Drone Laws - MyDroneGuide

Rules and safety tips always help you fly a drone safely. To get started, be sure to select the type of drone and also find what rules and regulations are applicable to your specific situation. Know where it is safe to fly and when you need the approval to fly.

The Regulations use the term UAS, unmanned aircraft system, to refer to a drone.

Drones are unmanned aircraft and are part of aviation. Drone regulations are enforced by the National Aviation Authority. The principal objective of the aviation regulatory framework is to achieve and maintain the highest possible uniform level of safety. In the case of UAS, this means ensuring the safety of any other airspace user as well as the safety of persons and property on the ground.

UAS Regulation is for “operation of unmanned aircraft systems” and this does not include indoor UAS operations. Indoor operations are operations that occur in or into a house or a building or, more generally, in or into a closed space such as a fuel tank, a silo, a cave, or a mine where the likelihood of an unmanned aircraft (UA) escaping into the outside airspace is very low.

How to follow Drone Regulations

Step 1: Learn the Rules

Make sure you understand what is allowed and what is not allowed under drone regulations.

United States – 14 CFR FAA Part 107

Part 107 (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) applies to the registration, airman certification, and operation of civil small unmanned aircraft systems within the United States. This part also applies to the eligibility of civil small unmanned aircraft systems to operate over human beings in the United States.

Europe – EU Regulations 2019/947

Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. These regulations set out the framework for the safe operation of civil drones in the European skies.

Step 2: Register your Drone

According to FAA, you need only to register your drone if it weighs more than 25 kg or more under part 107.

Register as a drone operator

Unless they are certified, drones do not need to be registered, but you, as drone operator/owner, must register yourself. However, you do not need to register yourself if your drone weighs less than 250g.

Drone Operator vs Remote Pilot

The drone operator and the remote pilot may be two different persons: the drone operator is the person that is registered and is responsible for the operation (normally, it is the owner of the drone). The remote pilot is the person that actually controls the drone. The drone operator may also be the remote pilot, or they may employ one or more remote pilots. The remote pilot must have undergone the appropriate training for the operation to be conducted.

Step 3: Obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate

This certificate demonstrates that you understand the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones.

To get your Remote Pilot Certificate, you must:

Be at least 16 years old
Be able to read, write, speak, and understand English
Be in a physical and mental condition to safely fly a drone (UAS)
Pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test

Note: To keep the Remote Pilot Certificate valid, must complete the recurrent training every 24 calendar months to maintain aeronautical knowledge recency.

General Laws

Drone operators should avoid flying near airports because it is difficult for manned aircraft to see and avoid a drone while flying. Remember that drone operator must avoid manned aircraft and are responsible for any safety hazard their drone creates in an airport environment.
Always fly your drone safely and within NAA guidelines and regulations.
It is up to you as a drone pilot to know the rules of the sky, and where it is and is not safe to fly.
Ensure that you are aware of the rules related to and the risk posed by the drone operation.
You will also need to ensure that you have the appropriate insurance cover for your drone. We recommend you check with your NAA about the drone insurance requirements.
Check with your NAA the zones where drone operations are forbidden or those where you need to have a flight authorization before entering them (UAS geographical zones). Report to your NAA any incident or accident you witness or are involved in, when it caused an injury to a person or when it involved an aircraft with a pilot aboard.

Drone Regulatory Authority

The drone regulatory authority is responsible for:

Enforcing the drone regulation;
Issuing, suspending or revoking certificates of drone operators and licenses of remote pilots operating within the ‘certified’ category of UAS operations;
Issuing remote pilots with a proof of completion of an online theoretical knowledge examination and issuing, amending, suspending, limiting or revoking certificates of competency of remote pilots according to UAS regulations;
Keeping documents, records and reports concerning UAS operational authorisations, declarations, certificates of competency of the remote pilots;
Developing a risk-based oversight system for UAS operators that have submitted a declaration or hold an operational authorisation;
For operations other than those in the ‘open’ category, establishing audit planning based on the risk profile, compliance level and the safety performance of UAS operators who have submitted a declaration, or hold a certificate issued by the drone regulatory authority (competent authority);
For operations other than those in the ‘open’ category, carrying out inspections with regard to UAS operators who have submitted a declaration or hold a certificate issued by the competent authority inspecting UAS and ensuring that UAS operators and remote pilots comply with UAS Regulation;
Implementing a system to detect and examine incidents of non-compliance by UAS operators operating in the ‘open’ or ‘specific’ categories.
Providing UAS operators with information and guidance that promotes the safety of UAS operations;
Establishing and maintaining registration systems for UAS whose design is subject to certification and for UAS operators whose operation may present a risk to safety, security, privacy, and protection of personal data or the environment.

Note: check with your local National Aviation Authority, for current requirements.