not maintaining the required third-party liability insurance
• Administrative offence under section 58(2) LuftVG, maximum fifty thousand euros under section 58(3). Breaching Regulation (EU) 2019/947, including operating without an operating authorisation or declaration, failing to affix the registration number before the first flight under Article 14(8), and breaching the UAS.OPEN subcategory rules

2 more in the brief

Greece

• Fines and other administrative sanctions under Article 153 of the Greek Code of Air Law. No amount is published on any official page reached. Non-compliance by the operator with the registration and operating duties
• The offender is summoned to a hearing, then the Article 153(1) fine is imposed scaled to the seriousness of the infringement. For serious or repeat violations the permit or certificate may be suspended or withdrawn. Administrative penalties do not relieve the offender of criminal responsibility, and an appeal to the Administrative Court within ten days does not suspend collection. Breach of the operating, security or air-traffic rules, or refusal of an HCAA inspection of permits, licences and equipment
• An administrative fine under the national regulatory framework, criminal prosecution for obstructing an assigned public service, suspension or revocation of the operational declaration or remote pilot certificate, and seizure and confiscation of the drone. No amount is published. Flying inside a wildfire geographical restriction
• HCAA notifies EETT, which applies Articles 76 and 77 of Law 4070/2012. No amount is published. Breach of the terms of use of radio frequencies

1 more in the brief

Hungary

• Up to 100,000,000 Ft, imposed by the aviation authority or the police on the operator or the person the drone was lent to Breaching the rules on operating or using a drone (aviation fine)
• 6,500 to 200,000 Ft; on-the-spot fine 6,500 to 65,000 Ft, 90,000 Ft on a repeat within six months Flying a drone over a populated area without authorisation (petty offence)
• 6,500 to 200,000 Ft Recording sound or images of another's home or fenced area during unauthorised drone use (petty offence, on the victim's motion)

Iceland

No published fine range located.

Indonesia (Bali)

• Up to IDR 5,000,000, with up to 3 years' imprisonment attached by both sources General violation
• Up to IDR 500,000,000 and up to 3 years' imprisonment Serious offence
• No amount retrieved; the page refuses the connection Sanctions, fines and criminal punishment for drone rule breaches generally, as quoted in a Ministry agency performance report

Ireland

• On summary conviction a fine not exceeding EUR 5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both; on conviction on indictment a fine not exceeding EUR 500,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or both. Contravening an order or regulation made under the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, which includes the drones order S.I. No. 24 of 2023
• On summary conviction a fine not exceeding EUR 5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both. Obstructing or impeding an authorised officer, or failing to furnish information
• No separate tariff is published. The IAA can take enforcement action up to detaining the drone, then bring summary proceedings in the District Court or initiate indictment proceedings with the Director of Public Prosecutions, which puts it in the ranges above. Flying without the required operator registration
• No amount exists yet. The power is section 63F of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, inserted on 1 May 2022 and commenced by S.I. No. 220 of 2023, and it names unmanned aircraft explicitly: where the officer cannot identify the pilot, the notice is served on the registered operator. It bites only on offences the Minister declares to be fixed charge offences by regulations that also prescribe the amounts, and no such regulations were found. On 20 August 2025 the Department of Transport said it will introduce them. Payment window 28 days. Fixed charge, or on-the-spot, notice for a drone offence

Italy

• The criminal and disciplinary provisions of Book II, part III of the Navigation Code apply, together with those of Legislative Decree 173/2014 and the ENAC regulation on the exercise of the sanctioning power. Administrative sanctions are applied under Law 689/1981. No euro amount is published on any fetched official page. Any breach of the UAS-IT Regulation or of the EU rules it refers to
• Not set by the regulation in force. A consultation draft of a new UAS-IT regulation would apply the administrative pecuniary sanction of art. 1174(1) of the Navigation Code up to 25 kg take-off mass and art. 1234 above it, with mandatory seizure for confiscation under Law 689/1981. That draft is not in force and carries a placeholder date. Operating without the required third-party insurance
• No amount is published on any fetched official page. Flying contrary to a d-flight geographical restriction
• No amount is published on any fetched official page. Operating without the required operator registration

