# Drone laws in France > Structured, citation-backed drone regulation information for France, published by Drone Assistant from official sources. Every claim below links to the official material it came from. This is not legal advice, coverage is not exhaustive, and the linked official source governs. > Limited guide. Drone Assistant's coverage of France is still under review, so this page summarises only the published rules we can cite to an official source. It is not a complete statement of France's drone law; check the linked sources or ask the assistant about your own flight. Canonical page: [https://droneassistant.com/drone-laws/france](https://droneassistant.com/drone-laws/france) This Markdown file is a machine-readable representation of that page. It is generated from the same published data; it is not a separate content source. ## Regulatory framework - Jurisdiction: France - Responsible aviation authority: [Direction générale de l'Aviation civile (DGAC)](https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/drones-usages-loisir) - Framework type: national rules within an inherited framework - Inherited from: EU/EASA framework — [https://droneassistant.com/drone-laws/europe](https://droneassistant.com/drone-laws/europe) - Published rules held for this jurisdiction: 268 France applies the inherited EU/EASA framework. Rules below marked as framework rules are inherited rather than uniquely national, and a national rule may add to, restrict or clarify them. Legal status is stated for every rule below: binding law, AMC/GM (acceptable means of compliance and guidance material), authority guidance or other non-binding material. Guidance is never a statutory maximum in itself. ## Registration and pilot requirements ### Registration - Question: Do I need to register my drone in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: Whether a drone or its operator must be registered before flying, and under which threshold. Registration in France 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. Published figures: - Weight threshold: 0.25 kg (binding law) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: certified, national. What changes the answer: - Flight altitude at or above 3 cm (altitude) - Flight altitude below 120 m (altitude) - Flight altitude below 50 m (altitude) - Distance of 30 cm (location) Rules behind this answer: - **Aircraft details required for registration** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. When registering an aircraft, the registrant must provide the aircraft type, mass range, manufacturer, model, and serial number if applicable. - **Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 7 - section overview** (Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 7) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article mandates remote pilots operating within aeromodelling associations to carry and present their training or examination certificates and identity documents, allowing electronic formats and register extracts as equivalents. - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 8 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section defines the registration requirements in France for UAS operators and individual aircraft based on the weight of the drone and the presence of data-recording sensors. - **Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, annexe - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, annexe) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This annex defines the twelve aircraft types and five mass ranges used for drone registration in France, and prohibits operating an aircraft if its actual take-off mass exceeds the upper limit of its registered mass range. - **Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 1 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 1) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article defines the scope of the decree regarding the electronic registration of unmanned aircraft in France, and lists the specific aerial devices (free balloons, certain captive balloons, rockets, and kites) that are excluded from these requirements. - **Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 5 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article specifies that an extract of the civil unmanned aircraft register can be generated electronically at any time via the official portal, and details the mandatory information fields it must contain. - **Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 6 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 6) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article details the requirements for updating, correcting, and invalidating drone registrations in France, including mandatory declarations for modifications, errors, transfers, destruction, theft, or loss, and the prohibition of operating the aircraft until updates are complete. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.5 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section requires operators of aircraft with a mass of 25 kg or less to affix an identification plate to the aircraft containing their contact details and, if applicable, their European Union operator registration number. Last verified: 2026-08-22. ### Remote identification - Question: Do I need Remote ID in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: Whether aircraft must carry or broadcast an electronic identity, and in which form. Remote identification in France 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. Published figures: - Weight threshold: 25 kg (binding law) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: a1, a2, a3, open. What changes the answer: - Flight altitude below 120 m (altitude) - Take-off mass below 25 kg (weight threshold) Rules behind this answer: - **Declaration of electronic signaling device identification number** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. When registering an aircraft, the registrant must provide the identification number of the electronic or digital signaling device if the