🇪🇪Estonia

EASA and national authorities gather, analyse and publish drone safety information, and must act on safety issues they identify.

Article 19 sets out how drone safety occurrences are reported and handled: operators report occurrences, and authorities share, analyse and act on that information.

You must report any drone accident to the Estonian Transport Administration if someone is seriously hurt, killed, or if a manned aircraft (like a plane or helicopter) is involved.

If a drone operation results in serious injury, death, or extensive damage to the aircraft, you must immediately report the incident to both the Estonian Transport Administration and the Safety Investigation Centre.

If you lose connection with your drone and it flies away uncontrollably in the Ämari CTR, you must immediately notify the Ämari Tower air traffic controller.

If your drone is involved in an accident or collision during flight, you must report it to the Estonian Transport Administration.

If your drone loses connection and flies out of control in the Tallinn area, you must immediately call Tallinn Tower air traffic control at +372 625 8260.

If something safety related goes wrong with your drone operation, you must report it to your national aviation authority under the EU occurrence reporting rules.

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.

A UAS operator intending to conduct a cross-border operation in the specific category based on a declaration must provide the competent authority of the Member State of intended operation with a copy of the declaration and its confirmation of receipt and completeness.

If you fly under a declared standard scenario, you must confirm that appropriate insurance cover is in place for every flight, where insurance is required by EU or national law.

When you apply for an operational authorisation in the Specific category, you must confirm that appropriate insurance cover will be in place when operations start, where insurance is required.

Aircraft operators, including drone operators inside the scope of the EU insurance regulation, must hold third-party liability insurance of at least 0.75 million SDR per accident when the aircraft weighs under 500 kg.

You must have insurance for your drone if it weighs more than 20 kg or if you are using it for commercial work.

You must have third-party liability insurance if your drone weighs more than 20 kg, or if you are flying under a specific category operational declaration or authorization.

If you fly under an operational declaration or authorization in Estonia, you must have valid third-party liability insurance covering drone operations.

When you register as a UAS operator you must supply your insurance policy number if Union or national law requires you to be insured.

The EU aviation insurance regulation does not cover model aircraft weighing less than 20 kg, so any insurance duty for those aircraft comes from national law instead.

If you fly under an operational declaration or authorisation (Specific category), you must have valid third-party liability insurance.

Using a crash-protected container is an approved way to secure dangerous goods, but its effectiveness must be proven for your specific flight conditions (speed, altitude, weather, and location).

The risk assessment for your flight must cover the specific hazards of the dangerous goods, the container, the competence of the handlers, and the flight area.

When preparing a risk assessment for a specific category operation, you must ensure it covers the operational characteristics, safety objectives, ground/air risks, mitigations, and the robustness of those mitigations.

Your operational description must detail what you are doing, where you are flying (including airspace and population density), how complex the flight is, the technical specs of your drone, and your own qualifications.

The safety level of your planned drone operation must be designed to be as safe as traditional manned aircraft flights.

When setting up your flight procedures, you should base them on what the drone manufacturer recommends, if those recommendations exist.

If your organization is required to maintain an Operations Manual, the operational procedures must be written directly into that manual.

If you operate as a single-person organisation, you must still meet all the applicable criteria in this Annex to claim ground risk mitigations.

If the aviation authority decides after reviewing the operational risk assessment that your specific category operation is too risky to fly without a certified drone, the UAS must be certified.

When applying for an authorization, you must write and understand your own ConOps. You cannot simply copy a template without taking responsibility for the safety case.

You must have clear procedures on how to report accidents (like hitting another aircraft, damaging property, or injuring someone) and how flight logs and data are stored and shared with authorities.

Your ConOps must describe how the flight is normally conducted within its limits, and provide clear step-by-step procedures for normal, contingency, and emergency situations.

To make the flight safe, you must consider mitigations like restricting where and when you fly, using emergency systems (like impact reduction), ensuring high pilot competency, and having clear procedures.

You must ensure that the safety measures you put in place are strong and reliable enough to handle the actual risks of your flight at every stage.

If your flight plan goes outside the boundaries of a PDRA, you cannot use that PDRA. You must perform a full risk assessment, unless your authority explicitly approves minor changes.

To fly dangerous goods in the specific category, the operator must show that an accident will not result in harm to people or the environment.

This Acceptable Means of Compliance outlines how a UAS operator should develop operational procedures, basing them on manufacturer recommendations and integrating them into the Operations Manual when required.

If you make a non-editorial change that affects your operational authorisation or the documents used to get it, this is considered a significant change.

If your flight cannot comply with the Open category rules (such as altitude, distance from people, or drone class limits), you must obtain an operational authorisation before flying.

If you are flying in the specific category, your organization must have an operational authorization from the national aviation authority before you can fly, unless the flight is covered by a standard scenario declaration or your organization has an LUC.

Changes to key personnel, operations affecting risk assessments, or non-editorial changes to policies or the operations manual are considered significant changes.

This guidance material explains how to conduct operational risk assessments under Article 11, introducing the SORA methodology, standard scenarios (STSs) for declarations, and predefined risk assessments (PDRAs) for simplified authorisations.

Article 5 establishes the regulatory framework for the 'Specific' category of UAS operations, detailing when an operational authorisation is required, the risk assessment process, and exemptions such as standard scenario declarations, Light UAS Operator Certificates (LUC), and authorized model aircraft clubs.

Operators must pay a state fee to the Estonian Transport Administration for processing and maintaining their Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC).

This Annex provides guidance to UAS operators on collecting and presenting evidence and data for operational authorization applications in the 'specific' category using the SORA process, outlining the general workflow, document structure, and evidence submission requirements.

If you want to fly FPV with spectators present (such as at a public event), it falls under the Specific category and you must obtain a permit from the Estonian Transport Administration.

To get an operational authorisation for Specific category flights, you must apply to the Estonian Transport Administration through their online aviation safety portal.

If the Transport Administration does not process your permit application on time, you do not get automatic approval; you must wait for the official decision.

If you are applying for a drone permit under a PDRA, you must submit an application form, an operations manual, and a compliance assessment table to the Estonian Transport Administration.

You must submit your flight permit application to the Police and Border Guard Board, which will review it and make a decision within 5 working days.

You must submit your flight permit application to the authority in charge of the restricted area, and they will make a decision to approve or deny it within 5 working days.

The authority responsible for the restricted zone has five working days to approve or deny your flight permit application once they receive a complete application.

If the Transport Administration does not confirm your operational declaration within 30 days, you cannot assume it is approved; you must wait for official confirmation.

You do not always have to submit all your SORA compliance evidence to the authority. Low-risk (low robustness) evidence and medium-risk evidence using standard EASA guidelines can be kept on file, but high-risk evidence must be submitted with your application.

Once you finish your initial SORA risk assessment (Phase 1), it is recommended to contact your national aviation authority to check if they agree with your risk level before you write the full operations manual.

If your drone is a custom build or modification used strictly for scientific or research purposes and produced in very small numbers, you do not need standard certification, but you must obtain a permit to fly.

Use the compliance matrix template to cross-reference your procedures and evidence with the SORA requirements before submitting your application.

If your drone is not certified but you are flying in the specific category, it must have the technical features required by your operational authorization or LUC.

Any major changes to how you plan to operate (as described in your ConOps) must be assessed and potentially approved by your national aviation authority before you fly.

This section defines the integrity and assurance levels for strategic mitigations (M1) used to reduce the intrinsic ground risk class (GRC) under SORA, including generic criteria for ground risk buffers and population evaluation, as well as specific criteria for tethered operations.

An operational authorisation issued by the Estonian Transport Administration is valid for a maximum of 5 years.

The authority will only grant the flight permission if they are satisfied that your safety mitigations are sufficient.

To get an operational authorisation, a risk assessment (such as SORA) must be completed and submitted showing how risks will be mitigated.

Your authorisation will clearly state whether it is for a single flight, a specific set of flights in a certain area/timeframe, or if it is part of an LUC.

If your operation fits a standard scenario (STS), you can submit a declaration instead of applying for a full operational authorisation.

If your organization holds an LUC with the right privileges, you don't need to apply for a separate authorisation or submit a declaration for the flight.

If you are flying within an authorized model aircraft club or association, you do not need a standard specific category authorisation or declaration.

This section defines what constitutes a significant change to an operational authorisation, providing a general criterion and specific examples of changes to operations, management, risk assessments, policies, and operations manuals that should be considered significant.

