Detailed description
The operation of unmanned aircraft (UAS – Unmanned Aircraft System) is divided into 3 categories:
- "open"
- "special"
- "subject to approval"
The individual categories are classified based on the respective operational risk or the maximum possible personal injury.
If you want to operate a UAS in the "open" category, this represents the lowest operational risk. You can fly your drone without prior authorization. The prerequisite is that you comply with the necessary rules for operation, such as proof of competence or safety requirements.
Business in the category "special"
If you cannot meet the conditions of the "open" operating category, a UAS operation will be assigned to the categories requiring approval.
This means that you must obtain a permit before starting flight operations in the "special" and "requiring approval" operating categories. Permits for the "requiring approval" category are not yet possible, as the corresponding UAS and the legal requirements for operation are still being developed.
You can check in advance which category your company falls into based on your own risk assessment.
The Federal Aviation Office has provided a clear flow chart on its website to help classify operations. For example, if your aircraft has a take-off weight of more than 25 kilograms or is intended to drop objects, you will need an operating license.
Before starting operations, you should create a rough operating concept. The following questions are relevant:
- Where will your UAS fly (ground and air)?
- How high should it fly?
- How should you fly: within visual line of sight (VLOS – "Visual Line of Sight") or beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS – "Beyond Visual Line of Sight")?
- Which UAS do you want to fly with?
To obtain an operating license in the "special" category, please contact the aviation authority in your federal state.
If the local jurisdiction falls within one of the following federal states, the Federal Aviation Office (LBA) will handle the application:
- Bavaria
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Saarland
- Saxony
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Thuringia
If possible, contact your local authority before submitting the application. You may not undertake the flight until you have received an operating permit.