What's changed

Regulatory changes published by Drone Assistant. Changes found by our monitoring are published only after a person reviews them; automated detection never publishes anything on its own. A few older entries predate our review records and are labelled as historical.

This is not a complete record of all regulatory activity. An absence of entries for a country does not mean nothing has changed there. Always check the official source linked on each entry, and each country page for what we cover and how recently it was verified.

1. Published by the authority 29 September 2026Published on Drone Assistant 4 October 2026🇯🇵 JapanMLIT/JCAB

   MLIT clarifies Category II flight routes over populated areas (29 September 2026)

   Drone Assistant detected a material change in MLIT/JCAB — 飛行許可・承認申請手続 (MLIT/JCAB), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. What changed on the official page: on 29 September 2026 MLIT announced an amendment to its Category II flight permission and approval review guidelines, clarifying how a beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight route without assistants may be set over areas where people or houses are concentrated, and updated its safe-flight guideline and Level 3.5 flight case examples. Drone Assistant already covers this route criterion as published guidance. Coverage added by Drone Assistant, not new on the page: MLIT's earlier notice that the application shortcuts for website-listed aircraft and website-listed private skill certifications ended on 18 December 2025. That date is unchanged; it is not a new October 2026 rule. The changed source is official guidance from MLIT/JCAB. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

   • ·Official page change: 3 amended passages (the page has no section numbers)
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Category II applications: website-listed aircraft and website-listed private skill certification shortcuts ended 18 December 2025

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators using official MLIT/JCAB guidance from this source in Japan

   Full detail Official sourceJapan rules
2. Published by the authority 28 September 2026UpcomingApplies from 26 November 2026Published on Drone Assistant 4 October 2026🇳🇱 NetherlandsIenW

   Netherlands: new control-zone drone rules apply from 26 November 2026

   Drone Assistant detected a material change in Rijksoverheid — Waar mag ik vliegen met een drone (IenW), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. Rijksoverheid's drone guidance now announces control-zone changes that apply from 26 November 2026 (Staatscourant 2026, 33389, Article IV). From that date the Schiphol, Lelystad, Eelde, Maastricht and Rotterdam control zones are divided into zones 1 to 4; open-category flights stay prohibited in zones 1, 2A and 2B, and zones 1, 2B and 4 require a notified flight plan at least two working days ahead, air traffic control clearance and two-way radio contact. Military control zones are dealt with separately. Until 26 November 2026 the current control-zone rules continue to apply. The changed source is official guidance from IenW. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

   • ·Official page change: 1 amended passage (the page has no section numbers)
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Civil CTR outer zones: no ATC permission needed from 26 November 2026 (military airfields unchanged)

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators using official IenW guidance from this source in Netherlands

   Full detail Official sourceNetherlands rules
3. Published by the authority 23 September 2026Published on Drone Assistant 3 October 2026🇫🇮 FinlandTraficom

   Traficom published a change to Traficom: How to apply for a UAS geographical zone

   Drone Assistant detected a material change in Traficom: How to apply for a UAS geographical zone (Traficom), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 2 against version 3. 18 published guidance items were added to Drone Assistant's coverage from the current version of this source; they may restate text that was already on the earlier version, so they are not all part of the page change. The changed source is official guidance from Traficom. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update. The list of page changes comes from an automated word comparison of the earlier and current copies of the page, recorded after the human review.

   • ·Official page change: The fee for temporary zones set by Traficom's decision (up to 1 year) changed from €320 to €370 for restrictive and prohibited zones and €460 for permissive zones; the page says the fee is based on a government decree. Permanent zones in Aviation Regulation OPS M1-29 remain free of charge.
   • ·Official page change: Zones under Aviation Regulation OPS M1-29 are now said to be published on Finlex, instead of on Traficom's droneinfo website.
   • ·Official page change: A section on applying for a permissive zone was added: an annex naming the requested Open category exemptions, the applicant's own risk assessment, a ground-risk checklist, Traficom's review, agreement with the Finnish Defence Forces, possible Border Guard consultation and public notice, the conditions that may be imposed, and amendment and revocation of zones.
   • ·Official page change: The page no longer shows the instruction to send the application by email 8 weeks before the intended operations. This is a change to the page's instructions; it does not mean any legal deadline was repealed.