This section establishes the mandatory rules and criteria for conducting an operational risk assessment (SORA) for UAS operations, detailing the required elements of the operational description, risk identification, safety targets, mitigation measures, and robustness assessments.

Even if your operation does not meet the standard criteria for the 'certified' category, the authority can still classify it as 'certified' if a risk assessment shows that certification and licensing are necessary to fly safely.

When flying in the 'specific' category, you must operate within the limits of your operational authorisation, club/association authorisation, or declared standard scenario, unless your organisation holds an LUC that permits otherwise.

In addition to the responsibilities defined in UAS.SPEC.050, the UAS operator shall: (1) develop an operations manual including the elements defined in Appendix 5; (2) define the operational volume and ground risk buffer for the intended operations, including the controlled ground area covering the projections on the surface of the earth within both the volume and the buffer; (3) ensure the adequacy of the contingency and emergency procedures through any of the following: (a) dedicated flight tests; (b) simulations, provided that the representativeness of the simulation means is appropriate for the intended purpose; (4) develop an effective emergency response plan (ERP) suitable for the operation that includes at least: (a) the plan to limit any escalating effects of the emergency situation; (b) the conditions to alert the relevant authorities and organisations; (c) the criteria to identify an emergency situation; (d) clear delineation of the duties of the remote pilot(s) and any other personnel in charge of duties essential to the UAS operation; (5) ensure that the level of performance for any externally provided service necessary for the safety of the flight is adequate for the intended operation; (6) define the allocation of the roles and responsibilities between the operator and the external service provider(s), if applicable; (7) upload updated information into the geo-awareness, if the function is installed on the UAS, when required by the UAS geographical zone for the intended location of operation; (8) ensure that, before starting the operation, the controlled ground area is in place, effective and compliant with the minimum distance defined in point UAS.STS-01.020(1)(C)(i)(C) and, when required, coordination with the appropriate authorities has been conducted; (9) ensure that, before starting the operation, all persons present in the controlled ground area: (a) have been informed of the risks of the operation; (b) have been briefed or trained, as appropriate, on the safety precautions and measures established by the UAS operator for their protection; and (c) have explicitly agreed to participate in the operation; (10) ensure that: (a) the UAS is accompanied by the corresponding EU declaration(s) of conformity, including the reference to class C5 or reference to class C3 and to the accessories kit; and (b) the class C5 identification label is affixed to the unmanned aircraft or to the accessories kit. <

UAS operations in STS-02 shall be conducted: (1) in accordance with the operations manual referred to in point (1) of point UAS.STS-02.030; (2) over a controlled ground area entirely located in a sparsely populated environment including: (a) the flight geography area, (b) the contingency, which its external limit(s) shall be located at least 10 m beyond the limit(s) of the flight geography area, (c) a ground risk buffer covering a distance that is at least equal to the distance most likely to be travelled by the UA after activation of the means to terminate the flight specified by the UAS manufacturer in manufacturer's instructions, considering the operational conditions within the limitations specified by the UAS manufacturer; (3) in an area where the minimum flight visibility is more than 5 km; (4) with the unmanned aircraft in sight of the remote pilot during the launch and recovery of the unmanned aircraft, unless the latter is the result of an emergency flight termination; (5) if no airspace observer is used in the operation, with the unmanned aircraft flying no further than 1 km from the remote pilot, with the unmanned aircraft following a pre-programmed trajectory when the unmanned aircraft is not in VLOS of the remote pilot; (6) if one or more airspace observers are used in the operation, it shall comply with all of the following conditions: (a) the airspace observer(s) are positioned in a manner allowing for an adequate coverage of the operational volume and the surrounding airspace with the minimum flight visibility indicated in point (3); (b) the unmanned aircraft is operated no further than 2 km from the remote pilot; (c) the unmanned aircraft is operated no further than 1 km from the airspace observer who is nearest to the unmanned aircraft; (d) the distance between any airspace observer and the remote pilot is not more than 1 km; (e) robust and effective communication means are available for the communication between the remote pilot and the airspace observer(s); (7) by a remote pilot who holds: (a) a certificate of remote pilot theoretical knowledge for operations in standard scenarios, issued by the competent authority or by an entity designated by the competent authority of a Member State; (b) an accreditation of completion of the STS-02 practical skill training, in accordance with Attachment A to this Chapter and issued by: (A) an entity that has declared compliance with the requirements in Appendix 3 and is recognised by the competent authority of a Member State; or (B) by an UAS operator that has declared to the competent authority of the Member State of registration, compliance with STS-02 and that has declared compliance with the requirements in Appendix 3; (8) with an unmanned aircraft which complies with all of the following conditions: (a) is marked as class C6 and complies with the requirements of that class, as defined in Part 17 of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945; (b) is operated with an active system to prevent the unmanned aircraft from breaching the flight geography; (c) is operated with active and updated direct remote identification system. (9) The remote pilot shall obtain the certificate of theoretical knowledge for operations in the standard scenarios after: (a) having completed an online training course and passed the online theoretical knowledge examination as referred to in point (4)(b) of point UAS.OPEN.020; and (b) having passed an additional theoretical knowledge examination provided by the competent authority or by an entity designated by the competent authority of a Member State in accordance with Attachment A to this Chapter. (10) This certificate shall be valid for five years. The revalidation, within its validity period is subject to any of the following: (a) the demonstration of competencies in accordance with point (9); (b) the completion of a refresher training addressing the theoretical knowledge subjects as defined in point (9) provided by the competent author

In addition to the responsibilities defined in UAS.SPEC.060, the remote pilot shall: (1) before starting an UAS operation: (a) set the programmable flight volume of the unmanned aircraft to keep it within the flight geography; (b) verify that the means to terminate the flight and the programmable operational volume functionality of the unmanned aircraft are operational; and, check if the direct remote identification is active and up-to-date. (2) during flight: (a) unless supported by airspace observers, maintain a thorough airspace scan of the airspace surrounding the unmanned aircraft in order to avoid any risk of a collision with any manned aircraft. The remote pilot shall discontinue the flight if the operation poses a risk to other aircraft, people, animals, environment or property; (b) have the ability to maintain control of the unmanned aircraft, except in the case of a lost command and control (C2) link; (c) operate only one unmanned aircraft at a time; (d) not operate the unmanned aircraft from a moving vehicle; (e) shall not hand over the control of the unmanned aircraft to another CMU; (f) inform the airspace observer(s), when employed, in a timely manner of any deviations of the unmanned aircraft from the intended path, and the associated timing; (g) perform the contingency procedures defined by the UAS operator for abnormal situations, including when the remote pilot has indication that the unmanned aircraft may exceed the limits of the flight geography; (h) perform the emergency procedures defined by the UAS operator for emergency situations, including triggering the means to terminate the flight when the remote pilot has an indication that the unmanned aircraft may exceed the limits of the operational volume. <

(1) During flight, the unmanned aircraft shall be maintained within 120 m from the closest point of the surface of the earth. The measurement of distances shall be adapted according to the geographical characteristics of the terrain, such as plains, hills, mountains. (2) When flying an unmanned aircraft within a horizontal distance of 50 m from an artificial obstacle taller than 105 m, the maximum height of the UAS operation may be increased up to 15 m above the height of the obstacle at the request of the entity responsible for the obstacle. (3) The maximum height of the operational volume shall not exceed 30 m above the maximum height allowed in points (1) and (2). (4) During flight, the unmanned aircraft shall not carry dangerous goods. <

