EASA checks drone rules

Checks on drone rules by EASA

EASA does not check individual drone pilots, but the national authority that oversees the implementation of the drone rules. In Italy, this is ENAC (the Italian civil aviation authority).

What does EASA check?

It is officially called a standardisation inspection. EASA draws up the European drone rules, but implementation lies with the national authorities of each country. They register operators, issue the certificates of competency (the drone certificate) and supervise higher-risk flights.

With a standardisation inspection, EASA checks whether a country carries out those tasks properly and, above all: whether it applies the rules in the same way as the rest of Europe. The inspection therefore has two goals: Can the national authority handle its tasks? Are the rules interpreted and applied in the same way in every country?

Without uniform implementation, the European rules would mainly exist on paper and you would face different rules in every country.

Drone rules are taken seriously

An inspection may sound like bureaucracy, but for you as a pilot this is actually positive. It means that flying drones is taken seriously and that work is being done on a level playing field across Europe:

·      More clarity. Rules that are applied the same everywhere are easier to understand and follow.

·      Your drone certificate is recognised everywhere. It is precisely because of this European directive that an EU Drone Certificate is valid in all member states. If you obtain it in one country, you can also fly with it in another.

·      A mature sector. The more serious the supervision, the more seriously drone work is taken as a trade and as a profession.

·      A fair professional market. Professional operators compete under the same rules, without countries where it is easier to be allowed to carry out professional flights.

Which European drone rules are checked?

The inspection revolves around two European regulations that together form the basis of all drone rules in the EU.

What does this mean for you as a drone pilot?

Whether you fly drones as a hobby or want to work professionally, the rules are being monitored more strictly, and that only makes knowledge of those rules more important. The basis is the same everywhere in Europe: the EU Drone Certificate.

With the EU Drone Certificate you know the rules, you fly safely and legally, and you have a certificate that is recognised throughout the EU. That is exactly what EASA checks and safeguards.

Frequently asked questions

A brief guide to what you need to know about EASA and its inspections.

What is EASA?

EASA is the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the European agency for aviation safety, based in Cologne, Germany. It draws up the common aviation rules, including for drones, and ensures that the member states apply those rules correctly and uniformly.

What is a standardisation inspection?

A periodic check in which EASA verifies whether a national aviation authority carries out its tasks properly and applies the European rules in the same way as the rest of Europe. For drones, this concerns registration, the issuing of drone certificates and the supervision of high-risk flights.

Is my EU drone certificate valid throughout Europe?

Yes. Thanks to European harmonisation, an EU Drone Certificate is valid in all member states. You obtain it in one of the EU countries and can then fly with it throughout the EU, under the same rules.

Does this inspection change anything about the rules?

Not directly. The drone rules themselves remain the same. The inspection is about how countries implement them. In the long run, this mainly leads to more consistency and clarity.