aircraft is equipped with one. - **French Language Requirement for UAS Information Notices** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, article 1-2) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The information notice required by Parts 1 to 5, 16, and 17 of the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/945 must be written in the French language. - **Prohibition of providing incorrect registration information** (Article R6232-17) — binding law; national rule; Primary legislation — binding law. Owners, co-owners, or their legal representatives must not provide incorrect information regarding their identity, address, remote identification device ID, or aircraft characteristics during electronic aircraft registration. - **Active remote identification and geo-awareness for Class C1 UAS** (UAS.OPEN.020(5)(d)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. Class C1 unmanned aircraft must be operated with an active and updated direct remote identification system and geo-awareness function. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **ANSI/CTA-2063 Compliant Serial Number** (Annex Part 6 (2)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; EU regulation — binding law. A direct remote identification add-on must have a physical serial number compliant with standard ANSI/CTA-2063, legibly affixed to the add-on and its packaging or user's manual. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Article 40 - section overview** (Article 40) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. 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. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Article 6 - section overview** (Article 6) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; EU regulation — binding law. This section establishes the obligations of manufacturers when placing UAS or remote identification add-ons on the Union market, including conformity assessments, CE marking, documentation retention, product labeling, and corrective actions. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Broadcast Data Tamper Protection** (Annex Part 6 (4)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; EU regulation — binding law. A direct remote identification add-on must ensure that the user cannot modify the serial number, UA geographical position and height, route course and ground speed, and pilot position or take-off point. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) Limitations of this coverage: - 3 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE. Last verified: 2026-08-24. ### Remote pilot competency - Question: What training do I need to fly a drone in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: What training, examination or proof of competency a remote pilot must hold. Remote pilot competency in France scales with the operation: which training, examination or proof of competency applies is set by the published conditions below. Published figures: - Minimum age: 16 years (binding law) - Weight-based trigger: 0.25 kg (binding law) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: a1, a2. What changes the answer: - Flight altitude above 105 m (altitude) - Flight altitude at or above 120 m (altitude) - Flight altitude at or above 15 m (altitude) - Radius at or below 50 m (location) Rules behind this answer: - **Activation Schedule of Regulated Airspace Portions** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe ii) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The designated airspace portions are active Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays, during the hours specified in the AIP, except for the Sainte-Léocadie low-altitude helicopter training sector which can be active daily except Sundays. - **Additional Requirements for Category B Aeromodels** (Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Remote pilots of Category B aeromodels must satisfy the additional requirements specified in the annex of the Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020. - **Applicability of Remote Pilot Requirements to National Scenarios S-1 to S-3** (Arrêté du 18 mai 2018, article 2) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The remote pilot requirements established by this decree apply to operations conducted under French national standard scenarios S-1, S-2, and S-3. - **Application for Civil Credits by Military Remote Pilots** (Arrêté du 18 mai 2018, article 9) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Military remote pilot license holders must apply to their employing authority to exercise remote pilot functions for non-recreational purposes. - **Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 6-1 - section overview** (Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 6-1) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article establishes that holding the EU online theoretical examination certificate (UAS.OPEN.040) is recognized as equivalent to the French national theoretical training certificate (attestation de suivi de formation) required under the French Transport Code. - **Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 7 - section overview** (Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 7) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article mandates remote pilots operating within aeromodelling associations to carry and present their training or examination certificates and identity documents, allowing electronic formats and register extracts as equivalents. - **Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 8 - section overview** (Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Allows the Minister of Civil Aviation to authorize competitors in short-term international aeromodelling competitions to operate aircraft exceeding the legal weight threshold, subject to safety guarantees from the organizing federation and operating at published aeromodelling sites. - **Arrêté du 18 mai 2018, annexe I - section overview** (Arrêté du 18 mai 2018, annexe I) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This annex