(1) UAS operations in STS-01 shall meet all of the following conditions: (a) be conducted with the unmanned aircraft kept in VLOS at all times; (b) be conducted in accordance with the operations manual referred to in point (1) of point UAS.STS-01.030; (c) be conducted over a controlled ground area comprising: (i) for the operation of an untethered unmanned aircraft: (A) the flight geography area; (B) the contingency area, with its external limit(s) at least 10 m beyond the limit(s) of the flight geography area; and (C) the ground risk buffer, which shall cover a distance beyond the external limit(s) of the contingency area that meets at least the following parameters: Minimum distance to be covered by the ground risk buffer for untethered unmanned aircraft Maximum height above ground with an MTOM up to 10 kg with an MTOM above 10 kg 30 m 10 m 20 m 60 m 15 m 30 m 90 m 20 m 45 m 120 m 25 m 60 m (ii) for operation of a tethered unmanned aircraft, a radius equal to the tether length plus 5 m and centred on the point where the tether is fixed over the surface of the earth. (d) be conducted at a ground speed of less than 5 m/s in the case of untethered unmanned aircraft; (e) be conducted by a remote pilot who: (i) holds a certificate of remote pilot theoretical knowledge in accordance with Attachment A to this Chapter for operations in the standard scenarios issued by the competent authority or by an entity designated by the competent authority of a Member State; (ii) holds an accreditation of completion of the STS-01 practical skill training, in accordance with Attachment A to this Chapter and issued by: (A) an entity that has declared compliance with the requirements in Appendix 3 and is recognised by the competent authority of a Member State; or (B) an UAS operator that has declared to the competent authority of the Member State of registration, compliance with STS-01 and that has declared compliance with the requirements in Appendix 3; and (f) be conducted with an unmanned aircraft which is marked as class C5 and complies with the requirements of that class, as defined in Part 16 of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, and is operated with active and updated direct remote identification system. (2) The remote pilot shall obtain the certificate of theoretical knowledge for operations in the standard scenarios after: (a) having completed an online training course and passed the online theoretical knowledge examination as referred to in point (4)(b) of point UAS.OPEN.020; and (b) having passed an additional theoretical knowledge examination provided by the competent authority or by an entity designated by the competent authority of a Member State in accordance with Attachment A to this Chapter. (3) This certificate shall be valid for five years. The revalidation, within its validity period is subject to any of the following: (a) the demonstration of competencies in accordance with point (2); (b) the completion of a refresher training addressing the theoretical knowledge subjects as defined in point (2) provided by the competent authority or by an entity designated by the competent authority. (4) In order to revalidate the certificate upon its expiration, the remote pilot shall comply with point (2). <

In addition to the responsibilities defined in UAS.SPEC.060, the remote pilot: (1) before starting an UAS operation, shall verify that the means to terminate the flight of the unmanned aircraft are operational and check if the direct remote identification is active and uptodate; (2) during the flight: (a) shall keep the unmanned aircraft in VLOS and maintain a thorough airspace scan of the airspace surrounding the unmanned aircraft in order to avoid any risk of a collision with any manned aircraft. The remote pilot shall discontinue the flight if the operation poses a risk to other aircraft, people, animals, environment or property; (b) for the purposes of point (a), may be assisted by an unmanned aircraft observer. In such case, clear and effective communication shall be established between the remote pilot and the unmanned aircraft observer; (c) shall have the ability to maintain control of the unmanned aircraft, except in the case of a lost command and control (C2) link; (d) shall operate only one unmanned aircraft at a time; (e) shall not operate the unmanned aircraft from a moving vehicle; (f) shall not hand over the control of the unmanned aircraft to another CMU; (g) shall perform the contingency procedures defined by the UAS operator for abnormal situations, including when the remote pilot has an indication that the unmanned aircraft may exceed the limits of the flight geography; and (h) shall perform the emergency procedures defined by the UAS operator for emergency situations, including triggering the means to terminate the flight when the remote pilot has an indication that the unmanned aircraft may exceed the limits of the operational volume. <

In addition to the responsibilities defined in UAS.SPEC.050, the UAS operator shall: (1) develop an operations manual including the elements defined in Appendix 5; (2) define the operational volume and ground risk buffer for the intended operations, including the controlled ground area covering the projections on the surface of the earth of both the volume and the buffer; (3) ensure the adequacy of the contingency and emergency procedures through any of the following: (a) dedicated flight tests; (b) simulations, provided that the representativeness of the simulation means is appropriate for the intended purpose; (4) develop an effective emergency response plan (ERP) suitable for the operation that includes at least: (a) the plan to limit the escalating effects of the emergency situation; (b) the conditions to alert the relevant authorities and organisations; (c) the criteria to identify an emergency situation; (d) clear delineation of the duties of the remote pilot(s) and any other personnel in charge of duties essential to the UAS operation; (5) ensure that the level of performance for any externally provided service necessary for the safety of the flight is adequate for the intended operation; (6) define the allocation of the roles and responsibilities between the operator and the external service provider(s), if applicable; (7) upload updated information into the geo-awareness, if the function is installed on the UAS, when required by the UAS geographical zone for the intended location of the operation; (8) ensure that, before starting the operation, all appropriate measures to reduce the risk of intrusion of uninvolved persons in the controlled ground area compliant with the minimum distance defined in point UAS.STS-02.020(2) have been taken and, when required, coordination with the appropriate authorities has been conducted; (9) ensure that, before starting the operation, all persons present in the controlled ground area: (a) have been informed of the risks of the operation; (b) have been briefed and, if applicable, trained on the safety precautions and measures established by the UAS operator for their protection; and (c) have explicitly agreed to participate in the operation; (10) before starting the operation, if airspace observers are used: (a) ensure the correct placement and number of airspace observers along the intended flight path; (b) verify: (i) that the visibility and the planned distance of the airspace observer are within acceptable limits as defined in the operations manual; (ii) the absence of potential terrain obstructions for each airspace observer; (iii) that there are no gaps between the zones covered by each of the airspace observers; (iv) that the communication with each airspace observer is established and effective; (v) that if means are used by the airspace observers to determine the position of the unmanned aircraft, those means are functioning and effective; (c) ensure that the airspace observers have been briefed on the intended path of the unmanned aircraft and the associated timing; (11) ensure that: (a) the UAS is accompanied by the corresponding EU declaration of conformity, including the reference to class C6; (b) the class C6 identification label is affixed to the unmanned aircraft. <

An airspace observer shall: (1) maintain a thorough airspace scan of the airspace surrounding the unmanned aircraft in order to identify any risk of a collision with any manned aircraft; (2) maintain awareness of the position of the unmanned aircraft through direct airspace observation or through assistance provided by electronic means; (3) alert the remote pilot when a hazard is detected and assist in avoiding or minimising the potential negative effects. <

(1) During flight, the unmanned aircraft shall be maintained within 120 m from the closest point of the surface of the earth. The measurement of distances shall be adapted accordingly to the geographical characteristics of the terrain, such as plains, hills, mountains. (2) When flying an unmanned aircraft within a horizontal distance of 50 m from an artificial obstacle taller than 105 metres, the maximum height of the UAS operation may be increased up to 15 m above the height of the obstacle at the request of the entity responsible for the obstacle. (3) The maximum height of the operational volume shall not exceed 30 m above the maximum height allowed in points (1) and (2). (4) During flight, the unmanned aircraft shall not carry dangerous goods. <

To apply for a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) in Estonia, your organization must submit an application through the Transport Administration's online system with all the required safety and operational details.

You must submit your flight permit application to the Environmental Board, which has 5 working days to approve or deny it once they receive a complete application.

If you decide to voluntarily give up your specific category flight permit or LUC, you must notify the Estonian Transport Administration in writing at least 30 days in advance.

If you are operating under a standard scenario in the Specific category, you must submit your operational declaration to the Estonian Transport Administration online through their aviation safety information system.

You must pay a state fee when submitting an operational declaration or applying for an operational authorisation.

You must keep your drone within your direct eyesight at all times. The only exceptions are if you are using 'follow-me' mode or have a designated drone observer next to you helping you watch the airspace.

If you use the 'follow-me' automatic tracking mode, the drone must not fly further than 50 meters away from you.

You can use a drone observer to help you keep eyes on the drone, but you must have a clear and reliable way to talk to each other during the flight.

When planning your flight, remember that how far you can fly while maintaining VLOS depends on how big your drone is and what the environment is like (e.g., weather visibility, trees, or buildings).

The ConOps must clearly show where you will fly, including the safety buffers on the ground and in the air, whether you are flying over people, and how much the drone flies itself versus how much you manually control it.

You must always keep the drone close enough to clearly see it with your own eyes and accurately judge how far it is from any obstacles.

If you are flying in an open area with no obstacles and clear visibility all the way to the horizon, you can fly the drone as far out as you can still clearly see it.

If there are obstacles nearby, bring your drone closer so you can accurately judge its distance from them. Also, keep the drone low enough so it is 'shielded' by the obstacles, as manned aircraft usually fly higher than these obstacles.

You must keep your drone in sight at all times, watch the sky for manned aircraft to avoid collisions, and land or stop the flight immediately if it becomes unsafe for people, animals, other aircraft, or property.

If your drone operations are highly complex (e.g., using many different types of drones and flight types), you can use a custom layout for your operations manual, but you should discuss this layout with your aviation authority first.

If you are flying for a company or organization that has its own flight procedures or manuals, you must follow them.

The manufacturer's documentation will include an official EASA notice explaining your basic legal obligations and limitations under EU drone regulations.

