Welcome to Europe

Flying with drones in Europe is a great experience. From the Mediterranean and the Alps to the cities, forests and fjords of Scandinavia. It is important that you know what you need to arrange to fly safely and legally. This differs between the EU, UK and other countries on the continent.

Drone Class

As a certified Dutch flight school we receive many questions every day about flying in Europe and we are happy to say that we can answer (a lot of) them. You can consider us as your gateway for European drone operations. On this page we try to introduce you to the arrangements you need to make before taking-off.

Where can you fly?

In Europe you can fly in the European Union with the A1-A3 and A2 certificates from EASA. These certificates are also valid in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.

  • Don't fly in no-fly zones and respect legislation
  • Don't fly your drone beyond visual line of sight
  • Meet the requirements like pilot number registration and certification

European Union

Required steps

For countries of the European Union you can take the A1-A3 certificate for flying drones from 250 grams and the A2 certificate for flying drones in residential areas. We provide the online courses and exams you need to finish. Each certificate is issued by the Dutch government (RDW).

Get EU Drone License

Switzerland

Required steps

For Switzerland (even Norway and Iceland) you can take the A1-A3 certificate for flying drones from 250 grams and the A2 certificate for flying drones in residential areas. We provide the online courses and exams you need to finish. Each certificate is issued by the Dutch government.

Get EU Drone License

United Kingdom

Required steps

Get your A1-A3 certificate and pilot number at CAA-UK. If you need the A2 certificate for flying in the United Kingdom you can order an online course and the A2 exam at our partner Airborne Platforms UK. They also provide a handy plastic card with your A2 certificate printed on it.

Get UK A2 License

Other countries

Required steps

If you have another destination in mind, this might be a country that is not part of the EU or UK nor a member state of EASA as well. Beautiful countries like Andora, Albania, Monaco and Serbia. It's wise to search for information about drone usage (if available), before visiting.

European Union

In the European Union you can operate your unmanned aircraft under the same rules in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. These countries are also member of EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency. The EU countries issue EASA pilot certificates, valid in all EU countries.

National regulation

Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are not part of the European Union, but they are participating in EASA as official member states. EASA pilot certificates issued in EU countries are also valid in these three countries and vice versa. Sharing the same flight rules doesn't mean that flying in any country is always the same thing. Every country has its own no-fly zones. For instance, in France and Germany it concerns towns and villages. Night flights are prohibited in the Netherlands.

Ready for take-off

These successful participants from the Netherlands left a Google review.

Dirk Schouten

Dirk Schouten

5.0/5
Drone License
I liked the online course and the material is explained in a clear and understandable way. The registration with the RDW also went smoothly.
Wim Breeman

Wim Breeman

5.0/5
Drone License
Super clear course, good practice questions and practice exam. Good online classes and very doable for everyone. It's great!
Emilia Cremonini

Emilia Cremonini

5.0/5
Drone License
Excellent training with clear explanations and unlimited resits within 30 days of access. I went through it smoothly and quickly.
Mario Schoenmakers

Mario Schoenmakers

5.0/5
Drone License
At first glance of the website, you can already view part of the training. This immediately appealed to me in terms of explanation and methodology.

Frequently asked questions

  • What are the basic flight rules?

    For flying in the open category in the UK, EU and EASA member states: a maximum flight altitude of 120 metres, always flying visual line of sight and keep the drone away from no-fly zones and not-involved persons.

  • What's the difference between open and specific category?

    The open category is for drone flights with the lowest risk profile. If you want to perform an operation that exceeds the limits of the open category then you automatically proceed to the specific category.

  • How can I get permission for UK specific category?

    You need to pass an online theory exam for the General VLOS certificate. There is also a practical exam involved for the pilot, conducted by our partner Airborne Platforms UK. You will receive an operational manual that's approved by CAA-UK.

  • How can I get permission for EU/EASA specific category?

    You need to pass an online theory and practical exam as well. Drone Class is your certified flight school. Your company or organization needs also an authorization, which you can apply for in the Netherlands. Additional costs are involved and it takes on average 6-9 months to complete this. With this authorization you are able to fly in all EASA member states.