This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Document 32019R0947
Unmanned aircraft — operating rules and procedures
- Date of last review:
- 02/12/2021
- Initial creation date:
- 08/02/2022
- Summary code:
-
- 32.11.00.00 Air transport
- EUROVOC descriptor:
- Directory code:
- Summarised document(s):
- Author:
- Publications Office of the European Union
- Responsible entity(ies):
- Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport
Unmanned aircraft — operating rules and procedures
SUMMARY OF:
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the rules and procedures for operating unmanned aircraft
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?
It aims to ensure that increasing drone traffic across the European Union (EU) is safe and secure for people on the ground and in the air.
KEY POINTS
The implementing regulation sets out rules for the operation of drones (referring to an unmanned aircraft and the equipment to control it) and for personnel, including remote pilots and organisations involved in such operations.
Operational authorisation
The regulation defines three categories of drone operations.
- Open operations. These do not require any authorisation or declaration by the operator before the flight.
- Specific operations. These require an operational authorisation issued by the competent national authority, with certain exceptions.
- Certified operations. These require the drone to be certified in accordance with a delegated act adopted by the European Commission, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 (see summary). They also require the certification of the operator and, where applicable, the licensing of the remote pilot.
The regulation sets out the requirements for operations in each category; the rules and procedures for the open and specific operations categories are set out in Annex A.
Remote pilots
- Competency rules for remote pilots in the open and specific categories are set out in Annex A.
- A minimum age of 16 is required for operations in the open and specific categories, however, there are certain exceptions.
- EU Member States can lower the minimum age by up to 4 years in the open category and 2 years in the specific category.
Operational rules and procedures
The regulation covers rules and procedures on a number of aspects, including:
- drone airworthiness;
- operational risk assessments;
- authorising operations in the specific category;
- ‘specific’ category operations that cross EU borders or take place partially or entirely in a Member State other than the one of registration;
- registration of operators and drone certification;
- defining geographical zones1;
- rules for model aircraft clubs and associations.
FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?
It has applied since .
BACKGROUND
For further information, see:
- Unmanned aircraft (European Commission)
- Drones (European Aviation Safety Agency).
KEY TERMS
- Geographical zone. A portion of airspace established by the competent authority that facilitates, restricts or excludes unmanned aircraft system operations in order to address risks pertaining to safety, privacy, protection of personal data, security or the environment, arising from unmanned aircraft system operations.
MAIN DOCUMENT
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 of on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft (OJ L 152, , pp. 45–71).
Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2019/947 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
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