If you are both the operator and the remote pilot, you do not need written procedures and can rely on the manufacturer's instructions.

This section establishes the responsibilities and obligations of the remote pilot before and during a UAS operation in the 'open' category, including competency requirements, pre-flight checks, fitness for duty, VLOS maintenance, and restrictions near emergency response areas.

To fly a Class C1 drone (between 250g and 900g), you must complete an online training course and pass an online exam provided by the aviation authority. The exam has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need to score at least 75% to pass.

This section establishes the acceptable format and issuance process for the proof of completion of online theoretical knowledge training and examination for remote pilots in subcategories A1 and A3, including the specific format of the remote pilot identification number and the use of a QR code for database verification.

Your proof of completion will have a QR code that authorities (like police or aviation inspectors) can scan to verify your training status in the national database.

To get your A2 certificate, you must: 1) Pass the A1/A3 online exam; 2) Practice flying on your own in an empty area (A3 conditions); 3) Declare you did this practice and pass a 30-question classroom exam on weather, drone performance, and ground risk with at least 75%.

To obtain your A2 Certificate of Competency, you must pass the online theory exam, complete and declare practical self-training, and pass an additional theory exam. The certificate may be issued electronically.

This section establishes the operational, organizational, and safety responsibilities of a UAS operator in the 'open' category, including pilot designation, competency verification, geo-awareness updates, and compliance with class-marking and consent requirements.

This section establishes the minimum age of 16 for remote pilots operating in the 'open' and 'specific' categories, details specific exemptions where no minimum age is required, and outlines the conditions under which Member States may lower these age limits.

Do not use the Return-to-Home (RTH) function if your drone's compass is experiencing issues or errors.

Look around your flying area before takeoff to identify obstacles and people. If you are flying a very light drone (under 250g or C0) in subcategory A1, you do not need to perform the formal check for uninvolved persons, though safety remains paramount.

This guidance material explains the remote pilot's responsibility to maintain a thorough visual scan to avoid collisions with manned aircraft, outlining specific actions to take when encountering high-altitude or low-altitude aircraft.

You must complete the required training for your subcategory (A1, A2, or A3) and have your proof of competency with you while flying, unless you are flying a very light drone (like a C0 drone or a private build under 250g).

If a low-flying aircraft is nearby, immediately drop your drone's altitude to below 10 meters and stay at least 500 meters away from it. If you cannot keep this 500-meter distance, land your drone immediately.

This section establishes the comprehensive responsibilities of a UAS operator in the 'specific' category, covering operational procedures, pilot and crew requirements, record-keeping, maintenance, and equipment standards.

This Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) outlines how to determine and maintain safe Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) range, explaining that the maximum distance depends on the unmanned aircraft's size and environmental factors, and details how to adjust distance and altitude when obstacles are present.

Before and during your flight, look around the area to identify potential hazards like people, roads, buildings, power lines, or nearby airfields that could affect the safety of your flight.

Do not fly your drone if you have consumed alcohol or drugs, or if you are unfit to fly due to tiredness, illness, injury, or medication.

This section outlines the acceptable means of compliance for remote pilots regarding their responsibility to assess and familiarise themselves with the operating environment, weather conditions, and potential electromagnetic hazards before and during flight.

Check the current weather and the forecast for your entire flight window to ensure wind, rain, temperature, or visibility do not exceed the limits written in your drone's manual.

This guidance material defines the term 'other causes' regarding remote pilot fitness, specifying that it includes any physical or mental disorder or sensory limitation that prevents safe operation.

This section outlines the acceptable means of compliance for remote pilots regarding their responsibility to assess and familiarise themselves with the operating environment, weather conditions, and potential electromagnetic interference before and during flight.

This guidance material explains the responsibilities of remote pilots and operators during emergency response efforts, advising them to immediately discontinue operations or maintain a safe distance to avoid interfering with emergency services, hindering aerial support, or violating privacy.

This guidance material defines the term 'emergency response' in the context of the responsibilities of a remote pilot.

This guidance material defines the term 'other causes' regarding remote pilot fitness as any physical or mental disorder, or sensory organ limitation, that prevents safe operation.

If feasible, walk around your planned flying area before taking off to get a clear, ground-level view of any obstacles or hazards.

If you feel your concentration slipping or notice signs of fatigue while flying, you must take a break immediately.

If you need prescription glasses or contact lenses to see properly, you must wear them at all times while flying your drone.

Keep your hands and fingers on the remote controller at all times while the drone is in the air so you can react instantly to any situation.

If your drone pilot certificate is cancelled because you broke the rules, you are banned from getting a new one for six months.

Before taking off, perform a pre-flight check to ensure your drone is safe to fly and that its direct remote identification system (if it has one) is active and updated.

You must always be in control of your drone, unless you experience a lost connection (lost link) or are flying a free-flight model drone.

If you add a camera, sensor, or other payload to your drone, you must check that the total weight does not exceed the manufacturer's maximum take-off mass (MTOM) or the weight limit of the drone's class.

When preparing for a flight, you can expect Member States to publish information regarding airspace structures, limitations, and no-fly zones in accordance with Article 15 to help you comply with your responsibility to obtain updated restriction information.

You must fly the drone according to the user manual and guidelines provided by the manufacturer, including any wind, temperature, or battery limits.

Drone pilots must strictly follow all flight rules. Violating these rules can lead to a fine of up to 200 fine units, which can increase to 300 fine units or arrest if the violation causes property damage due to negligence.

You must not listen to music or other audio through headphones while flying a drone, as you need your hearing to detect potential hazards, other aircraft, or equipment malfunctions.

You must ensure that your drone's remote control operates on a permitted radio frequency, which can be verified with the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.

Under EASA guidance, 'other causes' that prevent you from flying safely include any physical or mental disorders, as well as any limitations in your senses (such as vision or hearing impairment).

Be aware of the lighting conditions (e.g., glare or darkness) and look out for high-power antennas, power lines, or industrial equipment that could interfere with your drone's signals or compass.

The Estonian Transport Administration can suspend or cancel your drone pilot certificate if you break aviation rules, violate privacy or data protection laws, or fail to follow EU drone safety regulations.

This guidance material clarifies that Member States are responsible for providing information on airspace structure and limitations, including limited or no-UA zones, in accordance with Article 15 of the UAS Regulation.

Be aware of the lighting conditions and look out for things like power lines, radio towers, or other sources of electromagnetic energy that could interfere with your drone's signals or damage its equipment.

'Other causes' that unfit you for flight include any physical or mental illness, or any sensory limitation (such as impaired vision or hearing) that would prevent you from flying your drone safely.

An 'emergency response' is any action you take during an unexpected and dangerous event to try to reduce its impact on people, property, or the environment.

An 'emergency response' is any action you take in response to an unexpected and dangerous event to try to limit its impact on people, property, or the environment.

This guidance material defines the term 'other causes' in the context of remote pilot fitness, clarifying that it encompasses physical or mental disorders or sensory limitations that prevent safe operation.

This guidance material defines the term 'emergency response' in the context of remote pilot responsibilities.

This section establishes the acceptable means of compliance for issuing the remote pilot certificate of competency in subcategory A2, including the prerequisite verifications, electronic format option, and the specific format for the remote pilot identification number.

Your certificate will feature a QR code. Authorized personnel (like police or aviation authorities) can scan this QR code or use your pilot ID to verify your training records in the national database.

This section outlines the acceptable syllabus and theoretical knowledge subjects that should be covered in basic online training courses and examinations for remote pilots operating in subcategories A1 and A3.

Defines the operational conditions for UAS operations in subcategory A2, including distance limits from uninvolved persons, remote pilot competency requirements, and aircraft class C2 specifications.

Before flying in subcategory A1, you must read and understand the user manual and instructions provided by your drone's manufacturer.

When you pass your online training and exam, the authority (or an authorized entity) will issue you a proof of completion, which can be electronic.

To fly in subcategory A2, you must read and understand your drone's manual and hold a valid A2 Certificate of Remote Pilot Competency.

This guidance material clarifies that the remote pilot is ultimately responsible for determining the safe distance from uninvolved persons during subcategory A2 operations, taking into account UAS characteristics, weather, and area segregation.

When flying in subcategory A2, you must personally determine what a safe distance from uninvolved people is, taking into account your drone's performance, the current weather, and how well the area is segregated.

You can take your A2 or STS theoretical exam either in person at an approved facility or online with remote proctoring.

This section defines the operational conditions, pilot competency requirements, and aircraft eligibility criteria for conducting UAS operations in subcategory A3 of the Open category.

