Drone registration in European Union / EASA

What the rules say

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

• Registration requiredConditional
• Weight threshold0.25 kgConditional
• Operator registrationConditional
• Aircraft registrationConditional
• Identifier displayConditional
• Renewal or validity periodConditional
• Digital registrationConditional
• Registration exceptionsConditional

What changes the answer

The published rules distinguish the certified, open and specific categories of operation.

• altitude

  Flight altitude below 120 m

• other

  Kinetic energy above 80 joules

• weight threshold

  Take-off mass at or above 250 g

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Application for Cross-Border Operations under Operational Authorisation

  A UAS operator intending to conduct a specific category operation under an existing operational authorisation in a Member State other than their Member State of registration must submit an application to the competent authority of the Member State of intended operation.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Article 14 - section overview

  This section establishes the mandatory registration requirements for UAS operators and certified unmanned aircraft, defining the thresholds for registration in the open and specific categories, registration location rules, and the obligation to display the registration number.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Article 40 - section overview

  Article 40 defines the conditions under which a UAS must be certified, outlines compliance requirements for certified and non-certified UAS in the specific category, and mandates unique serial numbers and remote identification systems for certain operations.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Contents of an Operational Authorisation Application

  The application for an operational authorisation shall be based on the risk assessment referred to in Article 11 and shall include the specified operator registration, manager name, risk assessment, mitigation measures, operations manual (if required), and insurance confirmation.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Cross-Border Operations by LUC Holders with UAS.LUC.060 Privileges

  A UAS operator holding an LUC with privileges under point UAS.LUC.060 that intends to conduct a specific-category operation taking place partly or entirely in the airspace of a Member State other than its Member State of registration must provide the competent authority of the Member State of intended operation with a copy of the term of approval received in accordance with point UAS.LUC.050 of the Annex, and with the location or locations of the intended operation.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Direct Remote Identification

  A class C2 UAS must have a direct remote identification that allows the upload of the UAS operator registration number required in accordance with Article 14 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, performs a consistency check on that registration string, and broadcasts directly and periodically in real time throughout the flight — using an open and documented transmission protocol receivable by existing mobile devices within range — at least the UAS operator registration number and Member State verification code, the unique serial number of the UA, the time stamp, the geographical position of the UA and its height above the surface or take-off point, the route course and ground speed, the geographical position of the remote pilot or, if not available, the take-off point, and an indication of the emergency status of the UAS; the direct remote identification must also reduce the ability of tampering with its functionality.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Display of Operator Registration Number on the Aircraft

  UAS operators must display their registration number on every unmanned aircraft that meets the registration conditions described in paragraph 5.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Operational Authorisation Requirement for Specific Category

  A UAS operator must obtain an operational authorisation from the competent authority of the Member State where they are registered if any requirement of Article 4 or Part A of the Annex is not met.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 — European Union Aviation Safety AgencyOpen

Known limitations

• 1 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 European Union / EASA

• Do I need Remote ID in European Union / EASA?Remote identification in European Union / EASA 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 European Union / EASA?Drone flights in European Union / EASA are held to a published general height limit of 120 m above_nearest_obstacle. The limit is not absolute: the published conditions that change it are cited below.
• Can I fly a drone near an airport in European Union / EASA?Drone flights near aerodromes in European Union / EASA are governed by airspace and aerodrome restrictions: whether permission is needed depends on the airspace, distance or aerodrome type published below.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in European Union / EASA?Whether an operation in European Union / EASA 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 European Union / EASA?Remote pilot competency in European Union / EASA 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 European Union / EASA?Drone insurance in European Union / EASA is published with a minimum third-party cover of 20 kg. Whether cover is required for a given flight depends on the published conditions below.

All drone laws in European Union / EASA