Flying a drone at night in Belgium

What the rules say

Each line is resolved from published facts of Belgium. "Not resolved" means the corpus does not answer it in a machine-checkable way — never that the law is silent.

• Night flight permittedNo
• Authorisation requiredNot resolved
• Lighting requirementConditional
• Pilot requirementYes
• Operational conditionsNo
• ExceptionsNot resolved

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Night Flight Restrictions for Model Aircraft

  Model aircraft operations between sunset and sunrise are prohibited unless the aircraft is equipped with at least one flashing light that ensures good night visibility and distinguishes it from obstacles.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Night operations for model aircraft

  Model aircraft must not fly before sunrise or after sunset unless equipped with at least one flashing light that makes them visible and easily distinguishable from obstacles or other aircraft at night.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Green Flashing Light for Night Operations

  When operating at night, the remote pilot must ensure that a green flashing light on the unmanned aircraft is activated.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Lights for Night Conspicuity

  The UA must be equipped with lights for conspicuity at night, designed to allow a person on the ground to distinguish the UA from manned aircraft.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Part 3 - section overview

  This section outlines the product requirements for Class C1 Unmanned Aircraft Systems, specifically detailing requirements for low battery warnings, controllability and night conspicuity lighting, user manual contents, and the inclusion of an EASA information notice.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  UA Lighting for Controllability and Night Conspicuity

  The UA must be equipped with lights for controllability and night conspicuity, designed to allow a person on the ground to distinguish it from manned aircraft.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• Koninklijk besluit van 8 november 2020 tot uitvoering van Uitvoeringsverordening (EU) 2019/947 (consolidated, NL) — skeyes (Belgian air navigation service provider)Open
• EASA Easy Access Rules for U-space (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/664), May 2024Open
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945Open

Known limitations

• Binding law and official guidance disagree on night_operations.operational_conditions; the binding position is published.
• Binding law and official guidance disagree on night_operations.pilot_requirement; the binding position is published.
• 2 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE.

Other drone rules in Belgium

• Do I need to register my drone in Belgium?Registration in Belgium is governed by a published mass threshold of 0.25 kg, alongside the further conditions cited below. Whether it applies to a given flight depends on those conditions, each cited to its rule.
• Do I need Remote ID in Belgium?Remote identification in Belgium is framed by a published mass threshold of 25 kg, together with the aircraft and operation conditions cited below. Whether a given flight must carry or broadcast an electronic identity depends on those conditions.
• What is the maximum drone altitude in Belgium?Drone flights in Belgium are held to a published general height limit of 120 m AGL. The limit is not absolute: the published conditions that change it are cited below.
• Can I fly a drone near an airport in Belgium?Drone flights near aerodromes in Belgium are governed by airspace and aerodrome restrictions: whether permission is needed depends on the airspace, distance or aerodrome type published below.
• Is BVLOS drone flight allowed in Belgium?No. A published rule in Belgium excludes BVLOS for the operations covered here.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in Belgium?Whether an operation in Belgium needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.
• What training do I need to fly a drone in Belgium?Remote pilot competency in Belgium scales with the operation: which training, examination or proof of competency applies is set by the published conditions below.
• Do I need drone insurance in Belgium?Drone insurance in Belgium is published with a minimum third-party cover of 0.75 million SDR. Whether cover is required for a given flight depends on the published conditions below.

All drone laws in Belgium