1 more in the brief

Japan

• Fine of not more than 500,000 JPY, or imprisonment for not more than one year Flying an unmanned aircraft that is subject to registration without registering it
• Fine of not more than 300,000 JPY, Civil Aeronautics Act Article 157-10 Conducting a specified flight without notifying the flight plan
• Fine of not more than 100,000 JPY, Civil Aeronautics Act Article 157-11 Failing to keep a flight log for a specified flight, omitting required entries, or making false entries
• Penal provisions exist; the exact range was not retrieved Flying in prohibited airspace or by a regulated method without permission or approval

1 more in the brief

Latvia

• Warning or up to 30 units (EUR 150) Flying an unmarked or unidentifiable drone
• Up to 140 units (EUR 700) Remote pilot or observer over 0.2 per mille alcohol or intoxicated, or refusing a test
• Warning or up to 60 units (EUR 300) Flying beyond visual line of sight
• Warning or up to 140 units (EUR 700) Flying without mandatory liability insurance

8 more in the brief

Liechtenstein

• Fine up to CHF 50,000 from the Landgericht, up to six months' imprisonment if unpaid; the maximum is halved for negligence Carrying out an activity that needs an authorisation without it or against it, or ignoring an AHR order (Luftfahrtgesetz Art. 19)
• A fine; no amount is stated Flying a drone without the required liability insurance
• A fine; no amount is stated. FOCA calls flying with no operator number a criminal offence. Flying a drone that does not bear the operator number
• GDPR fine regime (Art. 83 GDPR with Art. 40 DSG); a fine for intentionally breaching the notification duty Unlawful camera-drone recording of people, or failing to notify recordings of public space

Lithuania

• 500 to 1,000 EUR; repeat 1,000 to 1,500 EUR with possible confiscation Breaching the Regulation 2019/947 operating rules
• 400 to 800 EUR with possible confiscation; repeat 800 to 1,200 EUR with mandatory confiscation Flying over military territories or within the set distance of them, or in prohibited, restricted or border-zone airspace without the right
• 100 to 300 EUR; repeat 300 to 800 EUR with possible confiscation Breaching the registration requirements
• 400 to 800 EUR with possible confiscation; repeat 800 to 1,200 EUR with mandatory confiscation Breaching the conditions of a geographical zone

Luxembourg

• EUR 25 to 250 (article 32bis of the 1948 air navigation law, in force 26 December 2025); payable on the spot by avertissement taxé Flying without the legally prescribed documents, without the required competences, for an unregistered operator, or with a drone not meeting EU technical requirements
• EUR 25 to 250 (article 32bis, points 5 and 7) Breaching open-category requirements or the conditions of a national geozone
• EUR 25 to 250 (article 32bis, point 8) Flying under the influence of alcohol or psychotropic substances, or while unfit through injury, fatigue, treatment or illness
• EUR 25 to 250 (article 32bis, point 10, with article 38bis) Not landing the drone or not obeying the injunctions of police or DAC officers

2 more in the brief

Madeira (Portugal)

• an administrative offence (contraordenação) under Decreto-Lei n.º 87/2021; no monetary range appears on any cited page Operating without registration
• left to the member states; Decreto-Lei n.º 87/2021 is the Portuguese instrument, and no fine table was found Breach of the EU drone regulation generally

Malta

• 250 EUR to 250,000 EUR per infringement on conviction Breaching the Air Navigation Act or a TM-CAD regulatory instrument (including RI 006/2024 on drones), where no administrative penalty applies
• 10 EUR to 1,000 EUR per day (administrative) Not complying with a TM-CAD enforcement or cease-and-desist order
• A fine; no amount published in the instrument Missing or invalid registration, insurance, licence or authorisation, or refusing to show them