defines the syllabus and validation modalities for the theoretical training required to maintain remote pilot competencies in France. Last verified: 2026-08-22. ## Operating rules ### Altitude limits - Question: What is the maximum drone altitude in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: The general height limit that applies to drone flights, and what changes it. Drone flights in France 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. Published figures: - General height limit: 120 m (binding law) - Reference datum: above_nearest_obstacle (binding law) What changes the answer: - Flight altitude at or below 120 m (altitude) - Flight altitude above 50 m (altitude) - Flight altitude below 120 m (altitude) - Height agl at or above 50 m (altitude) - Height loss at or below 15 m (altitude) Rules behind this answer: - **Activation Schedule of Regulated Airspace Portions** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe ii) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The designated airspace portions are active Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays, during the hours specified in the AIP, except for the Sainte-Léocadie low-altitude helicopter training sector which can be active daily except Sundays. - **Aeromodelling association activity requires a prior, published activity location** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Activities conducted within an aeromodelling association require an activity location (localisation d'activité) to be established beforehand. The activity location is published in the aeronautical information, which states in particular the maximum height applicable to the aircraft used for the activity concerned. - **Aircraft eligibility for national scenario S-2 above 50 meters** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.2) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Only aircraft with a mass of 2 kg or less, or Class C6 aircraft, may be operated at a height of more than 50 meters under national standard scenario S-2. - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 2 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 2) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section establishes a default maximum flight altitude of 120 meters in France, which is lower near aerodromes and active military zones. It requires pilots to check the official Geoportail map before flying and to avoid operating near other aircraft. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section defines the height limits and airspace requirements for BVLOS (hors vue) drone operations in France outside the Open category and aeromodelling associations, including specific rules for aircraft under 2 kg and requirements for operating in controlled airspace. - **ATC Agreement in Other Controlled Airspace Above 50 Meters** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 7) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Operations within controlled airspaces other than those listed in paragraph 3° of Annex II at a height greater than 50 meters AGL require prior agreement from the air traffic control service provider. - **BVLOS Height Limit for Aircraft Under 2 kg** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. For BVLOS operations of aircraft weighing less than 2 kg, the aircraft must fly at a height of less than 120 meters above the surface, or less than 15 meters above the highest artificial obstacle of more than 105 meters in height within a 50-meter horizontal radius. - **Compliance with Published Overflight Restrictions and Marked Establishments** (Article 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Unmanned aircraft must comply with published overflight prohibitions and restrictions, including those for establishments with distinctive low-altitude overflight prohibition markings, unless authorized by the establishment's manager. Last verified: 2026-08-30. ### Night operations - Question: Can I fly a drone at night in France? - Answer state: No - Scope: Whether flying at night is allowed, and which lighting or authorisation applies. No. A published rule in France prohibits night operations for the operations covered here. What changes the answer: - Flight altitude below 50 m (altitude) - Take-off mass below 8 kg (weight threshold) Rules behind this answer: - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 3 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section establishes the requirement to maintain direct visual line of sight (VLOS) with the unmanned aircraft at all times and prohibits night operations, while defining exceptions for FPV flights with an observer and night flights at authorized aeromodelling sites. - **Prefectural waivers for night flight and maximum altitude** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 9) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The territorial Prefect may grant exemptions to night flight conditions or maximum altitude limits, after receiving opinions from the local civil aviation and defense services. - **Prohibition of Night Operations** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Operating an unmanned aircraft at night is prohibited, even if the aircraft is equipped with lighting devices, except on authorized aeromodelling sites. - **Prohibition of night operations and exceptions** (Article 3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Unmanned aircraft must not operate at night unless they meet specific airspace, technical, or operational exceptions. - **Green Flashing Light for Night Operations** (UAS.OPEN.060(2)(g)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. When operating at night, the remote pilot must ensure that a green flashing light on the unmanned aircraft is activated. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Lights for Night Conspicuity** (Annex Part 3 (18)(b)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; EU regulation — binding law. 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. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Part 3 - section overview** (Part 3) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; EU regulation — binding law. 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. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) Limitations of this coverage: - Binding law and official guidance disagree on night_operations.pilot_requirement; the binding position is published. Last verified: 2026-08-22. ### Operations over people - Question: Can I fly a drone over people in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: Whether flights over uninvolved people are allowed, and under which safeguards. Flight over uninvolved people is treated as a higher-risk operation in France: it is available only where the published conditions below — class, mass, separation or authorisation — are satisfied. Published figures: - Separation distance: 30 m (binding law) - Weight condition: 0.25 kg (guidance) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: a1, a2, a3, open. What changes the answer: - Horizontal distance at or above 30 m (location) - Horizontal distance at or above 150 m (location) Rules behind this answer: - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 4 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section prohibits the operation of unmanned aircraft over public spaces in built-up areas in France, while permitting flights over private property without public presence under specific safety conditions. - **Conditional Permission for Flight Over Private Space in Built-Up Areas** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Flying over private property in built-up areas is permitted provided there is no public present and the speed and altitude are adapted to limit the risk of the aircraft leaving the private space. - **Exception: flight over public space in an agglomeration for the operator's professional activity** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The prohibition on operating over public space in an agglomeration does not apply where the flight is carried out as part of the operator's professional activity. In a populated area (zone peuplée), such operations are additionally subject to the prior prefectoral declaration required by Article 6, 1° of the same arrêté. - **Exception: places authorised by the territorially competent prefect** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The prohibition on operating over public space in an agglomeration does not apply at places where the territorially competent prefect authorises open-category operations or operations conducted within aeromodelling associations. - **Operations Manual Simplification for Autonomous Tethered Balloons** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The operations manual for autonomous tethered balloons may be limited to describing procedures for protecting third parties on the ground. - **Prohibition of flight over public space in an agglomeration (open category and aeromodelling)** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. In the open category, or within an aeromodelling association, the aircraft must not be operated over public space within an agglomeration, unless one of the two exceptions in Article 5, 1° applies (operator's professional activity, or a place where the territorially competent prefect authorises such operations). - **Remote Pilot Safety Judgment During Emergency Deviations** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 9) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. During emergency deviations, the remote pilot must exercise their best judgment to guarantee aviation safety and the safety of third parties. - **Article 6 - section overview** (Article 6) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; EU regulation — binding law. This section defines the criteria for classifying UAS operations in the 'certified' category, which is based either on specific high-risk operational conditions (such as transporting people or flying over assemblies) or on a risk assessment by the competent authority. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) Last verified: 2026-08-30. ### Operational authorisation - Question: When does a drone operation need authorisation in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: When an operation needs prior authorisation, and how that authorisation is obtained. Whether an operation in France needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it. Published figures: - Application model: permit (binding law) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: open, specific. What changes the answer: - Flight altitude above 120 m (altitude) - Height loss at or below 15 m (altitude) - Distance of 30 cm (location) Rules behind this answer: - **Additional conditions for unusual aircraft designs** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 2.2) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The Minister of Civil Aviation may impose additional technical conditions or operational limitations if the aircraft has unusual design or operational characteristics. - **Aeromodelling association activity requires a prior, published activity location** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Activities conducted within an aeromodelling association require an activity location (localisation d'activité) to be established beforehand. The activity location is published in the aeronautical information, which states in particular the maximum height applicable to the aircraft used for the activity concerned. - **Airworthiness conditions for tethered aircraft over 25 kg** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 2.4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Tethered aircraft with a mass greater than 25 kg must comply with technical airworthiness conditions notified by the Minister in charge of civil aviation. - **Airworthiness Requirements for Aircraft Over 25 kg** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 2.5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Aircraft with a mass greater than 25 kilograms must comply with technical airworthiness conditions notified by the Minister of Civil Aviation. - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 4 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section prohibits the operation of unmanned aircraft over public spaces in built-up areas in France, while permitting flights over private property without public presence under specific safety conditions. - **Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 6 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 octobre 2018, article 6) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article details the requirements for updating, correcting, and invalidating drone registrations in France, including mandatory declarations for modifications, errors, transfers, destruction, theft, or loss, and the prohibition of operating the aircraft until updates are complete. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.4 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. During any aircraft operation, operators must ensure that specific documents, including the activity declaration receipt, design certificate, operations manual, and airspace authorizations, are available on-site and presented immediately upon request by an authority. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 4 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 4) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section establishes the authority of the French Minister of Civil Aviation to conduct compliance checks and surveillance on UAS operations, and mandates that operators must present copies of all required authorizations immediately upon request, which may be in digital format. Limitations of this coverage: - 1 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE. Last verified: 2026-08-30. ### Beyond visual line of sight - Question: Is BVLOS drone flight allowed in France? - Answer state: No - Scope: Whether flight beyond visual line of sight is legally available, and by which pathway. No. A published rule in France excludes BVLOS for the operations covered here. Published figures: - Authorisation type: permit (binding law) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: a1, open, vlos. What changes the answer: - Distance at or below 50 m (location) - Flight altitude below 120 m (altitude) - Flight altitude below 50 m (altitude) Rules behind this answer: - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.1 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.1) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section defines the three French national standard scenarios (S-1, S-2, and S-3) for UAS operations, specifying their environmental conditions, visual line of sight requirements, and maximum horizontal distances. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 2.6 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 2.6) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section defines the specific technical and operational requirements for unmanned aircraft operated under the French national S-2 operational scenario, including real-time positioning, horizontal containment or alarms, independent engine termination, and flight data recording. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 7 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 7) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This article establishes the prior agreement requirements for VLOS drone operations conducted outside the open category and aeromodelling associations, specifying when approval is needed from regional airspace management committees or air traffic control providers. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section defines the height limits and airspace requirements for BVLOS (hors vue) drone operations in France outside the Open category and aeromodelling associations, including specific rules for aircraft under 2 kg and requirements for operating in controlled airspace. - **BVLOS cloud clearance requirement** (Article 3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Unmanned aircraft operating BVLOS must remain clear of clouds unless operating in segregated airspace. - **BVLOS Height Limit for Aircraft Under 2 kg** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. For BVLOS operations of aircraft weighing less than 2 kg, the aircraft must fly at a height of less than 120 meters above the surface, or less than 15 meters above the highest artificial obstacle of more than 105 meters in height within a 50-meter horizontal radius. - **Exception to Height Limits in Segregated Airspace** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The BVLOS height limits do not apply when the aircraft operates within a portion of airspace mentioned in Annex III under conditions ensuring activity segregation from other airspace users. - **General BVLOS Height Limit** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. For BVLOS operations, the aircraft must fly at a height of less than 50 meters above the surface, or less than 15 meters above the highest artificial obstacle of less than 105 meters in height within a 50-meter horizontal radius. Limitations of this coverage: - 4 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE. Last verified: 2026-08-22. ## Airspace and geographical zones ### Aerodromes and controlled airspace - Question: Can I fly a drone near an airport in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: What permission or distance applies around aerodromes and in controlled airspace. Drone flights near aerodromes in France are governed by airspace and aerodrome restrictions: whether permission is needed depends on the airspace, distance or aerodrome type published below. Published figures: - Distance restriction: 10000 m (binding law) What changes the answer: - Flight altitude below 100 m (altitude) - Flight altitude below 30 m (altitude) - Flight altitude below 60 m (altitude) - Distance at or above 10 km (location) - Distance at or above 2.5 km (location) - Distance at or below 10 km (location) Rules behind this answer: - **Activation Schedule of Regulated Airspace