This section establishes the acceptable means of compliance for the practical-skills self-training required for UAS operations in subcategory A2, detailing the training objectives, equipment specifications, control schemes, and required flight exercises.

This section details the acceptable means of compliance for the additional theoretical knowledge examination required for UAS operations in subcategory A2, specifying the competencies to be demonstrated and the subjects to be covered.

Your self-training must include practicing take-offs, landings, precision flying within a set area, and hovering or loitering. You must also practice emergency procedures (like return-to-home) from the manual, but only if practicing them doesn't require turning off safety features.

The A2 exam covers meteorology (wind, temperature, visibility, forecasts), flight performance (envelopes, mass and balance, payloads, batteries), and ground risk mitigations (low-speed mode, distance from people, and the 1:1 rule).

To pass the A2 theoretical exam, you need to show you understand the risks of flying near people, how to assess ground risk, how to plan flights and contingencies, and how weather affects your drone.

If you take the exam online, the system will verify your identity and monitor your computer traffic, screen, video, and room audio to ensure you do not use unauthorized materials or assistance.

This section establishes the acceptable means of compliance for conducting theoretical knowledge examinations for the subcategory A2 remote pilot competency certificate and STS theoretical knowledge, allowing either face-to-face or online-proctored formats under specific security conditions.

To fly in subcategory A3, you must read and understand your drone's user manual, complete the official online training course, and pass the online theoretical exam.

You must be formally designated as the remote pilot for the flight before operating the UAS.

You must read and be familiar with the manufacturer's instructions for the drone you are flying.

You are responsible for scanning the sky and avoiding collisions because pilots of manned aircraft likely cannot see your drone due to its small size.

If you see any other aircraft, parachute, or airspace user, immediately move your drone to a safe distance. If your drone is flying towards them, land immediately.

This section outlines the acceptable means of compliance for UAS operators regarding operational procedures, clarifying that written procedures are not required for single-pilot operators but are expected for operators employing multiple remote pilots.

If you see an airplane flying very high (at 1 km or higher), you can safely continue flying your drone as long as you stay below your 120-meter limit.

You must be at least 16 years old to fly a drone in the Open or Specific category, unless you qualify for one of the specific exemptions (such as flying a toy, a very light home-built drone, or flying under direct supervision).

This section establishes the comprehensive responsibilities of the remote pilot before and during flight in the Open category, covering competency, pre-flight checks, operational safety, and emergency restrictions.

This guidance material clarifies the responsibilities of the UAS operator under UAS.OPEN.050(3), specifying that a remote pilot must be identified for each flight and prohibiting the handover of control to another command unit during flight in the 'open' category.

A remote pilot must be designated by the operator for your flight.

If you fly as part of an authorized model aircraft club or association, the minimum age limit might be different, as set by your country's national authority in the club's authorization.

If you build your own drone and its maximum take-off weight is less than 250 grams, there is no minimum age limit to fly it.

You do not need to meet any minimum age requirement to fly a Class C0 drone in subcategory A1, provided the drone is officially classified as a toy.

If you are under 16, you can still fly a drone if you are directly supervised by a pilot who is at least 16 years old and holds the required qualifications.

Depending on the EU country you are flying in, the local government might have lowered the minimum age (down to 12 for the Open category, or 14 for the Specific category).

If you are flying at an age younger than 16 because a specific country lowered its age limit, you can only fly in that country. You cannot use that lower age limit to fly in other EU countries.

To comply with the training requirements for subcategories A1 and A3, your online training and examination should cover air safety, airspace restrictions, aviation regulations, human performance limitations, operational procedures, general drone knowledge, privacy, insurance, and security.

Remote pilots must follow all drone flight rules. Violating these rules can result in a fine of up to 300 fine units (approximately €1,200) for individuals, or up to €12,000 for companies.

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.

The drone packaging must include an official EASA notice explaining your legal obligations and limitations.

This section outlines the product requirements for Class C2 unmanned aircraft systems, including low-battery warning systems, lighting for controllability and night conspicuity, comprehensive user manual specifications, and the inclusion of an EASA information notice.

Your drone must come with a manual that explains its characteristics (like mass, payload limits, and sound power), operational instructions, maintenance, troubleshooting, and safety risks.

This section outlines the mandatory information, technical characteristics, operational and maintenance instructions, and regulatory notices that must be included in the manufacturer's instructions for the UAS.

When flying a Class C1 drone, you must plan your flight to avoid flying over any uninvolved people. If someone unexpectedly walks under your drone, you must fly away or land as quickly and safely as possible to minimize the overflight time. You must never fly over assemblies of people (crowds).

If you build your own drone and want to fly it in subcategory A1, it must weigh less than 250 grams (including battery and cameras) and its maximum speed must be less than 19 meters per second (approx. 68 km/h).

Do not modify your C0, C1, C2, or C3 drone in any way that violates its product standards unless the manufacturer's manual explicitly allows and describes that modification.

You must use a drone with a Class C2 label, and you must ensure its remote ID and geo-awareness (map/geofencing) systems are turned on and updated before flying.

In subcategory A3, you can only fly a drone that is either: privately built (weighing under 25 kg), a legacy drone meeting Article 20(b) rules, or officially class-marked as C2, C3, or C4. If flying a C2 or C3 drone, you must ensure its direct remote identification and geo-awareness systems are active and updated.

You are permitted to operate a Class C0 drone within subcategory A3 operational boundaries.

A drone carrying a C0 class label (under 250 g) can be flown in subcategory A1.

This section establishes the requirements for classifying UAS operations in the 'open' category, including aircraft eligibility, weight limits, visual line of sight, maximum altitude, and prohibitions on dangerous goods and dropping materials.

This section establishes the classification requirements for UAS operations in the 'open' category, defining limits on aircraft class, maximum take-off mass, operational distance from people, visual line of sight, maximum altitude, and cargo restrictions, as well as dividing the category into three sub-categories.

The total weight of your drone, including the battery and any cameras or accessories you attach, must be less than 250 grams.

If you use the follow-me function, the drone must stay within 50 meters of you, and you must always be able to take back manual control of the aircraft.

Your drone or controller must warn you when the battery is low so you have enough time to land safely.

This section establishes the technical requirements for Class C4 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including weight limits, control restrictions, manual contents, and labeling.

This section defines product requirements for Class C1 unmanned aircraft systems, specifically limiting the range of follow-me mode to 50 meters, requiring a comprehensive user's manual, and mandating the inclusion of an EASA information notice.

When operating the UAS, you must have access to the manufacturer's instructions containing these technical details, operational limits, and procedures.

The drone packaging must include an official EASA information notice explaining your legal obligations and limitations under EU law.

The drone must be safely controllable by you following the manufacturer's instructions, even if one or more systems fail.

The drone must be designed to fly safely and predictably, even if a system fails, as long as you follow the manual.

Unless your C1 drone is a fixed-wing airplane, it must comply with strict noise limits.

The drone packaging must include an official EASA information sheet explaining your basic legal responsibilities as a pilot.

Ensure your drone has the official C2 class label affixed to the aircraft before operating.

Your Class C3 drone packaging must include an official information notice from EASA explaining your legal obligations and limitations under EU drone regulations.

This section specifies the mandatory information that must be included in the manufacturer's instructions for the UAS, as well as the requirement to include an official EASA information notice regarding EU law limitations and obligations.

The drone is equipped with lights to help you see and control its orientation and flight path.

Ensure your C4 drone has the official C4 label visibly affixed to the aircraft.

Your C4 drone cannot have automatic flight modes (like autonomous waypoints), except for basic flight stabilization and a pre-set control position for lost link safety.

You can only fly in the Open category if your drone has an official class marking (C0-C6) under EU rules, is privately built, or meets the transitional requirements of Article 20.

Drones and products subject to these regulations must conform to the technical design and class requirements specified in the Annex.

If your drone is not classified as a toy, it must meet European machinery safety standards for risks not directly related to the flight itself (such as physical hazards on the ground).

When updating your drone's software, the update must not disable or alter features in a way that violates the drone's original certification or class requirements.

This section defines the technical, design, and documentation requirements for a Class C0 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), including weight, speed, height, and electrical limits, as well as exemptions for toys.

This article establishes the core compliance requirements for UAS products, including conformity with specific parts of the Annex, the applicability of the Machinery Directive for non-flight safety risks of non-toy UAS, and the restriction that software updates must not compromise product compliance.

Your drone must have a visible Class C0 label on its body.