Morocco

• Confiscation plus a penalty conformement a la reglementation en vigueur. No amount, currency figure or statutory article appears in any cited document, and no dirham figure was reported anywhere in either research pass. Failure to declare the machine to customs at the entry office

Namibia

• No amount published. MEFT states the prohibition and the gate declaration duty and publishes no penalty. Flying in a national park without permission
• May be blacklisted from conducting business in all national parks A tour operator aiding a visitor to breach the park drone rules
• Fine not exceeding N$50,000 or imprisonment for 12 months, or both Failing to prove removal of temporarily imported telecommunications equipment (draft CRAN regulation, not proven in force)

Netherlands

• EUR 100 settlement, accepted. Decision of 18 April 2023. Flying outside the daylight period, about one minute, while not registered as an operator
• EUR 150 settlement offered; EUR 180 fine imposed, with three days' detention in default. Decision of 15 August 2023. Flying in the Rotterdam control zone in the open category and outside the daylight period
• EUR 1,500. Decision of 9 December 2024. Flying in the Schiphol control zone in the open category during a fireworks display and outside the daylight period
• EUR 600 settlement. Decision of 17 April 2025. Flying in a port area, outside the daylight period, while not registered as an operator

1 more in the brief

New Zealand

• No amount is published. CAA states only that a breach could mean disciplinary action including prosecution. The offences and penalties for Part 101 sit in the Civil Aviation (Offences) Regulations 2006, which was never fetched. Breach of a Part 101 operating rule, including the 4 km aerodrome buffer, unauthorised controlled-airspace operation and an unlawful night operation

Norway

• No amount stated: you risk having your drone seized by police, being fined, and potentially being expelled from Norway if you are a tourist. Unauthorised flight inside the five-kilometre airport prohibition zone (Tromsø notice)
• 12,000 NOK plus confiscation of the drone; the fine was accepted on 2026-08-27. Drone flight in a Svalbard national park (Trinityhamna, Magdalenefjorden, Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park, June 2026)
• Fines or imprisonment not exceeding one year; imprisonment not exceeding three years where a risk of substantial environmental damage has occurred or been caused. Wilful or negligent contravention of the Svalbard protected-area regulations (statutory range)
• Punishable pursuant to Section 99 of the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act. Contravention of the other Svalbard park and reserve regulations (penalty basis)

Poland

• 10,000 zł per breach (Prawo lotnicze art. 209un ust. 1) Operating contrary to the conditions of a geographic zone
• 10,000 zł (art. 209un ust. 2) Flying without the required operator registration
• 4,000 zł per breach (art. 209un ust. 4) Breaching the open-category conditions of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 art. 4
• 500 zł (art. 209un ust. 12) Pilot flying without meeting the competency requirements of 2019/947 art. 8

5 more in the brief

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

• very serious offence: 1,000 to 2,500 EUR for a natural person by negligence, 2,000 to 4,000 EUR if intentional Operating without operator registration
• very serious offence: 1,000 to 2,500 EUR for a natural person by negligence, 2,000 to 4,000 EUR if intentional Breaching the restrictions or prohibitions of a published geographical area
• very serious offence: 1,000 to 2,500 EUR for a natural person by negligence, 2,000 to 4,000 EUR if intentional Breaching a restriction or prohibition imposed by AAN or ANAC
• very serious offence: 1,000 to 2,500 EUR for a natural person by negligence, 2,000 to 4,000 EUR if intentional Exceeding the maximum heights allowed for unmanned flight

7 more in the brief

Romania

• 2,000 to 4,000 lei (HG 643/2020 art. 8 lit. f), art. 9) Not registering as a UAS operator when required
• 2,000 to 4,000 lei (HG 643/2020 art. 8 lit. h)) Remote pilot without the competency required in the open category (UAS.OPEN.060 point 1(a))
• 2,000 to 4,000 lei (HG 643/2020 art. 8 lit. g)) Breach of point UAS.OPEN.050(6) of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 by the remote pilot
• 15,000 to 20,000 lei (HG 643/2020 art. 8 lit. i)) Breach of point UAS.OPEN.060(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 by the remote pilot

