dronetravel.guideBriefings checked 8 Oct 2026

Countries · Central Europe / Alps · EASA rules

Switzerland

Only registered operators may fly in Switzerland: residents of the EU, Norway or Iceland use their home registration and certificate with no Swiss procedure, everyone else registers on dLIS for CHF 10, and 120 m, visual line of sight and a drone map plus DABS check apply before every flight.

Open after a step for this profile · checked 7 October 2026

29 rules · 34 sources, 15 of them official · 21 fields unconfirmed · Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL) · dLIS (FOCA digital licence application system), started from the FOCA registration page and entered with an eIAM account

Everything below follows these two answers. Saved on this device, not sent anywhere.

Your answer

Every engine field and the workflow rest on official pages.

What decides it

  • Only registered operators may fly a drone in Switzerland.confirmed on the cited page
  • A drone under 250 g still requires registration if it carries a camera, microphone or other sensor able to record personal data.confirmed on the cited page
  • 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.partly confirmed
  • 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.confirmed on the cited page
  • The minimum age for the remote pilot in the open category is 12.confirmed on the cited page
  • The minimum age for the remote pilot in the specific category is 14.confirmed on the cited page
  • Class identification labels apply, and a legacy drone is one placed on the market in Switzerland or the EU before 1 January 2024.partly confirmed
  • Consent of the owner or tenant and of the people present is required before flying low over a private garden or plot, because ownership of the ground extends above it to the full height required for its use.confirmed on the cited page

Permits tied to a place or a time

These do not change the country's colour; they decide whether a particular flight is legal where and when you want it.

  • Operating an unmanned aircraft inside a designated UAS area is prohibited under Art. 27 and Art. 28 VLK. The competent bodies may authorise exceptions under Art. 29 VLK.

Before you fly, in order

  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. An operator domiciled in the EU, Norway or Iceland must register in the country of residence and is not allowed to register in Switzerland.
  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.
  5. A1/A3, A2 and STS certificates issued in an EU member state, Norway or Iceland are valid in Switzerland with no special procedure, and cannot be uploaded to dLIS because no procedure is needed.
  6. Class identification labels apply, and a legacy drone is one placed on the market in Switzerland or the EU before 1 January 2024.
  7. 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.
  8. Open-category flight may not go more than 120 m from the nearest point on the ground.
  9. Assemblies of people may not be overflown in the open category; a SORA operational authorisation is needed to do so. The minimum safe distance depends on the subcategory A1, A2 or A3.
  10. Visual line of sight applies, at night as well. If an observer cannot hold direct line of sight at all times, the operation moves to the specific category and needs a FOCA authorisation.
  11. Night flight is 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.
  12. The pilot must check the official drone map and the DABS before every flight. The map's content is constantly changing, and the DABS is updated several times a day with the version for the following day published daily at 16:00.
  13. Operating an unmanned aircraft inside a designated UAS area is prohibited under Art. 27 and Art. 28 VLK. The competent bodies may authorise exceptions under Art. 29 VLK.
  14. The drone map shows control zones of aerodromes (CTR), aerodrome perimeters (SIL/SPM), enforcement installations, wildlife protection areas, nuclear power stations, military areas, energy and gas supply infrastructure, and additional restrictions at cantonal level.
  15. Cantons may issue rules for unmanned aircraft under 25 kg to reduce environmental burden and danger to people and property on the ground, under Art. 34 VLK.
  16. Wildlife protection areas (Wildtierschutzgebiete) appear as one of the restriction categories on the official drone map.
  17. Take-off and landing on land without aeronautical infrastructure has no aviation rule, but the agreement of the landowner, whether a private individual or an authority, is required, particularly where take-offs and landings may cause excessive disturbance.
  18. The flight rules for the open category do not specifically address cities or other built-up areas, so there is no city-specific Swiss rule.
  19. FPV is permitted outdoors provided an observer stands beside the pilot, keeps the drone in visual line of sight at all times, visually scans the entire airspace and actively communicates with the pilot. Otherwise the operation is specific category and needs a FOCA authorisation.
  20. Drone radio use on 34.995 to 35.225 MHz, 2400 to 2483.5 MHz, 5170 to 5250 MHz and 5725 to 5875 MHz requires no licence, no prior notification and no certificate of proficiency.
  21. Consent of the owner or tenant and of the people present is required before flying low over a private garden or plot, because ownership of the ground extends above it to the full height required for its use.
  22. The minimum age for the remote pilot in the open category is 12.
  23. The minimum age for the remote pilot in the specific category is 14.
  24. Spare lithium batteries in cabin baggage only: up to 100 Wh without approval, 100 to 160 Wh with airline approval and two spares, over 160 Wh not allowed (IATA passenger guidance; airlines may be stricter).

Spare lithium batteries in cabin baggage only: up to 100 Wh without approval, 100 to 160 Wh with airline approval and two spares, over 160 Wh not allowed (IATA passenger guidance; airlines may be stricter).

How a visitor gets legal

Each step as the authority describes it, with who may apply, what it costs and how long it takes.

  1. Step 1

    Classify the operation

    Establish the take-off mass, the class label or legacy status, whether the drone carries a camera, microphone or other sensor, the subcategory and the location.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    • Drone data

    Open the official page

  2. Step 2

    EU, Norway and Iceland residents: register at home, not in Switzerland

    Register as an operator in your country of residence. Registering in Switzerland is not allowed. An A1/A3, A2 or STS certificate issued in an EU member state, Norway or Iceland is already valid in Switzerland.

