Remote pilot competency in France

What the rules say

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

• Competency requiredConditional
• Training requiredConditional
• Examination requiredConditional
• Proof of competency issuedConditional
• Operation-specific qualificationConditional
• Validity periodConditional
• Renewal or recurrent trainingConditional
• Minimum age16 yearsConditional
• Weight-based trigger0.25 kgConditional

What changes the answer

The published rules distinguish the a1 and a2 categories of operation.

• altitude

  Flight altitude above 105 m

• altitude

  Flight altitude at or above 120 m

• altitude

  Flight altitude at or above 15 m

• location

  Radius at or below 50 m

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Activation Schedule of Regulated Airspace Portions

  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.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Additional Requirements for Category B Aeromodels

  Remote pilots of Category B aeromodels must satisfy the additional requirements specified in the annex of the Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Applicability of Remote Pilot Requirements to National Scenarios S-1 to S-3

  The remote pilot requirements established by this decree apply to operations conducted under French national standard scenarios S-1, S-2, and S-3.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Application for Civil Credits by Military Remote Pilots

  Military remote pilot license holders must apply to their employing authority to exercise remote pilot functions for non-recreational purposes.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 6-1 - section overview

  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.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 7 - section overview

  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.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Arrêté du 12 octobre 2018, article 8 - section overview

  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.

  Open the requirement
• Binding lawNational rule

  Arrêté du 18 mai 2018, annexe I - section overview

  This annex defines the syllabus and validation modalities for the theoretical training required to maintain remote pilot competencies in France.

  Open the requirement

Official sources

• Arrete du 3 decembre 2020 relatif a l'utilisation de l'espace aerien par les aeronefs sans equipage a bord — Direction de la securite de l'Aviation civile
• Arrete du 12 octobre 2018 relatif a la formation exigee des telepilotes — Direction de la securite de l'Aviation civile
• Arrete du 18 mai 2018 relatif aux exigences applicables aux telepilotes — Direction de la securite de l'Aviation civile

Other drone rules in France

• Do I need to register my drone in France?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.
• Do I need Remote ID in France?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.
• What is the maximum drone altitude in France?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.
• Can I fly a drone near an airport in France?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.
• Can I fly a drone over people in France?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.
• Can I fly a drone at night in France?No. A published rule in France prohibits night operations for the operations covered here.
• Is BVLOS drone flight allowed in France?No. A published rule in France excludes BVLOS for the operations covered here.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in France?Whether an operation in France needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.
• Do I need drone insurance in France?Drone insurance in France 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 France