Using a drone in the EU
I have had my commercial drone license since 2018. I initially owned a DJI Mavic Pro Platinum but sold it when newer, better drones were released in order to hire drones as and when I needed to shoot aerial footage. When the DJI Mini 3 Pro came out and I saw the specs and reviews I quickly ordered one. It seemed like the perfect drone to keep my pilot log book filled with entries without breaking the bank. I also got really excited by the prospect of using it during my holiday in the German and Austrian Alps. It seemed that with the Mini weighing less than 250 grams I could pretty much do what I liked.
European regulations
Until I looked into it further. Germany, Austria and in fact, the rest of Europe, put the Mini 3 Pro in the A1 and A3 subcategories of the Open Category requiring compulsory registration because it has a camera. Not a problem in the UK as I have my CAA Operational Authorisation, but this is not valid in the EU.
Since 2021, EU countries follow common European regulations, which are very similar to the UK drone laws. Drone operations are to be conducted according to the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
To be able to fly my drone and use the camera I needed to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate issued from an EU country. Once I had one from the first country in which I intended to use my drone, it would be valid in the rest of the EU. I’d start in Germany and then use the same papers in Austria. From experience, both the general public and the authorities in Germany and Austria tend to be quite exacting when it comes to their regulations and the fine for not having the correct paperwork in Austria is 22,000 EUR. I needed some reassurance.
The Federal Aviation Office in Austria is Austro Control and their website clearly lays out the requirements for using a drone. This confirmed that once I had proven my competency and registration in the first EU country in which I was going to fly, I was OK. So I decided to go through with the next steps.
Getting a Remote Pilot Certificate for the EU
To obtain the Remote Pilot Certificate I needed to register with an online Remote pilot school, do the course and take the exam. There were a few options, but I found a great free one that also offered the course and exam in English at the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA, "Federal Aviation Office"), the national civil aviation authority of Germany. The advantage of doing it here is that they take you through all the steps you need to take to get everything you need to start flying. And it’s all managed through an online dashboard (in German).
If you have completed the UK course and your knowledge around drone flying is up to date, it’s not super hard to get through the course and ace the exam. I did mine, got my proof of competence and after a few days I received my registration details (UAS-Betreibernummer (e-ID) and Fernpiloten-ID).
The UAS-Betreibernummer needs to be printed on a weatherproof label and attached to the drone (the same as the Operator ID in the UK). You then need to carry the Remote Pilot Certificate and proof of liability insurance on you when you’re out with the drone. My insurance is worldwide, so that part was easy.
Start flying
In practice, of course I followed the drone code, and I made sure I flew my drone in the Open Category (subcategory A3) away from uninvolved people, even though the Mini 3 Pro is cut a little more slack due to its low weight. I stayed well away from populated areas and only flew when I was confident nobody would come up to me and question what I was doing. Although I’m well within my rights to use my drone, the general public and some authorities don’t always know the rules and I didn’t want to get in a situation where I had to defend myself.
Summary
Register with an online remote pilot school and get your A1/A3 proof of competence
Register with the aviation authority of the first EU country you’re flying in to get your Operator ID equivalent. This is valid in consequent EU countries you’re using the drone
Get your proof of liability insurance
Label your drone and bring copies of your Remote Pilot Certificate and proof of insurance every time you use it
Do your usual checks and risk assessment. Follow the local laws and recommendations
I loved flying the Mini 3 Pro. Its size makes it quick to deploy. It’s quiet. And the image quality is incredible for such a small drone.
Some links
The free course I did online at the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA, "Federal Aviation Office"), the national civil aviation authority of Germany.
A free course in Luxembourg I was recommended.
Drone Laws website. An overview of national drone regulations, additional resources, and links to sources or regulatory agencies maintained by volunteers.
DJI Flying Tips pages. Information on local rules of various countries.
Global Drone Training, where I did my UK training and CAA applications.
Disclaimer: Although I have done my best to collate accurate information, the above is not intended to be legal advice. I may have missed or misinterpreted something, or the information may no longer be up to date. Always double check everything and contact the local aviation authority or a legal adviser to be sure.
Do let me know if you find any irregularities in this post or if you have any tips or experiences you’d like to share.