    Visitors eligible · Home state fee · Home state procedure

    • Home state operator registration

    Open the official page

  3. Step 3

    UK, US and all other residents: register in Switzerland on dLIS

    Create an eIAM account, then register as an operator on dLIS, not on UAS.gate, which FOCA calls the former official platform. The registration procedure page is German, with French and Italian siblings; the FOCA FAQ is in English.

    Visitors eligible · CHF 10 · Not stated on any official page

    • Name and first name
    • Home address
    • Date of birth
    • Telephone number
    • Photo or scan of passport or ID card
    • Liability insurer, insurer location and policy number for a drone over 250 g

    Open the official page

  4. Step 4

    Affix the operator number

    Display CHE plus the 13 following characters clearly on the drone. Do not mark the final three characters, which are needed to activate the Remote ID function.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    • Operator number

    Open the official page

  5. Step 5

    Hold liability insurance over 250 g

    Hold civil liability insurance with a guaranteed sum of at least CHF 1 million for any drone over 250 g. The policy details go into the dLIS account and must be kept up to date.

    Visitors eligible · Insurer dependent · Insurer dependent

    • Policy number
    • Insurer
    • Insurer location

    Open the official page

  6. Step 6

    Competency: course and exam, or a recognised certificate

    An online course and an exam are required in general, with an exemption under 250 g for a C0 or legacy drone. A C2 drone needs the A2 certificate for subcategory A2. An A1/A3, A2 or STS certificate from an EU member state, Norway or Iceland is valid in Switzerland with no procedure and cannot be uploaded to dLIS.

    Visitors eligible · Not stated on any official page · Exam dependent

    • Certificate

    Open the official page

  7. Step 7

    Check the drone map and the DABS before every flight

    Check the layer ch.bazl.einschraenkungen-drohnen on map.geo.admin.ch and the DABS before every flight. The map is updated four times a day; the DABS is updated several times a day and the version for the following day is published daily at 16:00.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    • Location
    • Date

    Open the official page

  8. Step 8

    Where a designated UAS area applies, ask for an exception

    Operating inside a designated UAS area is prohibited under Art. 27 and Art. 28 VLK. The competent bodies may authorise an exception under Art. 29 VLK.

    Eligibility not stated · Set by the authority; no tariff published · Set by the authority

    • Registration
    • Insurance
    • Operation details

    Open the official page

  9. Step 9

    Aerodromes: authorisation inside the 5 km zone

    An authorisation to fly inside the 5 km zone around an aerodrome with a drone over 250 g may carry a processing fee set by the aerodrome.

    Visitors eligible · Set by the aerodrome · Set by the aerodrome

    • Operation details

    Open the official page

  10. Step 10

    Landowner and people present

    Obtain the agreement of the landowner for take-off and landing, and the consent of the people present before flying low over private ground.

    Visitors eligible · None · Immediate

    Open the official page

The numbers

The engine's inputs, each with the verdict our verification pass gave it and the sources it rests on.

FieldWhat the pages sayVerdictSources
May a visiting pilot fly at allYes, after a registration or a notification.Only registered operators are allowed to fly a drone in Switzerland. The discriminator is the operator's residence, not the aircraft: residents of the EU, Norway or Iceland register at home, everyone else registers in Switzerland.confirmed on the cited pageS1
EU or EEA registration recognisedYesThe operative set is literally EU, Norway or Iceland, not EASA in general. Those operators must register in their country of residence and are not allowed to register in Switzerland. Liechtenstein appears in FOCA's certificate-validity answer but not in its registration answer, so it is not folded into this bucket for registration.partly confirmedS1
UK registration recognisedNoA UK-resident operator is outside the EU, Norway and Iceland set and must register in Switzerland. UK remote-pilot certificates are not in the recognised list, which names EU member states, Norway and Iceland only.confirmed on the cited pageS1
US registration recognisedNoNot recognised. A US-resident operator must register in Switzerland.confirmed on the cited pageS1S7
Local registrationRequired 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..Everyone must register except an operator whose drone is under 250 g and carries no camera, microphone or other sensor suitable for recording personal data, so the sensor criterion overrides the 250 g threshold downwards. An eIAM account is created first; the fee is paid during the process. A registration is valid for an unlimited period in all EASA member states. No official page states a processing time. Registration happens on dLIS, not on UAS.gate, which FOCA calls the former official platform.confirmed on the cited pageS1S2S7
Remote IDNo 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.partly confirmedS1
InsuranceMandatory, at least CHF 1 million · Take-off mass over 250 gConfirmed twice independently, on the FOCA FAQ and in the FOCA SORA guidance material. No fetched page says FOCA recommends insurance at or below 250 g, so the research brief's recommendation row is dropped.confirmed on the cited pageS1S7
Altitude ceiling120 mMeasured from the nearest point on the ground, so the ceiling follows rising terrain rather than the take-off point.confirmed on the cited pageS1
Distance from peopleNo 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.confirmed on the cited pageS1
Line of sightVisual line of sight is required at all times, at night as well. Where an observer cannot keep direct line of sight at all times, the flight moves to the specific category and needs a FOCA authorisation.confirmed on the cited pageS1
NightPermitted. 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.The verified brief tags this partial: the research brief claimed the official material says nothing about night flight, and the rule itself is a recovery from the FOCA FAQ. The FAQ's own wording is that you should activate a green flashing light, which is not phrased as a prohibition on flying without one.partly confirmedS1
Class marksClass identification labels apply. A legacy drone is one placed on the market in Switzerland or the EU before 1 January 2024. A C2 drone may fly in subcategory A2 with the A2 certificate, or in A3 with the A1/A3 certificate.The full C0 to C4 enumeration is not stated verbatim on any fetched page, so only the legacy definition and the C2 routing are carried here.partly confirmedS1
FPVPermitted outdoors on conditions: an observer stands beside the pilot, keeps the drone in visual line of sight at all times, visually scans the entire airspace and actively communicates with the pilot. Otherwise the flight is specific category and needs a FOCA authorisation.confirmed on the cited pageS1
Commercial useThere is no recreational and commercial split: whether or not a drone is flown recreationally has no bearing on the risk of the operation. Exceeding the open-category limits moves the operation into the specific category with an operational authorisation, and a third-country operator needs a Swiss CHE operator number before applying for one.The CHE requirement comes from a specific-category document, where it is stated as a precondition for applying for an operational authorisation. The general third-country registration duty comes from the FOCA FAQ and the registration page instead.confirmed on the cited pageS1S7