Portions** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe ii) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. The designated airspace portions are active Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays, during the hours specified in the AIP, except for the Sainte-Léocadie low-altitude helicopter training sector which can be active daily except Sundays. - **Annexe I - section overview** (Annexe I) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This annex defines the lateral and vertical distance limits for UAS operations in the vicinity of runways, final approach and take-off areas (FATO), and permanent or commercial ULM platforms in France. - **Applicability to multiple runways or FATOs** (Annexe I) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Proximity requirements apply to each runway or FATO individually when an aerodrome has multiple, unless the operator has guarantees they will not be used during the flight. - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 2 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 2) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section establishes a default maximum flight altitude of 120 meters in France, which is lower near aerodromes and active military zones. It requires pilots to check the official Geoportail map before flying and to avoid operating near other aircraft. - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 5 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 5) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section prohibits the operation of unmanned aircraft in the proximity of airfields and aerodromes in France, notes that minimum separation distances can reach up to 10 km for major aerodromes, and directs pilots to the official Geoportail map to verify local restrictions. - **Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 6 - section overview** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 6) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section prohibits the overflight of sensitive or protected sites, such as nuclear power plants, military zones, and national parks, and obligates remote pilots to check the official Géoportail map for restrictions before flying. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.3 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, annexe, point 1.3) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section regulates autonomous aircraft operations in France, establishing a general prohibition on autonomous flights with a specific exception for autonomous tethered balloons under certain conditions. - **Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8 - section overview** (Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020, article 8) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. This section defines the height limits and airspace requirements for BVLOS (hors vue) drone operations in France outside the Open category and aeromodelling associations, including specific rules for aircraft under 2 kg and requirements for operating in controlled airspace. Limitations of this coverage: - 1 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE. Last verified: 2026-08-22. ## Insurance ### Insurance - Question: Do I need drone insurance in France? - Answer state: Conditional - Scope: Whether third-party liability insurance is mandatory, and from which threshold. Drone insurance in France 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. Published figures: - Weight threshold: 20 kg (binding law) Operating categories distinguished by the published rules: open, specific. What changes the answer: - Take-off mass below 20 kg (weight threshold) Rules behind this answer: - **Verification of Civil Liability Insurance Coverage** (Arrêté du 19 avril 2019, annexe, point 10) — binding law; national rule; Secondary legislation — binding law. Remote pilots should verify the clauses of their civil liability insurance contract if they have not taken out a specific drone insurance policy. - **Contents of an Operational Authorisation Application** (UAS.SPEC.030) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. 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. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Declared standard scenario operations require confirmation of insurance cover** (UAS.SPEC.020(2)(d)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. A declaration by a UAS operator shall contain confirmation by the UAS operator that an appropriate insurance cover will be in place for every flight made under the declaration, if required by Union or national law. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Model aircraft under 20 kg are outside the EU aviation insurance regulation** (Article 2(2)(b)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. Regulation (EC) No 785/2004 shall not apply to model aircraft with a maximum take-off mass of less than 20 kg. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Operational authorisation applications require confirmation of insurance cover** (UAS.SPEC.030(3)(f)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. An application for an operational authorisation shall include a confirmation that an appropriate insurance cover will be in place at the start of the UAS operations, if required by Union or national law. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) - **Operator registration records an insurance policy number where insurance is required** (Article 14(2)(d)) — binding law; EU/EASA framework rule; National binding rule — binding law. The registration systems for UAS operators shall provide the fields for introducing and exchanging an insurance policy number for UAS if required by Union or national law. [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) Limitations of this coverage: - Binding law and official guidance disagree on insurance.operation_scope; the binding position is published. - 3 dimension(s) of this topic are not expressed in a machine-resolvable way by the published corpus and are reported UNKNOWN, never FALSE. Last verified: 2026-08-23. ## Visual line of sight (VLOS) Requirement (acceptable means of compliance / guidance material, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)): VLOS is determined by whether the remote pilot can keep the unmanned aircraft in unaided visual contact. EASA guidance treats the maximum possible VLOS distance as the smaller of the attitude line of sight (ALOS) and the detection line of sight (DLOS); anything beyond that is BVLOS. - Distance: Depends on aircraft size and visibility - What that means: European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) publishes a method for working this out. The requirement to fly within visual line of sight is itself binding; it is this way of calculating a practical distance that comes from acceptable means of compliance / guidance material, so the result is not a statutory maximum in itself. - Legal status of the governing material: acceptable means of compliance / guidance material (not a statutory maximum in itself) - Governing layer: inherited framework (eu-easa) - Depends on: the aircraft's characteristic dimension - Depends on: the ground visibility at the site - Published expression: ALOSmax = 327 x CD + 20 m - Published expression: ALOSmax = 490 x CD + 30 m - Published expression: DLOSmax = 0.3 x ground visibility - Worked example published by the authority: 1 m (rotary wing) — 347 m - Worked example published by the authority: 1 m (fixed wing) — 520 m - Worked example published by the authority: 2 m (rotary wing) — 674 m - Worked example published by the authority: 2 m (fixed wing) — 1010 m - Worked example published by the authority: 3 m (rotary wing) — 1000 m - Worked example published by the authority: 3 m (fixed wing) — 1500 m - Worked example published by the authority: 3.5 m (rotary wing) — 1164.5 m - Worked example published by the authority: 3.5 m (fixed wing) — 1500 m - Worked example published by the authority: 4 m (rotary wing) — 1328 m - Worked example published by the authority: 4 m (fixed wing) — 1500 m - Worked example published by the authority: 4.53 m (rotary wing) — 1500 m - Worked example published by the authority: 4.53 m (fixed wing) — 1500 m - Visual observer: An observer may assist the remote pilot, but the remote pilot remains responsible for maintaining visual line of sight and the operating range is not extended. - Legal status: acceptable means of compliance / guidance material (inherited framework) - First-person view (FPV): UA observers may also be used when the remote pilot conducts UAS operations in first-person view (FPV). In any case, including during FPV operations, the remote pilot is still responsible for the safety of the flight. (acceptable means of compliance / guidance material) - The remote pilot remains responsible for the safety of the flight at all times. - A UA observer may be used and must be situated alongside the remote pilot. - Visibility: Visibility is part of the published method: DLOSmax = 0.3 x ground visibility Layers that apply: - Inherited (eu-easa), acceptable means of compliance / guidance material, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA): VLOS is determined by whether the remote pilot can keep the unmanned aircraft in unaided visual contact. EASA guidance treats the maximum possible VLOS distance as the smaller of the attitude line of sight (ALOS) and the detection line of sight (DLOS); anything beyond that is BVLOS. - Method: The maximum possible distance results from the smaller value of ALOS and DLOS. Anything beyond that is considered BVLOS. VLOS sources: - [Easy Access Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Revision from June 2026 - Annex to AMC3 UAS.SPEC.030(3)(e), A.5.2.5-A.5.2.6; GM1 UAS.OPEN.060(4)](https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/easy-access-rules/easy-access-rules-unmanned-aircraft-systems) — European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); acceptable means of compliance / guidance material, last verified 2026-09-07 ## Official sources - Arrete du 19 octobre 2018 relatif a l'enregistrement des aeronefs civils circulant sans personne a bord — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Secondary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 - Arrete du 12 octobre 2018 relatif a la formation exigee des telepilotes — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Secondary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 - Arrete du 19 avril 2019 relatif au contenu de la notice d'information fournie avec les emballages — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Secondary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 - Arrete du 3 decembre 2020 relatif a la definition des scenarios standard nationaux — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Secondary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 - Code des transports - dispositions UAS (livre II partie 6) — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Primary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 - [Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20250624) — National binding rule — binding law; last verified 2026-08-24 - Arrete du 3 decembre 2020 relatif a l'utilisation de l'espace aerien par les aeronefs sans equipage a bord — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Secondary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 - Arrete du 18 mai 2018 relatif aux exigences applicables aux telepilotes — Direction générale de l'Aviation civile; Secondary legislation — binding law; last verified 2026-08-23 ## Verification - Sources last verified: 2026-08-30 - Page built: 2026-10-07 - Regulations change. Where a statement says a value is unverified or not published, that describes the official material reviewed so far, not a finding that no such rule exists; please reproduce such caveats as caveats. - A rule shown here applies to this jurisdiction and to the operation described. Do not generalise it to other countries or to other categories of operation. - Site map for agents: [https://droneassistant.com/llms.txt](https://droneassistant.com/llms.txt)