8 more in the brief

Slovakia

• 3,500 EUR if intentional, 500 EUR if negligent (zákon 143/1998 § 53(2)(a)) Flying in a prohibited area
• 2,000 EUR if intentional, 100 EUR if negligent (§ 53(2)(b)) Flying in a restricted area, in controlled airspace without clearance, or in breach of a UAS geozone
• Up to 3,500 EUR (§ 53(2)(k)) Operating without operator registration
• Up to 1,500 EUR (§ 53(2)(l)) Operating without the mandatory insurance

6 more in the brief

Slovenia

• EUR 400 (Uredba 39/24, art. 27) Operating without operator registration (individual)
• EUR 1,000 (art. 28) Flying in an aviation-safety geozone (airports, heliports, airfields) without approval (individual)
• EUR 700 (art. 29) Flying in another geozone, including built-up areas, nature, police and security zones (individual)
• EUR 400; EUR 200 for not carrying the proof (art. 30) Remote pilot without the A1/A3 training and exam or certificate

4 more in the brief

Spain

• Warning, or 60 to 45,000 EUR (Art. 55.1.a Ley 21/2003) Any UAS infringement under Article 45 ter of Ley 21/2003 where the offender is not acting commercially or for non-salary economic consideration: minor
• 45,001 to 90,000 EUR (Art. 55.1.b) The same, escalated to serious under Article 44.2
• 90,001 to 225,000 EUR (Art. 55.1.c) The same, escalated to very serious under Article 44.3
• Warning or 4,500 to 70,000 EUR; 70,001 to 250,000 EUR; 250,001 to 4,500,000 EUR. AESA's own cross-border page prints these three bands as the applicable sanctions without mentioning Article 55.1. UAS infringements committed by the actors Article 55.2 lists, which covers those carrying on activities within the Act's scope commercially or for non-salary economic consideration: minor, serious, very serious

7 more in the brief

Sweden

• A violation of luftfartslagen (2010:500). Under 13 kap. 4 § the penalty is böter (day-fines) or imprisonment for up to six months. Day-fine amounts are set case by case under brottsbalken and no drone tariff is published. Flying a drone in contravention of the rules
• Punishable since 1 January 2026, when new provisions on unlawful drone flight entered into force. Böter or imprisonment up to six months under luftfartslagen 13 kap. 4 § 8 a, flying an aircraft without a valid certificate or equivalent document. Flying a drone of 250 g or more without a drone licence
• Böter or imprisonment up to six months, luftfartslagen 13 kap. 4 § 5 b. Operating a registered drone that is not marked as (EU) 2019/947 requires
• Böter or imprisonment up to six months for intentionally or negligently manoeuvring an aircraft, or acting as observer on an unmanned aircraft system flight, so as to endanger the life or property of others. Gross cases: imprisonment up to two years, judged on whether the act involved a deliberate serious risk or showed manifest indifference to others' life or property. Negligent air traffic (vårdslöshet i flygtrafik)

4 more in the brief

Switzerland

• A criminal offence. No tariff is stated on any reachable official page, and the only source for a CHF 20,000 maximum under Art. 41 VLK returned HTTP 502 in both research passes, so no amount is published here. Breaching the drone rules FOCA publishes
• A criminal offence. No tariff stated. Flying a drone with no UAS operator number
• A fine must be paid. The amount is not stated on the page. Importing radio equipment which is not in conformity

Austria

Patchy enforcement7 confirmed cases, 2016 to 2025

Nobody patrols: the state auditor found no routine drone checks, and charges follow an event, a complaint, a crash or a rescue-helicopter conflict. Four located fines run 600 to 1,300 EUR and one was annulled. Nothing confirmed on customs, on rangers, or on five of the six national parks.