If the Class C0 drone is officially classified as a toy, it does not have to meet the strict industrial design, stability, and electrical standards required for non-toy drones.

The drone is designed to be safe, with rounded edges and features that reduce the risk of cuts or injuries if it accidentally hits someone.

The total weight of your C4 drone, including payload, must be less than 25 kg.

The drone's maximum speed when flying straight and level must not exceed 19 meters per second (approx. 68 km/h or 42.5 mph).

The drone is designed with a built-in limit that prevents it from flying higher than 120 meters (approx. 400 feet) above the spot where you took off.

If you use the 'follow-me' feature, the drone must stay within 50 meters (approx. 164 feet) of you, and you must always be able to take back manual control instantly.

The drone must have lights to help you control it and to make it visible at night, allowing people on the ground to tell it apart from manned airplanes.

Your drone must come with a manual that explains how to fly it safely, its technical limits (like weather restrictions), and the risks of operating it.

Unless it is a fixed-wing drone, your C1 drone or its packaging must display a label showing its guaranteed sound level.

This section establishes the technical, design, and performance requirements for a class C1 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), including weight, speed, height limits, remote identification, and geo-awareness.

When flying at night, the drone's lights must make it visible and clearly distinguishable from manned aircraft to anyone on the ground.

Your drone must come with a manual covering its characteristics, operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, limitations, and risks. You should read and follow it.

The drone must come with a manual that explains its characteristics, how to operate and maintain it, how to upload airspace limits, and the risks involved.

The drone packaging must include an official EASA information notice explaining your legal obligations and limitations.

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.

Your drone comes with a user manual containing essential information on its characteristics, how to operate and maintain it, and safety risks.

The manufacturer's manual for your Class C3 drone must contain specific details, including its characteristics (like MTOM and data link loss behavior), clear operating and maintenance instructions, troubleshooting, and operational limitations.

Do not fly a Class C2 drone if its total weight, including any cameras, sensors, or payloads, is 4 kg or more.

Check that your drone (if not fixed-wing) has a visible noise level label affixed to the body or packaging.

When flying close to people (e.g., in subcategory A2), you must be able to select a low-speed mode that limits your speed to 3 m/s or less.

Your drone must comply with legal noise limits. Do not modify the propulsion system in a way that increases noise levels.

This Acceptable Means of Compliance outlines the responsibilities of UAS operators regarding modifications, maintenance, and payload additions for UAS with class identification labels (C0 to C4), specifying when modifications invalidate class conformity and how class C4 UAS are uniquely treated.

You can replace parts on your drone for maintenance without it being considered an unauthorized modification, as long as you use original parts or parts approved in the manufacturer's instructions.

You can attach payloads (like cameras or accessories) to your drone without losing its class rating, provided the manufacturer allows it and the payload fits their specified guidelines.

If you use unapproved payloads or perform maintenance contrary to the manual, your drone loses its class rating. You must remove the class label and can then only fly it under 'specific' category rules.

Unlike other classes, you are allowed to modify a Class C4 drone. If you do, it is treated as a 'privately built' drone and you can still fly it in subcategory A3.

Modifying your drone in a way that changes its weight or performance beyond the manufacturer's specifications or manual instructions will breach its CE class mark compliance.

This guidance material clarifies what constitutes a modification that breaches CE class marking compliance, confirming that identical part replacements are permitted and that the user manual should guide maintenance.

Refer to the drone's user manual for instructions on how to perform maintenance and make changes without voiding the CE marking.

You can replace parts (like propellers) with identical ones of the same design and characteristics without breaching the drone's CE marking.

This guidance material clarifies that UAS operations in subcategory A3 may be conducted using Class C0 or Class C1 unmanned aircraft, as the safety envelope of subcategory A3 encompasses that of subcategory A1.

You can fly a Class C1 drone in subcategory A3, but it must have an active, updated direct remote identification system and a functioning geo-awareness system.

Check that the drone has its official class label (e.g., C0-C4) affixed and that the EU declaration of conformity is available.

If you are flying a Class C1 drone, you must ensure that its remote ID broadcast system and geo-awareness (airspace boundary warning) systems are turned on, active, and fully updated before you take off.

Drones without a C-class label that were placed on the market before 2024 can still be flown in A1 if they weigh less than 250 g including everything on board.

In subcategory A1, operations with an unmanned aircraft referred to in points (5)(a), (5)(b) and (5)(c) of UAS.OPEN.020 may overfly uninvolved persons, but shall never overfly assemblies of people.

The remote ID add-on you use must allow you to upload your official UAS operator registration number using the process provided by the registration system.

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.

Establishes the requirement for UAS operators to obtain an operational authorisation before conducting operations in the 'specific' category, defines exceptions (such as declarations or LUC privileges), and outlines the application requirements and update triggers.

This section establishes the technical, data broadcast, and documentation requirements for direct remote identification add-ons placed on the market.

You must pay a state fee both when you first register as a drone operator and when you renew your registration each year.

Your drone operator registration number is valid for one year. You must renew it every year to keep it active.

You must renew your drone operator registration annually to keep it valid.

You must renew your drone operator registration every year, or it will expire and become invalid.

The add-on must come with a manual that explains how to physically mount it on your drone and how to upload your operator registration number.

The application for the flight authorization must include a risk assessment, operator registration, mitigation measures, and potentially an operations manual and insurance confirmation.

If you are flying under the Specific category, your operator must be registered, no matter how small or light the drone is.

You must register in the EU country where you live. You cannot be registered in more than one country at the same time, and you must keep your details up to date.

If you fly a drone in the Open category that weighs 250g or more, or is capable of transferring more than 80 Joules of kinetic energy in a crash, your operator must be registered.

If your drone has a camera or other sensor that can capture personal data, your operator must be registered, unless the drone is officially classified as a toy.

You must display your operator registration number on your drone if it meets the registration rules (e.g., weighs 250g or more, or has a camera).

If you are required to register as a drone operator under EU rules, you must complete your registration online through the Estonian aviation safety supervision information system.

Ensure any propeller guards or safety features designed to prevent injury are properly installed and undamaged.

If flying a tethered C2 drone, ensure the tether is shorter than 50 meters and meets the strength requirements for your aircraft type.

You must pay a state fee to receive your A1/A3 training certificate or to have your remote pilot certificate application processed.

If you decide to give up your drone training school certificate, you must notify the Estonian Transport Administration in writing at least 30 days before the surrender date.

If you handle or fly dangerous goods, you must complete a training programme approved by the competent authority that covers terminology, handling, labelling, and emergency procedures.

This section establishes the acceptable means of compliance for transporting dangerous goods in the 'specific' category, detailing safety demonstration requirements, container standards, risk assessment factors, and training programme criteria.

This section establishes the technical, safety, and operational requirements for Class C2 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including weight limits, height limiters, tether specifications, data link protections, low-speed modes, sound levels, remote identification, and geo-awareness systems.

Inspect the drone before flight to ensure there are no structural cracks or deformations that could cause a mechanical failure in the air.

Before you start flying with FPV goggles, you must first learn how to fly the drone under normal visual line of sight (VLOS).

You must pay a state fee to apply for, amend, or maintain a drone pilot training school certificate in Estonia.

Ensure your drone's control link is secure and firmware is updated to protect against unauthorized access.

To get an A2 certificate, you must already hold an A1/A3 certificate, meet EU regulatory requirements, and pass a 30-question theory exam at a Transport Administration service bureau.

If you run a drone pilot training school, you must operate strictly according to the procedures and rules set out in your approved training organization manual.

After takeoff, hover your multirotor drone at about 5 meters to verify that it responds correctly to controls, sounds normal, and has a stable GPS connection before flying further.

To fly in the A2 subcategory or the Specific category, you must pass a theory exam organized by either the Estonian Transport Administration or an authorized drone training school.

Your organization's ConOps needs to clearly define who is in charge, how safety is managed, how pilots and crew are trained, how the drone is maintained, and how changes to the drone are tracked.

You must hold the required remote pilot competency to operate a drone. Flying without it is illegal and can result in a fine of up to 300 fine units (for individuals) or up to €12,000 (for companies).

This section provides guidelines and a template for UAS operators to collect and present system and operational information (ConOps) required to conduct a Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) under Article 11.

Configure and test your drone's fail-safe behavior (e.g., Return-to-Home) so it behaves predictably if you lose connection.

You must hold the appropriate competency certificate (e.g., A2 Certificate of Competency) to operate a Class C2 drone, and operate it according to the manual.

