The EU has decided to start 2021 off with new rules regarding drone operation. The rules were laid out by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA. Previously, drone laws varied from country to country. This time, it is said to be in effect across all EU member states, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The UK is said to follow suit, too.
Under the new rules, all drones will have to be registered with the respective aviation authority of the country. These new rules were put in place to make sure authorities know who the owners are and can trace them should drones be used irresponsibly or illegally. Whether you fly a drone for recreational or commercial purposes, the rules are identical.
The new rules have categorized drone types into high, medium, and low risks. Low-risk drones do no need to be authorized but will still be subjected to operational limits. Medium-risk drones will need to obtain authorization from the relevant aviation authority based off a risk assessment. High-risk drones must follow all applicable aviation rules.
For low-risk drones sold in Europe, there will be a CE (Conformité Européenne/European Conformity) mark that indicates the product has met safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. Drones belonging to the low-risk category will also have another sub-category with additional rules: A1, A2, and A3. Drones weighing less than 250g belong to the A1 category and are allowed to be flown over people. Drones belonging to A2 are those that weigh more than 250g but less than 2kg and must be flown at least 50m away from people. A3 drones are drones that weigh more than 2kg and must be flown far away from people.
For drone flyers based in the UK, they are still required to have a flyer ID and pass the Civil Aviation Authority’s theory test before they can fly any drone weighing more than 250g within 150m of people.
DJI, one of the world’s well-known drone makers, has welcomed the new rules. There will be a transition period of two years for DJI customers who bought drones before January 1, 2021 which do not contain the CE mark. Drone operators will need to check with local authorities for more details.