Every rule we could confirm

Grouped by what they govern. A general rule decides the country's colour for a profile; a situational one applies in a place, a zone or a season.

Registration

Remote ID

Insurance

Minimum age

Airspace zones

Parks and protected areas

Towns and cities

Altitude

Distance from people

Line of sight

Night

FPV

Commercial use

Privacy

Radio conformity

Parks and protected areas

Who decides, what they decided, and whether there is a way in.

Where the no-fly zones are published

The authority's own map is the one that counts on the day; an app is a convenience, not a source.

A 5 km zone exists around aerodromes, and an authorisation to fly in it with a drone over 250 g may carry a processing fee set by the aerodrome. Control zones (CTR) and aerodrome perimeters (SIL/SPM) are separate layers on the drone map, so Zurich LSZH and Geneva LSGG are map objects rather than one radius rule.

Official map
map.geo.admin.ch
Dataset
www.geo.admin.ch
Licence
FSDI and BGDI general terms of use, linked from the dataset record: acquisition and use of data or services is free of charge subject to the provisions on fair use, the source must be cited (Data: swisstopo), and in the event of excessive use of geoservices access may be restricted or refused.
Updated
The map is updated four times a day. The DABS is updated several times a day and the version for the following day is published daily at 16:00; it shows the most important NOTAM.

Customs and the border

Declaration
Not established
Import authorisation
Not established
Radio conformity
Drones fall within OFCOM's area of responsibility for frequency spectrum and radio equipment regulation, while FOCA keeps aviation safety. A drone must fulfil the legal requirements for spectrum and equipment conformity before it can be offered or made available on the market. A person who imports wireless equipment from abroad is personally responsible for it conforming to Swiss standards: check for a CE mark on the packaging and the equipment and for a declaration of conformity, and compare the equipment's frequencies and transmitting power against the Swiss interface requirements. Equipment without them must not be brought into Switzerland. Use of 34.995 to 35.225 MHz, 2400 to 2483.5 MHz, 5170 to 5250 MHz and 5725 to 5875 MHz needs no licence, prior notification or certificate of proficiency.

On the ground

What pilots, police and the press report actually happening. This is evidence about behaviour, not law: it never changes the status above, and it is dated and linked so you can judge it yourself.

Patchy enforcement5 confirmed cases, 3 we could not open · 2024-06-13 to 2026-07-05 · practice pass 7 October 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.

How people fly
Reports describe recreational flying in open scenic spots after checking the FOCA drone map, with attention to the 250 g line, heliport activity and posted signs. Hikers and wardens separately report drones at the Oeschinensee above Kandersteg and at the Engstligenfälle in Adelboden, and the Jungfrau Region's own guide for visiting creators says drone flights are prohibited in Lauterbrunnen, the Rosenlaui valley and on the Jungfraujoch.
Police and rangers
Cantonal police identified the pilot within days in both 2026 Ticino cases where a drone met a Rega rescue flight, and the 2024 Zurich Airport case ended in a penalty. In protected areas it runs the other way: the Valais cantonal police had recorded no case of a drone flight in a nature reserve, and wardens say pilots are usually gone before a warden can reach the site, so no fine can be issued. The pilot in the 2024 Nussbaumen case was never found. Rega says drone obstructions of rescue flights happen regularly.
At the border
No usable report.
Fines actually reported
CHF 321 for an unauthorised 915 g flight in the Zurich Airport exclusion zone and above 120 m in an active control zone (flight 2024, decision reported 2025). CHF 3,800 plus a CHF 500 fine plus half the procedural costs for a drone flight inside the closed Blatten perimeter in 2025, with CHF 1,050 plus CHF 400 plus CHF 300 costs for the companion who entered with him. CHF 100 each for two drone pilots the Swiss National Park fined for disturbing wildlife in 2017. The two Ticino rescue-flight cases went to a criminal complaint and to the juvenile court with no amount stated.