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators using official Traficom guidance from this source in Finland

   Full detail Official sourceFinland rules
4. Published by the authority 4 September 2026Published on Drone Assistant 4 October 2026🇯🇵 JapanMLIT/JCAB

   Kumamoto earthquake relief extends drone certificate and registration validity to 27 January 2027

   Drone Assistant detected a minor change in MLIT/JCAB — 無人航空機の飛行ルール（総合案内） (MLIT/JCAB), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. What changed on the official page: on 4 September 2026 MLIT announced relief measures following the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake. For persons whose address is in the specified disaster area (21 listed municipalities in Kumamoto Prefecture), the validity of remote pilot certificates, aircraft certifications and drone registrations is extended to 27 January 2027. Other holders are not covered. Drone Assistant added two guidance items for these measures. Also added to coverage, not new on the page: MLIT's July 2026 clarification that a bear-prevention flight may qualify for the Article 132-92 emergency exception without a confirmed sighting; that exception remains limited to government bodies and those acting at their request. The changed source is official guidance from MLIT/JCAB. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

   • ·Official page change: 1 amended passage (the page has no section numbers)
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Kumamoto earthquake relief: remote pilot certificate and aircraft certification validity extended to 27 January 2027
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Kumamoto earthquake relief: drone registration validity extended to 27 January 2027 for residents of 21 listed municipalities
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Article 132-92 emergency exception: bear-prevention flights may qualify without a confirmed sighting

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators using official MLIT/JCAB guidance from this source in Japan

   Full detail Official sourceJapan rules
5. Published by the authority 28 July 2026Published on Drone Assistant 3 October 2026🇪🇺 European Union / EASAEASAEU / EASA framework

   EU occurrence-reporting list for drone operations needing a design certificate or declaration now covered

   Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1821 adds UAS and U-space items to the mandatory occurrence list in Regulation (EU) 2015/1018 (new Annex VI). It entered into force on 17 August 2026 and was added to Drone Assistant on 2 October 2026.

   • ·Annex VI lists occurrences to report for UAS operations requiring a certificate or declaration for design under Article 56(1) or (5) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (Annex VI, Remark 2).
   • ·Listed items include remote ID broadcast failure, geographical zone infringement, and collisions or near collisions (Annex VI, points 1 to 5).
   • ·Dates: adopted 27 July 2026, published in the Official Journal 28 July 2026, in force 17 August 2026.
   • ·Not covered here: U-space reporting duties and other Specific-category operations are not stated as covered.

   Newly added official source; its rules were approved and validated, and a person published this update.

   Affects: Operators of UAS operations that require a certificate or declaration for design. Open-category and other operations are not affected by Annex VI.

   Full detail Official sourceEuropean Union / EASA rules
6. Published by the authority 19 November 2025In force since 1 January 2026Published on Drone Assistant 4 October 2026🇸🇪 SwedenTransportstyrelsen

   Sweden: fines for certain drone-rule breaches since 1 January 2026

   Drone Assistant detected a material change in Transportstyrelsen - Drönare (hub and sub-pages) (Transportstyrelsen), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. Transportstyrelsen's drone pages now say breaches of drone rules can be punished, in force since 1 January 2026. The legal text is luftfartsförordningen (2010:770) 13 kap., as amended by SFS 2025:1070. A fine applies to intentional or negligent: not carrying the competence certificate (kompetensbevis) when flying a drone, contrary to Transportstyrelsen's regulations (1 § point 19); breaches of EU provisions on authorisation or declaration for drone operations (1 a § point 5); and breaches of the EU requirement to carry a pilot licence or equivalent document, medical certificate or identity card when flying a drone (1 a § point 10). There is no liability for minor negligence, where the act is punishable under the Penal Code, the Aviation Act (2010:500) or another law, or where it breaches an order combined with a conditional fine (2 §). The page's reminder that a drone card is needed from 250 g restates existing EU rules; it is not a new national requirement. The changed source is official guidance from Transportstyrelsen. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

   • ·Official page change: 3 amended passages (the page has no section numbers)
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Transportstyrelsen guidance: drone sanctions from 1 January 2026 (statutory scope in luftfartsförordningen 13 kap.)

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators using official Transportstyrelsen guidance from this source in Sweden

   Full detail Official sourceSweden rules

7. Source publication date unknown

   We have no verified date for when the authority published these changes, so they are listed separately, newest addition to Drone Assistant first.

8. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 10 October 2026🇳🇴 NorwaySamferdselsdepartementet

   Samferdselsdepartementet changed FOR-2024-11-01-2777 § 7

   Drone Assistant detected a critical change in FOR-2024-11-01-2777 Forskrift om ubemannede luftfartoyer (BSL A 7-2) (Samferdselsdepartementet), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. 3 published requirements in Norway reference the changed provisions.

   • ·Changed section: FOR-2024-11-01-2777 § 7

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators relying on Norway requirements citing the changed provisions

   Norway rules
9. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 4 October 2026🇯🇵 JapanMLIT/JCAB

   MLIT adds guidance on re-acquiring an expired remote pilot certificate

   MLIT's remote pilot certificate page (MLIT/JCAB) now has a new section, 技能証明失効後の再取得手続き (re-acquisition after a certificate has lapsed), linking its guidance on the return-certificate course. Under that guidance, a person whose certificate lapsed because it was not renewed, and whose most recent certificate expired less than three years ago, can return the certificate, take the return-certificate course and re-acquire it with the written and practical exams waived; certificates that lapsed through revocation are excluded. The medical-examination form text on the page (the separate sheet of the medical certificate form) was already there in the 31 August 2026 version and is not a new change. Coverage added by Drone Assistant, not new on the page: the written examination follows the 5th edition of MLIT's Safety Rules for the Flight of Unmanned Aircraft from 14 July 2026. This is procedural guidance from MLIT, not a new law, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