Belgium

Enforced14 confirmed cases, 2022 to 2026

Fourteen dated press reports, 2022 to 2026, none involving a visitor: police find pilots by detection at events, Kleine-Brogel air base, Antwerp and airports, and seize the drone. Two fines located, up to EUR 12,000. Nothing found for nature reserves, tourist towns, the countryside or customs.

Bulgaria

Too few confirmed reports to say3 confirmed cases, 2025 to 2026

No case of a drone pilot fined, stopped or losing a drone was found. The three confirmed reports are Sofia airport alerts in 2025 and 2026, none ending in a penalty or involving a visitor. Nothing covers the Black Sea resorts, Plovdiv, Rila Monastery, the national parks or customs.

Croatia

Patchy enforcement9 confirmed cases, 2022 to 2026

Nine dated cases, 2022 to 2026: an arrest and a criminal complaint in the Split airport zone, a near-miss at Dubrovnik, aerial firefighting grounded at Hvar, Murter and Vrsi, and three drones confiscated at Pula. No case found from coastal or island flying.

Cyprus

Too few confirmed reports to say3 confirmed cases, 2021 to 2026

Three dated cases from 2021 to 2026, all smuggling drones seized by police or prison staff, none with a visitor. Nothing confirmed shows a recreational pilot stopped, fined or charged, at beaches, parks, airport customs or during the 2026 ban; the guides' fines and airport confiscations have no source.

Czechia

Enforced11 confirmed cases, 2022 to 2026

Eleven dated cases, 2022 to 2026, from Czech press and police: drones seized at event zones, airports and heliports, pilots reported to ÚCL, whose 2025 fines were 10,000 Kč each. None names a foreign pilot, though 54 of 136 reported in 2024 were foreigners. No park, Castle or customs case found.

Denmark

Enforced14 confirmed cases, 2022 to 2026

Denmark charges people and publishes the case: 14 dated cases from 2022 to 2026, drones and paired phones taken at Aalborg, three charges in two days on Bornholm including a 3,000 DKK fine for a German tourist. Nothing located covers beaches, cliffs, national parks or customs.

Estonia

Enforced18 confirmed cases, 2018 to 2026

Eighteen dated cases from 2018 to 2026, three with visitors (Danish, Finnish, Polish): border guards fine uncoordinated flights in the border zone, 80 to 280 EUR, and military sites, events and Toompea see proceedings. Nothing confirmed covers national parks, the islands or customs.

Faroe Islands

Patchy enforcement5 confirmed cases, 2019 to 2025

Police here do act on drone reports: in 2021 a foreign pilot was charged and his drone seized at a whale hunt, and another drone was shot down over one. Every case found involves a whale hunt, a warship or a complaint about flying near homes, and the most recent is from 2025.

Finland

Enforced24 confirmed cases, 2018 to 2026

Twenty-four dated cases from 2018 to 2026, four with pilots from abroad: fines at event restrictions, on the eastern border and at protected sites. The one court amount found is 204 EUR, and forfeiture was refused. Nothing confirmed covers national parks, Lapland's tourist sites, Åland or customs.

France

Patchy enforcement6 confirmed cases, 2014 to 2026

Every penalty that could be opened came from a prohibited or temporarily restricted place: a Paris landmark, a protected monument, an Olympic zone, an erupting volcano, an aerodrome. Six confirmed press reports, February 2014 to September 2026.

Germany

Enforced13 confirmed cases, 2018 to 2026

Thirteen dated cases from 2018 to 2026, almost all German police releases: pilots are identified and charged at airports, prisons, military and police sites, crowds, waterways and railways. No located case of anyone stopped flying in open countryside, in a national park, or at customs.