The law's own penalty schedule is separate: Not established, 3 published fine ranges below.

Where reports cluster

  • Zurich Airport and Opfikon ZH

    The only documented airport-area penalty: CHF 321 for an unauthorised 915 g flight inside the exclusion zone and above 120 m in an active control zone.

  • Lauterbrunnen

    The municipality's own page states that operating a drone over 250 g is prohibited across the whole municipal territory. Local press reported in 2018 that the prohibition covers practically the entire commune because the 5 km radius of an official airfield does. The Jungfrau Region's creator guide calls the valley unsuitable for drones even below 250 g, because the airspace is narrow and heavily used by helicopters, BASE jumpers and hang gliders.

  • Oeschinensee (Kandersteg BE) and Engstligenfälle (Adelboden BE)

    Hikers complain about drone noise and being filmed. The Bern hunting inspectorate says drones inevitably disturb wildlife, and a Lucerne warden gives the Ordnungsbusse for drone flying in federal protected areas as CHF 150, while wardens rarely reach the site before the pilot leaves.

  • Alpstein, Äscher and Seealpsee (Appenzell Innerrhoden)

    Private drone flights have been prohibited in the southern part of the canton since 1 November 2020, with a CHF 150 fine, decided by the cantonal parliament after private flights increased sharply and wildlife and hikers were disturbed. A year earlier the Äscher innkeeper said drone pilots arrived from early morning and there was no legal basis to act.

  • Ticino rescue corridors (Indemini, Mezzovico)

    Two 2026 cases in which a drone met a Rega rescue flight. The pilot was identified within days both times, once a visiting Australian and once a local minor.

  • Blatten and the Lötschental closed zone

    The drone flight that drew CHF 3,800 plus CHF 500. The closed perimeter is watched around the clock by a police drone with a thermal camera, and twelve people had been reported for entering it by October 2025.

  • Swiss National Park

    The park stated in 2018 that it had fined two drone pilots CHF 100 each in 2017 for disturbing wildlife. No report from 2023 onwards was found, and the park's own pages could not be opened.

Dated reports

  • 2024-06-13 · Nussbaumen AG · press

    Drones over the scene of underground-garage explosions kept rescue helicopters from flying.

    Rega said such obstructions happen regularly. The pilot was never identified and consequences were not pursued. report

  • 2024-08-06 · Opfikon ZH, inside the Zurich Airport exclusion zone · press

    A 46-year-old professional drone pilot of the Zurich cantonal police flew a 915 g drone without authorisation between 17:05 and 17:29.

    CHF 321 penalty for breaching the exclusion zone of civil or military airfields and for flying above 120 m in an active control zone, reported in November 2025 and paid privately. No confiscation mentioned. report

  • 2025-06-01 · Blatten VS, closed zone after the 28 May 2025 rockslide · press

    Two men entered the closed perimeter and one of them flew a drone where a flight ban applied.

    CHF 3,800 penalty plus a CHF 500 fine plus half the procedural costs for the pilot, and CHF 1,050 plus CHF 400 plus CHF 300 costs for his companion. report

  • 2026-05-04 · Mezzovico TI · press

    After a private helicopter crashed, a drone overflew the site and delayed the departure of the Rega helicopter carrying the injured by ten minutes.

    Police opened an investigation immediately and identified the pilot, a local minor. The juvenile court took over. report

  • 2026-07-05 · Indemini TI · press

    A 25-year-old Australian national resident in Australia flew a drone as a Rega helicopter approached a rescue mission.

    He landed immediately when approached and was questioned, then reported for disrupting public traffic, obstructing an official act and breaching the aviation act. 20 Minuten reports he was arrested. report

  • 2026-02-06 · Schilthorn · community

    [unverified] Forum thread in which participants discuss whether a sub-250 g drone may operate there under the official map.

    [unverified] No intervention reported. reddit.com returns HTTP 403 to every client on this machine, so the thread could not be opened. report

  • 2026-02-10 · Zermatt and the Matterhorn · community

    [unverified] Forum thread questioning whether a filmed flight was permitted.

    [unverified] No outcome reported. The thread could not be opened (HTTP 403). report

  • 2026-07-10 · Interlaken region and Lauterbrunnen · community

    [unverified] Forum thread in which a traveller says they checked the official map and chose not to fly in Lauterbrunnen because of warning signs and a nearby heliport.

    [unverified] No stop, fine or confiscation reported. The thread could not be opened (HTTP 403). report

What the law says it costs

Published penalty ranges. What has actually been charged, where anyone reported it, is in the section above.

OffenceRangeSources
Breaching the drone rules FOCA publishesA 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.S1
Flying a drone with no UAS operator numberA criminal offence. No tariff stated.S1
Importing radio equipment which is not in conformityA fine must be paid. The amount is not stated on the page.S10

Criminal liability: The rules explained on the FOCA website are legal requirements that a drone pilot must always respect, and it is a criminal offence to breach them. Flying a drone with no UAS operator number is named as a criminal offence. Importing radio equipment that does not conform is a separate criminal offence under OFCOM's rules, for which a fine must be paid.

What we could not confirm

Printed rather than hidden. A brief that answers everything has usually guessed somewhere, and a gap here is a real gap in the official pages or a page we could not reach.

4 cited pages refused our checks and are marked unreachable in the source list.