   • ·Official page change: new section 技能証明失効後の再取得手続き (re-acquiring a lapsed remote pilot certificate)
   • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not new on the page): National remote pilot certificate written exam follows the Unmanned Aircraft Flight Safety Rulebook (5th edition) from 14 July 2026

   Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

   Affects: Operators using official MLIT/JCAB guidance from this source in Japan

   Full detail Official sourceJapan rules
10. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 4 October 2026🇳🇱 NetherlandsLVNL

    LVNL guidance: civil and military CTR flight procedures

    Drone Assistant detected a material change in LVNL — Drone services (LVNL), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Drone Assistant has reviewed LVNL's current drone guidance and added four guidance items covering mission requests in civil and military control zones (CTRs), flight execution with tower contact, and what to do if contact with the tower is lost. LVNL states that the civil CTR procedure applies from 20 May 2026 and the military CTR procedure from 1 September 2026; these are procedure dates stated by LVNL, not newly enacted rules. The four items are added coverage of the current guidance; they are not all newly changed text on the LVNL page. The changed source is official guidance from LVNL. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

    • ·Official page change: 1 amended passage (the page has no section numbers)
    • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): CTR flight execution and tower contact
    • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Civil CTR mission request deadline
    • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Military CTR mission request deadline

    Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

    Affects: Operators using official LVNL guidance from this source in Netherlands

    Full detail Official sourceNetherlands rules
11. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 3 October 2026🇨🇭 SwitzerlandFOCA (BAZL)

    FOCA (BAZL) published a change to FOCA — Model aircraft (official guidance, EN)

    Drone Assistant detected a material change in FOCA — Model aircraft (official guidance, EN) (FOCA (BAZL)), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. 7 published guidance items were added to Drone Assistant's coverage from the current version of this source; they may restate text that was already on the earlier version, so they are not all part of the page change. The changed source is official guidance from FOCA (BAZL). It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

    • ·Official page change: 1 amended passage (the page has no section numbers)
    • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Extending an Operating Permit
    • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Amendments to an Operating Permit
    • ·Added to Drone Assistant coverage (not necessarily new on the page): Annual Inspection ('Jahreskontrolle') for Large Models

    Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

    Affects: Operators using official FOCA (BAZL) guidance from this source in Switzerland

    Full detail Official sourceSwitzerland rules
12. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 3 October 2026🇦🇺 AustraliaCASA

    CASA published a change to CASA — Beyond visual line of sight operations

    Drone Assistant detected a minor change in CASA — Beyond visual line of sight operations (CASA), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. 2 published guidance items were added from the current version of this source. The changed source is official guidance from CASA. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

    Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

    Affects: Operators using official CASA guidance from this source in Australia

    Official sourceAustralia rules
13. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 3 October 2026🇳🇿 New ZealandCAA NZ

    CAA NZ published a change to CAA NZ — Your drone questions answered

    Drone Assistant detected a material change in CAA NZ — Your drone questions answered (CAA NZ), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. 2 published guidance items in New Zealand cite the changed text. The changed source is official guidance from CAA NZ. It is not a new law or rule, and binding rules are unchanged by this update.

    Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

    Affects: Operators relying on New Zealand requirements citing the changed provisions

    Official sourceNew Zealand rules
14. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 12 September 2026🇩🇰 DenmarkTrafikstyrelsen

    Trafikstyrelsen changed BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023, § 2, BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023, § 3, BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023, § 4

    Drone Assistant detected a critical change in BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023 - supplerende bestemmelser til (EU) 2019/947 (konsolideret med BEK nr 527 af 21/05/2025) (Trafikstyrelsen), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. 1 published requirement in Denmark reference the changed provisions.

    • ·Changed section: BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023, § 2
    • ·Changed section: BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023, § 3
    • ·Changed section: BEK nr 1649 af 12/12/2023, § 4

    Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

    Affects: Operators relying on Denmark requirements citing the changed provisions

    Full detail Official sourceDenmark rules
15. Source publication date unknownPublished on Drone Assistant 12 September 2026🇩🇰 DenmarkTrafikstyrelsen

    Trafikstyrelsen changed § 13, § 9, § 9a

    Drone Assistant detected a material change in Droneregler.dk - Ansogning om droneflyvning i geografiske dronezoner (Trafikstyrelsen), reviewed and confirmed by a human before publication. Compared version 1 against version 2. 7 published requirements in Denmark reference the changed provisions.

    • ·Changed section: § 13
    • ·Changed section: § 9
    • ·Changed section: § 9a

    Detected by change monitoring, human reviewed

    Affects: Operators relying on Denmark requirements citing the changed provisions

    Full detail Official sourceDenmark rules