Remote pilot competency in Portugal

What the rules say

Each line is resolved from published facts of Portugal. "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, a2, a3 and open categories of operation.

• altitude

  Flight altitude at or below 120 m

• other

  Examination questions at or above 30 questions

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  STS Practical Training Recognition and Documentation

  A UAS operator recognised in another EU Member State that intends to conduct practical training and evaluation of remote pilots for an STS in Portugal must submit to ANAC beforehand: a document in Portuguese informing ANAC; the operational declaration for that STS together with the confirmation of its receipt and completeness; the declaration set out in Appendix 4 to the Annex to the EU UAS Regulation; a description of the representative site; and its operations manual, updated and adjusted to the specific national conditions.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Class C0 Safe Controllability

  A class C0 UAS must be safely controllable by a remote pilot following the manufacturer's instructions under all anticipated operating conditions, including system failures.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Class C4 Controllability and Maneuverability

  A class C4 UAS must be safely controllable and manoeuvrable by a remote pilot following the manufacturer's instructions under all anticipated operating conditions, including system failures.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Compliance with Manufacturer's Instructions

  During the flight, the remote pilot must operate the UAS in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, including any applicable limitations.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Considerations for Identifying Mitigation Measures

  The identification of mitigation measures to meet the target safety level must consider containment, strategic limitations, flight rules, adverse conditions, organizational factors, personnel competency, human error, and UAS design features.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Controllability and Pilot Competency

  A class C2 UAS must be safely controllable by a remote pilot with adequate competency as defined in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, following manufacturer instructions.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Data Link Protection

  Unless tethered, a class C2 UAS must have a data link protected against unauthorised access to command and control functions.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawEU/EASA framework rule

  Electrical Voltage Limits

  A class C2 UAS must be powered by electricity with nominal, accessible, and internal voltages not exceeding 48 V DC (or equivalent AC), unless design ensures no risk of harmful shock.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• Regulamento n.º 372/2023 (ANAC) — processo de reconhecimento das organizações de formação e avaliação prática nos cenários de operação padrão (STS), Diário da República, 2.ª série, n.º 59, 23 de março de 2023 — Autoridade Nacional da Aviação CivilOpen
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945Open
• EASA Easy Access Rules for U-space (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/664), May 2024Open

Other drone rules in Portugal

• Do I need to register my drone in Portugal?Registration in Portugal 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 Portugal?Remote identification in Portugal 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 Portugal?Drone flights in Portugal 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 Portugal?Drone flights near aerodromes in Portugal 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 Portugal?Whether an operation in Portugal needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.
• Do I need drone insurance in Portugal?Drone insurance in Portugal 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 Portugal