Sources that disagree

  1. Local registration processing time. No official page states it.
  2. Whether FOCA recommends liability insurance at or below 250 g. No fetched page says so, so the research brief's rule row was dropped.
  3. The CHF 20,000 maximum fine under Art. 41 VLK. The only source is a FOCA webinar questions-and-answers PDF that returned HTTP 502 on three attempts in pass 1 and again in pass 2, and the verified brief says do not publish. Read the VLK text on fedlex instead.
  4. Whether the transition period for operators needing a licence for the first time ran until the end of August 2023. Only the same unreachable PDF carries it.
  5. Whether communes may issue drone rules, and whether a federal or FOCA permission overrides a municipal one. The communes claim lives only in the unreachable PDF.
  6. Zermatt and Matterhorn rules or fees. No official page.
  7. Lauterbrunnen rules or fees. No official page.
  8. Oeschinensee, Interlaken and Lucerne rules or fees. No official page.
  9. Enforcement level. The moderate to high rating in the research brief is an analyst assessment with no page behind it.
  10. Fine tariffs for operating without insurance, for flying in a prohibited zone, and for municipal, cantonal or protected-area breaches, and whether confiscation is used.
  11. Dated tourist enforcement incidents. Neither research pass retrieved any.
  12. Any Swiss customs declaration duty, import authorisation, or document-carrying duty at the border. No BAZG page was reached by either pass.
  13. Any Swiss-specific lithium battery carriage rule. Airline and dangerous-goods rules apply by default, but no fetched Swiss page says so.
  14. The Swiss National Park, federal hunting-ban areas (Jagdbanngebiete) and water-bird and migratory-bird reserves. No fetched official page mentions them; the ban entered the research as a query premise and is therefore circular. Leave unknown until nationalpark.ch or the relevant ordinance is read. Only Wildtierschutzgebiete as a map layer is confirmed, which is a weaker and different statement.
  15. Protected-area permit path, fee, form and processing time. No official source.
  16. The geozone dataset's exchange format and download endpoint. The dataset record carries no format block, no WMS, WMTS, API or GeoJSON listing and no opendata.swiss link, and the FOCA minimum geodata model PDF for UAS geographical zones returned HTTP 502.
  17. Apps the authority recommends. None is named on any fetched page, and the DJI GEO-zone caution in the research brief is editorial with no source.
  18. The full C0 to C4 class enumeration. No fetched page states it verbatim; only the legacy definition and the C2 routing into A2 or A3 are carried.
  19. The civil or military aerodromes phrasing of the 5 km rule. It came from a FOCA page that now returns HTTP 404.
  20. Whether the official drone map is exhaustive of every operational hazard. The verified brief marks that wording partial.
  21. Any community pilot report for the reality check. Neither research pass retrieved a single dated report, so the section is empty rather than reassuring.

What changed, and when

Dated changes to the rules, newest first.

  1. 1 January 2024

    Class identification label cut-off: a drone placed on the market in Switzerland or the EU before this date is a legacy drone.

    S1

  2. 1 January 2023

    EU Regulation (EU) 2019/947 enters into force in Switzerland, applied through the DETEC Ordinance on Special Category Aircraft (OSCA / VLK, SR 748.941). Operator registration runs on dLIS from then on, and UAS.gate becomes the former official platform; certificates registered on UAS.gate before that date remain valid.

    S1S7

Checked 7 October 2026. Newer than that? Look here:

Rules move between our checks. The official pages publish the change; the community pages are where someone notices it first.

Official pages

Where pilots report

Sources

Every page this brief rests on, with the date we opened it and, where the page carries one, the date printed on the document itself.

  1. S1official

    Frequently asked questions on drones

    FOCA / BAZL · opened 2026-10-07

    Only registered operators are allowed to fly a drone in Switzerland. Operators domicile in the EU, Norway or Iceland must register in their country of residence [...]

    Rule page, 58 questions and answers, in English. Brief id V1. The page shows no date of its own; the research briefs' 22 August 2025 and 29 September 2026 stamps are the search index's crawl dates, so treat it as an undated live rule page and re-check before publication. The long URL form bazl.admin.ch/bazl/en/home/drohnen/general/faq.html returns 404.

  2. S2official

    Registrierung als Drohnenbetreiberin und Drohnenbetreiber

    FOCA / BAZL · opened 2026-10-07

    Die Registrierung kostet CHF 10. / Personen mit Wohnsitz ausserhalb der EASA-Mitgliedstaaten [...] müssen sich ebenfalls in der Schweiz registrieren.

    Procedure page, German, with French and Italian siblings. Brief id V2. It carries the CHF 10 fee, the registration document list, and the statement that a registration is valid for an unlimited period in all EASA member states. No date shown on the page.

  3. S3official

    Geografische Flugeinschränkungen

    FOCA / BAZL · opened 2026-10-07

    Drohnenpilotinnen oder Drohnenpiloten sind verpflichtet, sich vor jedem Flug über die geltenden Flugeinschränkungen zu informieren.

    Rule page, German. Brief id V3. It carries the drone map link, the map layer list, the DABS duty with the 16:00 publication of the next day's version, and the NOTAM explanation. No date shown on the page. The long URL form bazl.admin.ch/bazl/de/home/drohnen/geografische-flugeinschraenkungen.html returns 404.