Only use manufacturer-approved batteries and electrical components to avoid exceeding safe voltage limits.

You must hold the required competency credentials for the subcategory (A1, A2, or A3) in which you are flying.

You must be fully familiar with your operator's procedures before conducting a flight.

Establishes the operational conditions, pilot competency requirements, and aircraft limits for conducting UAS operations in subcategory A1 of the Open category.

To fly in the Open category A1 or A3 subcategories, you must pass an online theory exam using the Estonian Transport Administration's online portal.

You cannot fly close to tall man-made obstacles (like buildings or antennas) under the height exception unless the operator has explicit permission from the entity responsible for that obstacle.

The ConOps must clearly state your flight limits: how high and far you can fly, what weather conditions (wind, rain, visibility) you can operate in, whether you can fly at night, and what airspace classes you are restricted to.

Establishes the subcategories of the open category and defines the maximum height limits of 120 metres from the earth's surface, including exceptions for operations near tall artificial obstacles and for light unmanned sailplanes.

This guidance explains the background and safety measures for the unmanned sailplane derogation, which allows model gliders to fly along slopes up to 120 meters above the remote pilot, provided their maximum takeoff mass does not exceed 10 kg.

The drone must limit your height to 120 m. If the limit is selectable, the controller must display clear, real-time height information.

You must keep your drone within 120 metres (approx. 400 feet) of the closest point of the ground. If you fly over hills or mountains, you must adjust your flight path to maintain this distance from the sloping terrain.

If you are flying within 50 metres horizontally of an artificial obstacle (like a tower or wind turbine) that is taller than 105 metres, you can fly up to 15 metres above the top of that obstacle, but only if the entity responsible for the obstacle has requested you to do so.

When flying an unmanned sailplane along a slope under this derogation, you must not fly higher than 120 meters above your own position (the remote pilot), rather than measuring 120 meters from the closest point of the terrain.

If you are flying an unmanned sailplane weighing less than 10 kg, you can fly higher than 120 metres from the ground directly below it (for example, over a valley), as long as the sailplane is never more than 120 metres higher than you (the pilot) standing on the hill.

If you are flying in a geographical zone where the local authority has set a lower height limit than 120m, you must respect that lower limit.

This guidance material explains the 120-meter maximum height limit relative to terrain topography, the requirement to comply with lower limits in national geographical zones, and the necessity of obtaining explicit permission from the responsible entity to operate close to artificial obstacles.

You must keep your drone within 120 meters (400 feet) of the ground. This height limit follows the contours of the terrain.

You must fly your drone within 120 meters of the ground, unless you are overflying an obstacle under the conditions specified in the Annex.

This section provides acceptable means of compliance for UAS operations in subcategory A1, detailing the operational expectations regarding the overflight of uninvolved people for Class C1, Class C0, and privately built UAS under 250g.

You should maintain a horizontal distance from uninvolved persons that is at least the distance your drone would travel in 2 seconds at its maximum speed.

When flying in subcategory A3, you must choose an area where you do not expect any uninvolved people to be endangered within the entire range of your drone's flight path.

Always maintain a horizontal distance from uninvolved people that is at least equal to your current flying height (for example, stay 20 meters away horizontally if you are flying at a height of 20 meters).

The risk assessment must evaluate the raw, unmitigated risk of hitting people on the ground (based on population and drone size) and colliding with other aircraft (based on airspace class, altitude, and location).

You must keep your drone at a safe distance from people at all times and never fly directly over crowds or assemblies of people.

If your drone is 3 meters or larger and designed to fly over crowds, it must go through a formal certification process unless it is a lighter-than-air aircraft.

Avoid flying your drone over people, animals, buildings, or power lines. You must never fly near or interfere with active emergency rescue operations.

If people or animals enter your flying area, fly away from them to a safe spot. If you cannot do this safely, abort the flight and land immediately.

You can only claim a sheltered environment risk reduction if your drone is under 25 kg, flies no faster than 174 knots, and the operation is in an area where people are inside buildings.

Before flying a Class C1 drone, check the area (roads, paths, etc.) to ensure you won't fly over anyone. If someone unexpectedly walks under your drone, fly away from them or move to an empty area immediately to minimize the overflight time.

If you fly a Class C0 drone or a home-built drone weighing less than 250g, you are allowed to fly over people who aren't involved in your flight. However, you should still avoid doing this whenever you can, and be extremely careful if you must.

You can fly as close as 5 meters to uninvolved people if you turn on your drone's low-speed mode and first check that the weather, drone performance, and area isolation make it safe to do so.

When flying in subcategory A2, you must not fly over people who are not involved in your operation, and you must keep at least 30 meters away from them horizontally.

This section establishes the Acceptable Means of Compliance for maintaining a safe distance from uninvolved persons during UAS operations in subcategory A2, defining how to calculate horizontal distance, introducing the '1:1 rule', and setting absolute minimum distance thresholds depending on the operational mode and aircraft type.

When flying in subcategory A3, you should maintain a minimum horizontal distance of at least 30 meters from any passing uninvolved person.

When flying in subcategory A3, you must ensure that your flight path and surrounding area remain clear of uninvolved people so that they are not put at risk during the entire flight.

When flying in subcategory A2, you must generally keep at least 30 m away from uninvolved people. You can fly as close as 5 m only if your drone has an active low-speed mode and you have evaluated the weather, drone performance, and the segregation of the overflown area.

This section provides acceptable means of compliance for UAS operations in subcategory A3, detailing how remote pilots should adjust operations when uninvolved persons enter the area and how to estimate the minimum horizontal safety distance from them.

You should maintain a horizontal distance from uninvolved persons that is at least equal to your flying height (the 1:1 rule). For example, if flying at 30 meters high, stay at least 30 meters away horizontally.

If an uninvolved person enters your operational range, you should adjust your flight to keep them safe, and stop the flight entirely if safety cannot be guaranteed.

This guidance material clarifies the operational differences between subcategories A2 and A3, specifying the minimum distances from uninvolved people for A2 operations and the environmental and distance limitations for A3 operations.

Your operation falls into the 'certified' category if you fly a certified drone and are either flying over assemblies of people, transporting people, or carrying dangerous goods that pose a high risk to others in an accident.

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.

While the minimum horizontal distance rules are meant to protect people, you can also apply them to protect property and animals.

Your drone must weigh less than 25 kg (including fuel/battery and payload) at takeoff to be flown in the Open category.

When near an emergency, make sure you do not get in the way of emergency helicopters or planes, and do not use your drone's camera to record or spy on the victims or emergency workers.

In the Open category, FPV flights must follow A3 rules: you must stay at least 150 meters away from residential, commercial, or recreational areas, and no spectators or flying over people is allowed.

You are not allowed to carry any dangerous cargo or drop anything from your drone while flying in the Open category.

If you see emergency services active in your flight area, you must land or leave the area immediately, unless they have explicitly given you permission to fly. If you continue flying under authorization or while clear, you must keep a safe distance so you do not interfere with or endanger their work.

This section provides guidance for remote pilots and operators when an emergency response effort is occurring in their operational area, advising them to discontinue operations or maintain a safe distance, avoid hindering aerial support, and protect privacy.

The open category is split into A1, A2, and A3. Your rules and requirements depend on which subcategory you are flying in.

If you are flying an unmanned sailplane (model glider) along a slope under this derogation, your aircraft's maximum takeoff mass (including payload) must not exceed 10 kg.

Because subcategory A3 flights must be kept at least 150 meters away from residential, commercial, and industrial areas, they are considered safe enough to encompass the less restrictive subcategory A1 operational envelope.

Ensure your equipment is operating correctly to avoid causing radio interference during flights.

You must follow the operational procedures developed by your operator, which are designed for the specific risks of the flight.

If you are flying in A2 or A3 and have involved persons in the area, make sure they are briefed on the risks and have explicitly agreed to be part of the operation.

Open category operations are split into three sub-categories depending on the weight of your drone and where you fly relative to people.

You cannot hand over control of the drone to another pilot's controller/command unit while the drone is in flight.

When flying in the 'open' category, you must follow all the rules and limits (like altitude and distance from people) specified in Part A of the Annex.

In subcategory A3, you must keep your drone at least 150 m horizontally away from any residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas.

You must maintain a horizontal distance of at least 150 metres between your drone and any residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational zones.

You must find out what type of batteries your drone uses and make sure you know which specific type of fire extinguisher is needed to put out a battery fire.