Greece

Patchy enforcement4 confirmed cases, 2018 to 2026

Four dated reports between August 2018 and June 2026, all found in the Greek press. Every one is at a military installation or an archaeological monument, two ended in espionage charges, and one flight held HCAA permits and still drew a criminal complaint. Nothing confirmed covers beaches, viewpoints or customs.

Hungary

Patchy enforcement8 confirmed cases, 2016 to 2026

Eight dated cases from 2016 to 2026, one with a foreign pilot (a Singaporean whose drone hit a car on a Budapest bridge). Pilots were charged or reported at the airport, over the Danube, at rallies under closures and over political estates; no fine amount located. Nothing on mydronespace logging, Balaton or customs.

Iceland

Too few confirmed reports to say1 confirmed case, 2025 to 2025

The only practice report we could open is a press piece from December 2025 about visitors flying past a no-drone sign; no check, fine or seizure of a visitor's drone is documented anywhere we looked, and three reports are too few to read the country either way.

Indonesia (Bali)

Patchy enforcement7 confirmed cases, 2019 to 2026

Seven dated reports, 2019 to 2026: park rangers at Rinjani, Merbabu and Komodo stop flights in person, airport and event airspace reaches prosecutors, and no fine was reported paid and no foreigner deported over a drone anywhere in Indonesia. Nothing documents a routine check elsewhere.

Ireland

Enforced17 confirmed cases, 2021 to 2026

Nine IAA prosecutions between 2021 and 2026, each published with a name, a court and an amount, and each starting from a public complaint, a detection system or the pilot's own posted footage. Nothing on the record comes from a viewpoint, a park, a beach or a customs desk.

Italy

Enforced25 confirmed cases, 2019 to 2025

Twenty-five dated reports, 2019 to May 2025: in the monumental centres the pilot is identified, the drone seized and a criminal complaint follows, with fines imposed from 50 to 33,000 EUR. In parks the fine often arrives later, traced from the pilot's own footage. Nothing was found about open rural areas.

Japan

Patchy enforcement5 confirmed cases, 2015 to 2025

Thin evidence: five dated reports from 2015 to 2025, each one ending in the police referring a case to prosecutors at a palace garden, a city centre, an event or over a radio breach, and only one of them from the last three years. Nothing was found either way about rural flying, customs, or a fine actually paid.

Latvia

Enforced17 confirmed cases, 2017 to 2026

Seventeen dated cases from 2017 to 2026, mostly in Riga: detentions at Riga Castle and military sites, police patrols, airport stoppages with no pilot found. Fines located are 75 to 150 EUR; tourists were among ten grounded at the 2023 Song Festival. Nothing confirmed covers parks, Jūrmala, the coast or customs.

Liechtenstein

Too few confirmed reports to say

No dated case of a drone pilot stopped, fined or losing a drone was found: none in 1,515 police press releases from 2020 to 2026, ten police annual reports or the local press. Officials say drones are common and complaints come in. Nothing covers visitors, customs, Malbun or the nature reserves.

Lithuania

Enforced26 confirmed cases, 2025 to 2026

26 dated cases from 2025-08 to 2026-06, all at the Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga airports or strategic sites: detection finds the pilot, who is detained; fines imposed were 200 EUR. No case names a tourist. Nothing covers Old Town, Trakai, the Curonian Spit, the parks, the border zone or customs.

Luxembourg

Too few confirmed reports to say7 confirmed cases, 2015 to 2026

Seven dated reports from 2015 to 2026, mostly Findel airspace events with no pilot found. Only two reached anyone: tourists who deleted their footage near Luxembourg station in 2025, and two drones seized in a royal-event no-fly zone. No fine, customs or nature-park case was found.

Madeira (Portugal)

Too few confirmed reports to say2 confirmed cases, 2026 to 2026

One case is confirmed: a video near Madeira Airport was reported to ANAC and the police in August 2026 with no offence established at the time. Nothing we could open records a fine, a seizure or a stop anywhere else, and the community threads behind the wider reading were unreachable.

