Drone rules
AviationWhich drone rules apply to my drone?
The EU drone category for your drone's weight and class label, with registration, training, age and distances from people.
Your drone
What you enter stays on your device while you use this tool. Opening a shared link sends the settings in its address to HowToolbox to prepare the page.
Including the battery and anything attached.
Category
Open A1
C0 drones fly in A1, even over people who aren't involved, but never over crowds.
Rules in force since 1 January 2024 (European Union).
Sources: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (consolidated 1 May 2025); Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 (consolidated 24 June 2025).
Checked 13 October 2026
General information, not legal advice. The official text and the authority’s decision prevail.
What applies
-
Operator registration Warning
Required: the drone has a camera, even though it weighs under 250 g.
How to fix: Register once in the EU country where you live, and put your operator number on every drone.
-
Training for A1 OK
Read the manufacturer's instructions. No exam is required.
-
People in A1 Note
You may fly over people who aren't involved, but never over crowds.
-
Minimum age Note
The pilot must be at least 16, or fly under the direct supervision of someone who is.
-
Height Note
Up to 120 m above the ground below, always within your sight.
On every flight
- Check drone zones and no-fly areas before you take off; stay away from emergency response efforts.
- At night, switch on the drone's green flashing light.
- Carry no dangerous goods and drop nothing.
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The EU drone category for your drone's weight and class label, with registration, training, age and distances from people.
How to use
- Enter the drone's take-off weight in grams, including the battery and anything you attach.
- Choose the class label printed on the drone (C0 to C4), or No label or Built myself.
- Say whether it has a camera, and pick Finland to see Traficom's national details.
Drone classes in the open category
| Class | Take-off weight | Subcategories | Pilot training |
|---|---|---|---|
| C0 | under 250 g | A1 | manufacturer's instructions |
| C1 | under 900 g | A1 | online exam (A1) |
| C2 | under 4 kg | A2 and A3 | A2 certificate (A2) and online exam (A3) |
| C3 | under 25 kg | A3 | online exam (A3) |
| C4 | under 25 kg | A3 | online exam (A3) |
Classes from Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945; subcategories and training from Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Annex Part A. C1 may also qualify by an impact energy under 80 J.
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How it works
In the EU, hobby and most everyday drone flying falls in the open category: under 25 kg, in sight, no higher than 120 m and never over crowds. It needs no permission, but it is split into three subcategories by how close you may fly to people: A1 (over or near people), A2 (close to people) and A3 (far from people). Anything else, such as flying out of sight or over a crowd, belongs in the specific category and needs an authorisation.
Your subcategory follows from the drone's class label, set by the manufacturer under Regulation (EU) 2019/945: C0 is under 250 g, C1 under 900 g, C2 under 4 kg, and C3 and C4 under 25 kg. C0 and C1 fly in A1, C2 in A2 or A3, and C3 and C4 in A3. Drones without a label bought before 2024 fly in A1 if they weigh under 250 g, and otherwise in A3. Example: a 249 g C0 camera drone flies in A1 without an exam, but its owner must register as an operator because of the camera.
You must register when the drone weighs 250 g or more, or has a camera, unless it is a toy. The online A1/A3 exam (40 questions, 75% to pass) is needed for C1, C2 in A3, C3 and C4; flying a C2 close to people needs the A2 certificate. The rules are Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 and its annex, with national zones and bans on top: in Finland, Traficom sets the pilot's minimum age at 12 instead of 16.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register a drone under 250 g?
Yes if it has a camera, unless it is a toy. Registration is for you as the operator, not for each drone: one number covers all your drones and goes on each of them.
My drone has no class label. Can I still fly it?
Yes if it was on the market before 1 January 2024: in A1 when it weighs under 250 g, otherwise in A3, far from people. A drone sold without a label from 2024 on needs an authorisation unless you built it yourself.
How high can I fly?
120 metres from the closest point of the ground. Near an obstacle taller than 105 m you may go up to 15 m above it if its owner asks you to, for example to inspect it.
Is my registration valid in other EU countries?
Yes. You register once, in the country where you live, and the number and exam certificates work across the EU. A lowered national age limit, such as Finland's 12, applies only in that country.
Can I fly in a city?
In A1 and A2, yes, keeping the distances from people, but check the local drone zones first: many cities have no-fly areas around airports and government sites.
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