As of December 31, 2020on the territory of the European Union there are uniform rules and requirements for pilots and drones developed EASA(European Aviation Safety Agency). For illegal flights or actions that violate these rules, you may be fined in the amount of about 1000€. For legal flights in Europe, there are currently three types of “operations”, that is, flight rules:
1. Open Category: for small drones within the Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) that pose the least potential risk to others.
2. Special category: for medium-risk flights requiring prior authorization.
3. Certificated Category: for high-risk flights requiring drone, pilot and operator certification.
In this article, we will talk about the rules for the open category that amateur pilots can use. First, let's determine which class your drone belongs to. If the mass of your drone does not exceed 25 kg, then it can fly according to the rules of the open category.
What factors determine the open category of drones:
— The takeoff weight of the drone is up to 25 kg.
— The maximum allowable flight altitude is 120 m.
— Limitation of flight range — no more than allowed direct visibility* between pilot and drone (VLOS).
*Direct visibility refers to the distance at which the pilot can clearly see the drone without the use of additional optical instruments other than glasses for vision correction.
If you are willing to comply with these restrictions, congratulations: you can fly under the rules of the open category. For flights in the open category, the pilot is required to register, obtain a certificate and the mandatory marking of the drone with the pilot's personal number.
Some exceptions are very small drones, the takeoff mass of which does not exceed 250 g. Drones weighing up to 250 g for flights do not require a pilot's certificate, but Registration required** user as drone operator.
**Operator registration differs from pilot certification in that registration does not require training and passing an exam, it is enough to complete the registration procedure on the EASA website.
What certificate do you need?It depends entirely on the mass of your drone. The open category is divided into subcategories — A1, A2 and A3, precisely based on the mass of the drone.
— Category A1 covers drones weighing up to 900 g.These are the smallest and, accordingly, the safest drones in the open category.
— Category A3 covers drones from 4 kg to 25 kg.This category mainly includes large sports models and agricultural drones. Although they are large, they are usually launched in specially equipped air clubs or in fields where they do not pose a threat to others.
— Subcategory A2 covers drones from 900 g to 4 kg.This category includes most of the specialized filming drones (Mavic 2, Mavic 3, Inspire 1, Inspire 2) used for film production and television.
Two separate certificates are provided for these three subcategories. The first includes two subcategories A1 and A3 (up to 900 g and from 4 to 25 kg),and the other is a subcategory A2 (from 900 g to 4 kg). Now you know which certificate you need.
These certificates can only be obtained sequentially: first the A1/A3 certificate and then the A2 certificate. At first glance, such a separation may seem strange, but it has its own logic. In category A2, drones are often used near people and buildings, which in itself is dangerous. In addition, they have enough mass and power to pose a real threat to those around them. It is for these reasons that subcategory A2 requires additional training and certification.
If you are the owner of a drone weighing up to 900 g or between 4 and 25 kg, it is enough for you to get an A1/A3 certificate.To do this, you need:
1. Register on the EASA website as an operator.
2. Take a course of study in one of the European languages or in English.
3. Take an online exam.
After passing the exam, you will immediately receive a PDF file with the pilot's certificate.
Fun fact: The curriculum for the A1/A3 certificate has nothing to do with your knowledge and skills as a drone pilot. This programme and the subsequent exam are exclusively legal in nature and include rules for the use of airspace by drones within the European Union. These are peculiar “rules of the road” for drones. As in the case of cars, you can pass the exam according to the rules even without the skills of controlling a drone.
If you are limited in time or want to simplify the bureaucratic procedures, our school will help you get a certificate. We have simplified and accelerated this process for our students as much as possible.
— Training takes place online, in your native language.
— We not only train you, but also guide you through the whole process of obtaining a certificate.
— We explain step by step how, without being a citizen of the European Union, to register as a drone operator.
— We warn about registration pitfalls and help eliminate them.
— In some cases, we accompany you during the exam.
For our students, the whole procedure — from the beginning of registration to obtaining the certificate — takes an average of 3 days.
If you own a drone weighing more than 900 g, you will need a category A2 certificate for legal flights.Obtaining it requires passing an eye exam that confirms your piloting skills. Face-to-face exams are held in different countries of the European Union. The schedule is available on the EASA website.
But we have good news! We can:
— Conduct class A2 training in your native language.
— Organize the exam online through our partner European school, which will avoid personal presence.
The procedure will take a little longer, but you will not have to attend an eye exam.
The validity period of both certificates is 6 years, which will provide you with the legal right to fly in the countries of the European Union for many years.
Author: Dmytro Sledyuk, head of the educational department of Dronarium Academy