Malta

Tolerated in practice3 confirmed cases, 2019 to 2022

No fine, seizure or prosecution of a drone pilot was found in English or Maltese press, and in January 2023 the Transport minister told Parliament none had been brought. Three dated cases, 2019 to 2022, none with a visiting pilot; operators were never found. Nothing covers Comino, heritage sites or customs.

Morocco

Strictly enforced7 confirmed cases, 2015 to 2025

Seven dated press reports between May 2015 and September 2025: drones seized at two land borders and at an airport on departure, one Gendarmerie seizure inland, and two court convictions with prison terms and fines of nearly 40,000 and 80,000 dirhams. Nothing confirmed says a declared drone is given back.

Namibia

Too few confirmed reports to say6 confirmed cases, 2026 to 2026

Thin and all from 2026: six dated reports, only one of them confirmed, and every account of a drone being taken at a park gate comes from a travel or operator page rather than a named case. No Namibian press, police or customs record was found in either pass.

Netherlands

Enforced18 confirmed cases, 2016 to 2026

18 dated cases from 2016 to 2026, most from the prosecution service's own releases: pilots are detected and fined from a EUR 250 starting point in airport and military zones, ports, events and the NATO summit, and night flying is charged as its own offence. Nothing located covers countryside, Natura 2000 or customs.

New Zealand

Patchy enforcement7 confirmed cases, 2018 to 2025

DOC logged 37 drone complaints in the 16 months to November 2021 and issued one $800 notice; the courts have acted only where a flight endangered an aircraft. Nothing confirmed here is newer than August 2025.

Norway

Patchy enforcement10 confirmed cases, 2023 to 2026

Ten confirmed dated reports between May 2023 and October 2026 all come from an airport zone, central Oslo, a naval base or Svalbard; none describes a flight being stopped elsewhere, and none involves customs checking a drone at the border.

Poland

Enforced10 confirmed cases, 2015 to 2026

Ten dated cases from 2015 to 2026, four with foreign pilots, nearly all at protected sites: government buildings, airports, a refinery, a mine, a base. Pilots were detained and charged; one fine located, 4,000 zł with deportation. No case at customs, on a beach, or for a missing DroneTower check-in.

Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Patchy enforcement10 confirmed cases, 2017 to 2026

Ten dated reports from 2017 to June 2026: every confirmed seizure happened at a policed event, an airport or a prison, and the citation named ANAC registration and the competence certificate. No stop is documented at a viewpoint or a park, and the Azores have no confirmed report at all.

Romania

Patchy enforcement8 confirmed cases, 2017 to 2026

Eight dated cases from 2017 to 2026, none with a visitor: the gendarmerie fines drones over Bucharest crowds and national events (2,000 to 15,000 lei) and an airport incursion led to a criminal case. Nothing confirmed covers the mountains, the Danube Delta, the coast, the castles or customs.

Slovakia

Patchy enforcement6 confirmed cases, 2017 to 2022

Six dated cases, 2017 to 2022: pilots traced near airports and a military site, TANAP drones referred to inspectors. Fines are rare and small: 22 from the aviation authority in five years, two park fines of 20 EUR in all in 2025. No visitor, Slovenský raj, castle or customs case found; the record is old.

Slovenia

Patchy enforcement5 confirmed cases, 2018 to 2026

Five dated reports from 2018 to 2026, none with a pilot traced and none naming a visitor. CAA totals show fines every year, 19 totalling EUR 3,100 in 2025 to October, mostly for flying unregistered and in zones. No customs case, no Triglav park case and no fined tourist was found.

Spain

Patchy enforcement15 confirmed cases, 2022 to 2026

Fifteen dated reports from August 2022 to August 2026, every one of them at an airport, a monument, a procession or event, or a declared emergency; none records an ordinary rural flight being stopped, and none records a fine actually paid.