  4. S4official

    Where can I fly my drone? (FOCA)

    swisstopo / FSDI for FOCA · document dated 2025-08-25 · opened 2026-10-07

    The operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in the defined UAS areas is prohibited. Exceptions may be granted by the competent authorities (Art. 29 OSCA). / The map is updated four times a day.

    Dataset record, English. Brief id V4. It also carries the definition of a UAS geographical zone and the licence link followed to S11.

  5. S5official

    Wo darf ich mit meiner Drohne fliegen?

    swisstopo / FSDI for FOCA · document dated 2025-08-25 · opened 2026-10-07

    Ebenfalls können die Kantone gestützt auf Art. 34 VLK für unbemannte Luftfahrzeuge mit einem Gewicht von weniger als 25 kg Vorschriften zur Verminderung der Umweltbelastung [...] erlassen.

    Dataset record, German. Brief id V5. The German sibling of S4; it is the source for the cantonal power under Art. 34 VLK.

  6. S6official

    Dove posso far volare il mio drone? (UFAC)

    swisstopo / FSDI for FOCA · document dated 2025-08-25 · opened 2026-10-07

    I servizi competenti possono autorizzare eccezioni (art. 29 OACS).

    Dataset record, Italian. Brief id V6. The third language of the same record, read to confirm the exception route and the four-times-daily cadence in all three languages.

  7. S7official

    FOCA GM: How to apply for an Operational Authorisation based on SORA 2.0

    FOCA / BAZL · document dated 2025-12-01 · opened 2026-10-07

    In Switzerland, UAS operator registration is carried out via the dLIS platform. / Third-country operators [...] must register on the dLIS platform and obtain a 'CHE' UAS operator registration number.

    Guidance material for the specific category only. Brief id V7. It also states that anyone operating a drone weighing more than 250 grams is required to hold civil liability insurance with a minimum coverage of CHF 1 million. Cover reads valid from 01.12.2025, version ISS 02 / REV 01, with the latest log of revision entry 28 November 2025; the research briefs' 10 December 2025 was a crawl stamp. Its third-country note is about obtaining a CHE operator number before applying for an operational authorisation, so the general third-country registration duty is taken from S1 and S2 instead. The only FOCA PDF of the eight tried that served: it uses the short dam/<lang>/sd-web/<id>/<name>.pdf form.

  8. S8official

    Drohnen und Flugmodelle

    OFCOM / BAKOM · document dated 2026-08-17 · opened 2026-10-07

    In Bezug auf die Frequenzspektrum- und Funkanlagen-Regulierung fallen Drohnen in die Zuständigkeit des BAKOM

    Rule page, German. Brief id V8. It establishes the regulator split: OFCOM for spectrum and radio equipment, FOCA for aviation safety.

  9. S9official

    Drones and model aircraft

    OFCOM / BAKOM · document dated 2026-08-17 · opened 2026-10-07

    No license, prior notification or certificate of proficiency is required for the above frequency usage.

    Rule page, English. Brief id V9. The quoted sentence follows the four permitted bands: 34.995 to 35.225 MHz, 2400 to 2483.5 MHz, 5170 to 5250 MHz and 5725 to 5875 MHz. It also states that a drone must meet the spectrum and equipment conformity requirements before being offered or made available on the market.

  10. S10official

    Purchase of radio equipment abroad for one's own use

    OFCOM / BAKOM · document dated 2020-03-11 · opened 2026-10-07

    If you import wireless equipment from abroad, you are personally responsible for it conforming to Swiss standards.

    Fact sheet about purchasing or importing radio equipment for one's own use or resale, not about travel. Brief id V10. It also states that importing radio equipment which is not in conformity constitutes a criminal offence, for which a fine must be paid, and that equipment without a CE mark and declaration of conformity must not be brought into Switzerland. The verified brief's scope caveat applies: extending it to a traveller carrying a drone in and out again is unsupported. The research brief's 3 October 2026 update date was a crawl stamp.

  11. S11official

    General terms of use FSDI

    swisstopo / FSDI · document dated 2022-05-30 · opened 2026-10-07

    The acquisition and use of data or services is free of charge, subject to the provisions on fair use.

    Terms of use, followed from the licence link on S4 and S5. Brief id V11. It also requires source citation (Data: swisstopo) and warns that access to geoservices may be restricted or refused on excessive use.

  12. S12officialcould not be opened

    Drohnenkarten (former FOCA drone maps page)

    FOCA / BAZL · opened 2026-10-07

    HTTP 404 on 2026-10-07. Brief id U3. It was the only source for the research brief's civil or military aerodromes phrasing of the 5 km rule, which is therefore not restated; the fee for an authorisation inside the zone survives on S1. Recorded here so the dead citation is traceable rather than silently dropped.

  13. S13press

    Drohnen-Vorfall am Flughafen: Zürcher Polizist gebüsst

    Blick · document dated 2025-11-29 · opened 2026-10-07

    Am 6. August 2024 flog der Polizist (46) zwischen 17.05 und 17.29 Uhr eine 915 Gramm schwere Drohne ohne Bewilligung [...] «Widerhandlung gegen die Flugverbotszone ziviler oder militärischer Flugplätze»

    Practice pass. The only documented airport-area penalty: CHF 321, also cited for flying above 120 m in an active control zone, paid privately by the officer. No confiscation mentioned. The article carries no statistics on drone incidents at Zurich Airport.