After every flight, check your drone visually to make sure the body, wires, and propellers are not damaged or worn out.

Never fly your drone if the propellers are damaged or cracked. Always inspect them before taking off and replace them if necessary.

Before taking off, you must inspect the propeller blades by gently bending them to ensure they are not damaged or cracked.

After every flight, remove the batteries and charge them promptly. Store them in a cool, dark, safe place on a fireproof surface to prevent damage and hazards.

Always store and keep your drone batteries at room temperature before flying. Cold batteries have less capacity, which can lead to sudden power loss and crashes.

You are not allowed to conduct video surveillance that captures buildings, vehicles, or boats being used for work purposes.

You are not allowed to take photos or record videos with your drone in crowded areas.

You must not take photos, videos, or use thermal/laser scanners near restricted sites like embassies or Ministry of Defence buildings.

Before flying in the Ämari CTR airspace, you must call the Ämari Tower air traffic controller at 717 3415 to get permission.

You cannot fly in the immediate vicinity of Tallinn Airport (the 0-meter height limit zone) unless you hold a Specific category operational authorization.

If your flight area is covered by multiple overlapping restricted zones, you must get permission from the managers of every single one of those zones.

To fly in restricted geographical zones (for security, safety, or nature protection), you must obtain permission from the owner/manager of that specific zone.

If the area you want to fly in is covered by multiple overlapping restricted or geographical zones, you must obtain a separate permit for each individual zone.

If you want to fly a drone in the Tallinn Old Harbor or Muuga Harbor areas, you must coordinate and get approval from AS Tallinna Sadam.

You must obtain a permit before flying your drone in any restricted, geographical, or temporary geographical zones in Estonia.

If you want to fly a drone in the Paldiski South Harbor area, you must coordinate your flight with AS Tallinna Sadam.

While flying, you must respect and follow all rules and restrictions of the geographical zones you are operating in.

When flying near restricted national security or public order sites, the restricted geographical zone extends up to 50 meters beyond the actual property boundary of the protected facility.

In the Ämari Air Base zones, you need permission to fly at any height in zone EEGZ19, above 30 meters in zone EEGZ20, and above 60 meters in zone EEGZ21.

You must call Ämari Tower at 717 3415 to let them know as soon as you have finished your drone flight.

If you want to fly your drone in the restricted airspace near the Estonian state border, you must first obtain permission from the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA).

To fly a drone in a restricted area established for national security, you must first obtain permission from the authority responsible for the protected object.

If you fly in an area where multiple restricted zones overlap, you must follow the rules of all of them, meaning you must adhere to the lowest (strictest) altitude limit.

You must obtain permission from the designated authority or owner of the restricted area before flying a drone in a restricted geographical zone.

If you want to fly your drone in a temporary geographical zone set up to restrict drone flights, you must first obtain permission from the specific authority that established that zone.

To fly in a restricted temporary geographical zone, you must submit your permit application directly to the authority that created the zone.

Before flying in the Open category, you must check NOTAMs (Notice to Air Missions) to find out about any temporary flight restrictions or hazards in your flight area.

When flying a drone in environmental protection zones, you must not fly higher than 120 meters (400 feet) above the ground or water, and you must obtain permission from the Estonian Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet).

If you want to fly your drone in a restricted or geographical zone in Estonia, you must submit a written application detailing who is flying, where, when, with what drone, and your contingency plan for loss of control.

If you are flying near marked heliports in the Tallinn area, you must notify Tallinn Tower air traffic control through the official app and get their permission before taking off.

Before flying, you must check the official Estonian airspace map application both during planning and right before takeoff to see if there are any permanent or temporary flight restrictions (NOTAMs) in your area.

To fly in the Ämari Air Base restricted zones, you must apply for permission from the Estonian Defence Forces at least 5 working days before your planned flight.

If your drone has automatic geofencing that stops you from entering restricted areas, it must do so safely and display a clear warning on your screen.

You must keep the drone's airspace limitation (geozone) database updated. The controller will warn you if you approach restricted airspace.

If you want to fly a drone in a restricted area established for environmental protection, you must first obtain permission from the Estonian Environmental Board.

Ensure the drone's geo-awareness database is updated with the latest zone information for your flight location.

Ensure you have reviewed the geographical zone information for your flight area before taking off.

If your drone has a geo-awareness system, the operator should provide you with the latest downloaded geographical data so you can upload it before flight.

This Acceptable Means of Compliance outlines how a UAS operator should download and provide the latest geographical data to the remote pilot for upload to the UA's geo-awareness system.

Your application to fly in a restricted or geographical zone can be rejected if you have an active criminal record for an intentional crime or previous drone/aviation rule violations.

The geographical flight restrictions do not apply if you are taking off or landing at an airfield or heliport, or if an emergency maneuver is required for flight safety.

To fly a drone in the restricted geographical zone near the state border, you must obtain permission from the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA).

Until Estonia's drone traffic management system is fully operational, the air navigation service provider will publish all updates about temporary restricted drone zones on its official website.

You must check the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) before every flight to understand the long-term airspace rules and conditions.

If you see or hear a helicopter or any other low-flying aircraft approaching, land your drone immediately to avoid any risk of collision.

If your flight area requires coordination with air traffic control, you must notify them once your flight has ended.

Before you take off, you must check the official maps or applications provided by the country you are flying in to see if there are any flight restrictions or geographical zones in place.

While flying, you must follow all rules and limits of the geographical zones you are in (such as altitude limits or no-fly zones).

To help you comply with flight restrictions, Member States are expected to provide official information on airspace structures, including limited zones and no-fly zones.

Do not fly your drone near or inside emergency response areas (like accidents, fires, or search and rescue operations) unless you have direct permission from the emergency services in charge.

This guidance material explains that Member States are responsible for providing information on airspace structure and limitations, including limited or no-UA zones, in accordance with Article 15 of the UAS Regulation.

This Article establishes the core operational rules and compliance frameworks for UAS operations, dividing requirements across the 'open', 'specific', and 'certified' categories.

Specific category flights must respect the applicable European rules of the air (SERA).

Certified category operations must comply with manned aviation-grade regulations, including SERA, Air Operations, and ACAS II rules.

If you plan to fly your drone in uncontrolled airspace closer than 5 km to the Russian or Latvian border and below 2900 meters, you must submit a flight plan at least 60 minutes before takeoff and include the note 'RMK/border' in the remarks.

When you submit a declaration to fly under a standard scenario (STS), the declaration is valid for a maximum of 2 years.

You must keep a record of your flights, either in a physical logbook or digitally.

Unless you built the drone yourself, any drone that does not need to be registered must still have a unique serial number that complies with the ANSI/CTA-2063-A-2019 standard.

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.

Locate the unique ANSI/CTA-2063 serial number on your drone; you will need this to register as an operator and configure remote ID.

If the drone's design requires certification, the owner must register the aircraft itself. It cannot be registered in more than one country at a time.

If you want to add a new drone, area, or type of flight to your manual, you can add it to your existing manual sections if your current risk assessment already covers it. If not, you should create a new section.

Before you start writing detailed procedures, outline your basic flight plan, including where you will fly, how high and fast, whether it is VLOS or BVLOS, the drone type, and weather limits.

Certified drones must meet strict European aviation standards for design, production, and maintenance.

If the drone is designed to transport dangerous goods and requires high robustness to prevent third-party harm during an accident, it must be certified.

Drones designed to carry passengers must be certified.

If your drone is certified for reasons other than those in paragraph 1, it must still comply with standard European airworthiness regulations.

Your remote ID add-on must have a legible serial number compliant with the ANSI/CTA-2063 standard printed on the device, its packaging, or its manual.

While flying, the add-on will automatically and continuously broadcast your operator registration number, the add-on's serial number, the drone's position, height, course, speed, and your location (or the take-off point) so that nearby mobile devices can receive it.

You are not allowed to, and the device must prevent you from, modifying the broadcasted serial number, drone location, height, course, speed, or pilot location.

When flying in the specific category below 120 meters (approx. 400 feet), your drone must broadcast remote ID data, including your operator registration number, drone serial number, position, height, speed, and pilot position.

You must upload your operator registration number into the drone's system before flight. The drone will broadcast this and its live position during flight.

Before flying near the hospital heliports in Kuressaare, Kärdla, or Pärnu, you must ask the active flight information officer for traffic info, unless it is outside their working hours.

You can only fly in the immediate vicinity of airports if you have a Specific category operational authorization.

If you fly at night, you must turn on a flashing green light on your drone so it is visible.