Sweden

Enforced32 confirmed cases, 2020 to 2026

Thirty-two dated cases from 2020 to 2026, from Swedish press and police, twelve with foreign pilots: people are caught at events, protected sites, airports and town centres, and nine fines of 1,500 to 64,000 SEK were located. Both park fines hit businesses. No case at customs or of a private visitor in the mountains.

Switzerland

Patchy enforcement5 confirmed cases, 2024 to 2026

Penalties are reported where a flight met an airport exclusion zone, a rescue operation or a closed disaster zone; in protected areas wardens say pilots usually leave before anyone arrives. Five confirmed reports, June 2024 to July 2026.

Austria

Rests on the authority's own pages.

36 rules · 49 sources · 19 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Belgium

Some fields rest on archived or secondary pages.

39 rules · 65 sources · 19 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Bulgaria

Rests on the authority's own pages.

25 rules · 55 sources · 16 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Croatia

Rests on the authority's own pages.

33 rules · 41 sources · 18 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Cyprus

Rests on the authority's own pages.

23 rules · 53 sources · 14 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Czechia

Rests on the authority's own pages.

33 rules · 74 sources · 17 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Denmark

Rests on the authority's own pages.

44 rules · 52 sources · 14 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Estonia

Rests on the authority's own pages.

33 rules · 84 sources · 14 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Faroe Islands

Rests on the authority's own pages.

32 rules · 22 sources · 18 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Finland

Rests on the authority's own pages.

34 rules · 86 sources · 20 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

France

Rests on the authority's own pages.

34 rules · 37 sources · 19 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Germany

Rests on the authority's own pages.

43 rules · 58 sources · 15 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Greece

Rests on the authority's own pages.

34 rules · 36 sources · 19 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Hungary

Rests on the authority's own pages.

24 rules · 72 sources · 14 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Iceland

Rests on the authority's own pages.

37 rules · 31 sources · 11 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

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Indonesia (Bali)

The authority's pages could not be read.

21 rules · 38 sources · 22 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Ireland

Rests on the authority's own pages.

29 rules · 69 sources · 15 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

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Italy

Some fields rest on archived or secondary pages.

31 rules · 54 sources · 19 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

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Japan

Rests on the authority's own pages.

25 rules · 31 sources · 17 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Latvia

Rests on the authority's own pages.

38 rules · 88 sources · 16 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Liechtenstein

Rests on the authority's own pages.

25 rules · 35 sources · 13 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Lithuania

Some fields rest on archived or secondary pages.

24 rules · 46 sources · 18 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

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Luxembourg

Rests on the authority's own pages.

31 rules · 60 sources · 15 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Madeira (Portugal)

Rests on the authority's own pages.

32 rules · 35 sources · 15 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Malta

Rests on the authority's own pages.

22 rules · 44 sources · 12 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

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Morocco

The authority's pages could not be read.

16 rules · 40 sources · 19 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Namibia

Some fields rest on archived or secondary pages.

24 rules · 32 sources · 18 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Netherlands

Rests on the authority's own pages.

26 rules · 60 sources · 20 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

New Zealand

Rests on the authority's own pages.

38 rules · 36 sources · 17 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Norway

Rests on the authority's own pages.

29 rules · 48 sources · 12 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief

Poland

Rests on the authority's own pages.

26 rules · 68 sources · 17 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

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Portugal (mainland and Azores)

Rests on the authority's own pages.

38 rules · 63 sources · 13 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Romania

Some fields rest on archived or secondary pages.

25 rules · 49 sources · 16 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Slovakia

Rests on the authority's own pages.

30 rules · 69 sources · 17 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Slovenia

Rests on the authority's own pages.

32 rules · 56 sources · 21 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

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Spain

Rests on the authority's own pages.

48 rules · 59 sources · 15 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Sweden

Rests on the authority's own pages.

41 rules · 82 sources · 23 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-08

Read the full brief

Switzerland

Rests on the authority's own pages.

29 rules · 34 sources · 21 unconfirmed · checked 2026-10-07

Read the full brief