  14. S14press

    Drohnen-Vorfall am Flughafen: Zürcher Polizist gebüsst (second URL)

    Blick · document dated 2025-11-29 · opened 2026-10-07

    eine Busse von 321 Franken bezahlen

    Practice pass. The same article as S13 under a second Blick URL, updated 30 November 2025. The research report cited both as separate sources; both were opened and they are one event, so the report's duplicate incident row was dropped.

  15. S15press

    Drohnenflug im Sperrgebiet von Blatten kostet 3800 Franken

    20 Minuten · document dated 2025-09-01 · opened 2026-10-07

    eine Geldstrafe von 3800 Franken. Dazu kommt noch eine Busse von 500 Franken / eine Geldstrafe von 1050 Franken sowie eine Busse von 400 Franken

    Practice pass. Flight on 1 June 2025 inside the zone closed after the 28 May 2025 rockslide; the pilot was a 31-year-old Swiss resident and his companion a 31-year-old German. No confiscation mentioned.

  16. S16press

    Indemini TI: Drohne behindert Rega-Einsatz, australischer Pilot angezeigt

    polizeinews.ch, carrying the Kantonspolizei Tessin release · document dated 2026-07-08 · opened 2026-10-07

    am 5. Juli 2026, kurz vor 17 Uhr [...] ein 25-jähriger australischer Staatsangehöriger mit Wohnsitz in Australien [...] wegen Störung des öffentlichen Verkehrs [...] angezeigt

    Practice pass. Aggregator of Swiss police media releases; this item is the Ticino cantonal police release. The pilot landed immediately when approached and was questioned. The release does not say whether the drone was seized.

  17. S17press

    Mann verhindert mit seiner Drohne Rega-Landung und wird festgenommen

    20 Minuten · document dated 2026-07-08 · opened 2026-10-07

    Der Mann wurde festgenommen

    Practice pass. The same Indemini event as S16. 20 Minuten writes that the man was arrested, where the police release says only that he was questioned and reported; both wordings are recorded rather than reconciled.

  18. S18press

    Heliabsturz Tessin: minderjähriger Drohnenpilot verzögert Rettungsflug der Rega

    20 Minuten · document dated 2026-05-05 · opened 2026-10-07

    Der Start des Rega-Helikopters, der die Verletzten an Bord hatte, wurde durch den Überflug einer Drohne um zehn Minuten verzögert. / Aufgrund seines Alters übernehme das Jugendgericht weitere Ermittlungen.

    Practice pass. Private helicopter crash at Mezzovico TI on Monday 4 May 2026. The police identified the drone pilot quickly; he was a minor from the region.

  19. S19press

    Rega schimpft über Drohnen-Pilot nach Nussbaumen-Einsatz

    Blick · document dated 2024-06-14 · opened 2026-10-07

    Leider kommt das regelmässig vor. Die Drohnen, egal ob gross oder klein, gefährden das Leben der Einsatzkräfte und das Leben des Patienten. / Wir konnten den Piloten nicht ausfindig machen

    Practice pass. Explosions in an underground garage at Nussbaumen AG on Thursday evening, 13 June 2024. Rescue helicopters could not fly because of drones and the pilot was never identified.

  20. S20press

    Schluss mit dem tödlichen Drohnenspass

    Aargauer Zeitung · document dated 2018-07-08 · opened 2026-10-07

    2017 haben wir zwei Drohnenpiloten wegen Wildruhestörung gebüsst. Das kostet 100 Franken.

    Practice pass. The quote is the Swiss National Park speaking. The only located account of the park itself penalising drone pilots; the year is 2017, with no month, so it is carried in finesReported rather than as a dated incident.

  21. S21press

    Wanderer genervt, Tiere bedroht: Drohnen-Stress in den Bergen

    Nau.ch · document dated 2025-09-16 · opened 2026-10-07

    Die Kantonspolizei hatte bisher noch keinen Fall von Drohnenflug in einem Naturschutzgebiet zu verzeichnen / [...] sind die Drohnenbesitzer oft schon wieder weg, ohne gebüsst werden zu können.

    Practice pass. The first quote is the Valais cantonal police. The article opens at the Oeschinensee above Kandersteg BE and reports the same at the Engstligenfälle in Adelboden BE, closing the research report's Oeschinensee gap. A Lucerne warden gives the federal protected-area Ordnungsbusse as CHF 150.

  22. S22press

    Appenzell Innerrhoden: Drohnenverbot bei Foto-Hotspots Äscher und Seealpsee

    SRF · document dated 2020-10-19 · opened 2026-10-07

    Per 1. November 2020 sind Drohnenflüge im südlichen Kantonsgebiet – also in grossen Teilen des Alpsteins – verboten. / Es droht eine Busse von 150 Franken.

    Practice pass. The cantonal parliament changed the hunting ordinance after private drone flights increased sharply and wildlife and hikers were disturbed. A cantonal rule, carried as hotspot context only; this pass does not add rules.

  23. S23press

    Alpstein: Drohnenflüge verboten

    Schweizer Bauer · document dated 2020-10-19 · opened 2026-10-07

    private Drohnenflüge über dem Alpstein [...] auf dem Kantonsgebiet südlich von Schwende AI

    Practice pass. Independent confirmation of S22, including the 1 November start, the CHF 150 fine and the 23 to 21 vote in the Grosser Rat.

  24. S24press

    «Drohnen sind störend. Es ist respektlos. Es ist unangenehm.»

    SRF · document dated 2019-06-25 · opened 2026-10-07

    Bereits in den frühen Morgenstunden kämen die ersten Drohnenpiloten / Denn eine rechtliche Handhabe fehlt

    Practice pass. The Äscher innkeeper, sixteen months before the Appenzell Innerrhoden ban. The article also names Lauterbrunnen, Flims, Zürich, Allschwil and Reinach as places where drones drew complaints, and records that no legal basis to act existed at the time.

  25. S25press

    Drohnenflugverbot auf gesamtem Gemeindegebiet

    Plattform J · document dated 2018-08-18 · opened 2026-10-07

    praktisch auf dem gesamten Gemeindegebiet für Drohnen ein Flugverbot besteht / gilt im Umkreis von fünf Kilometer jedes offiziellen Flugplatzes oder Flugfeldes

    Practice pass. Local Jungfrau-region outlet on the Lauterbrunnen prohibition. It also repeats a CHF 20,000 maximum fine, which is NOT carried: the content file's unknowns record that figure as surviving only in an unreachable FOCA PDF, and a press restatement does not promote it.

  26. S26official

    Drohnen

    Gemeinde Lauterbrunnen · opened 2026-10-07

    Auf dem gesamten Gemeindegebiet der Gemeinde Lauterbrunnen ist der Betrieb von Drohnen mit einem Gewicht von mehr als 250 g verboten.

    Practice pass. The municipality's own page, with no date and no fine stated. It anchors the Lauterbrunnen hotspot; the municipal prohibition is deliberately NOT added to rules, because the law block is out of scope for this pass. See unknowns on communal competence.

  27. S27official tourism

    Influencer Guide

    Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG · opened 2026-10-07

    Lauterbrunnen is not a suitable place for drones due to the heavily frequented and narrow airspace, even for drones weighing less than 250 grams.

    Practice pass. The region's own guidance to visiting content creators. It states that drone flights are prohibited in Lauterbrunnen, the Rosenlaui valley and on the Jungfraujoch. No date on the page.

  28. S28official

    Informationsvideos Operationen

    Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) · opened 2026-10-07

    Die Seite informiert über kuriose und sicherheitsrelevante Funde im Reisegepäck wie Waffen und verbotene Pyrotechnik.

    Practice pass. Opened to verify the research report's customs claim. It lists weapons, prohibited pyrotechnics, a snake and cannabis in a teddy bear, and does not mention drones anywhere, which is why customsInPractice carries a null value. No date on the page.

  29. S29community

    Lauterbrunnen Valley drone regulations

    Tripadvisor Switzerland forum · document dated 2022 · opened 2026-10-07

    So currently you can fly your drone in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Do however watch out for the other air traffic, and respect people's peace and privacy.

    Practice pass. The only reachable non-Reddit community thread on the valley, from 2022. It contains no firsthand account of anyone being stopped, and the quoted destination-expert answer is contradicted by the municipality's own page (S26); another poster in the thread points at the 2018 German-language reports of the prohibition.

  30. S30communitycould not be opened

    Drone in Interlaken Region

    Reddit, r/askswitzerland · document dated 2026-07-10 · opened 2026-10-07

    Practice pass, [unverified]. reddit.com returns HTTP 403 to every client on this machine (WebFetch, curl, headless Chrome and the JSON API), so the thread could not be opened and the research report's reading of it is not confirmed. Recorded so the citation stays traceable.

  31. S31communitycould not be opened

    Can I fly a <250 g drone legally on the Schilthorn?

    Reddit, r/askswitzerland · document dated 2026-02-06 · opened 2026-10-07

    Practice pass, [unverified]. Unreachable for the same reason as S30.

  32. S32communitycould not be opened

    Is there any chance that this is legal or the drone pilot got permission?

    Reddit, r/askswitzerland · document dated 2026-02-10 · opened 2026-10-07

    Practice pass, [unverified]. Unreachable for the same reason as S30. It is the only material behind the research report's Zermatt and Matterhorn hotspot row.

  33. S33press

    Un drone surveille 24h/24 la zone interdite de Blatten

    RTS · document dated 2025-10-25 · opened 2026-10-07

    Il détecte si quelqu'un pénètre dans le périmètre sans autorisation / douze personnes ont été dénoncées jusqu'ici.

    Practice pass. A police drone with a thermal camera watches the closed Blatten perimeter around the clock. The twelve people reported entered on foot; the article says nothing about private drones, so they are not counted as drone incidents.

  34. S34press

    Drohnenpilot filmt bei Rettungseinsatz der Rega

    20 Minuten · document dated 2017-10-20 · opened 2026-10-07

    Rund ein halbes Dutzend Zwischenfälle seien in den vergangenen drei Jahren verzeichnet worden / In diesem Jahr zählte das BAZL insgesamt 16 Meldungen über Fastkollisionen

    Practice pass. The only quantitative figures located: Rega's own count of drone incidents over three years to 2017, and FOCA's 16 near-collision reports in 2017. Context only, and the article's own Buchs SG flight was an official assignment with no complaint filed, so it is not listed as a recreational incident.