Hey,
In order to legally fly in Germany, don't forget to comply with the german "drone plakette".
Background Knowledge Drones & Law in Germany/Europe: The Drone-Driving Licence
For many years, amateur pilots regarded it as their personal right to fly their multi-copter without any rules. However, after accidents were seen and drones were flown by some pilots even in critical areas, such as no-fly zones around airports or over crowds of people, the legislator intervened: New stricter laws should now guarantee the safety of airspace in Germany and protect people from unmanned aerial objects.
But it soon became clear that the number of accidents associated with drones and quadrocopters could not be reduced in the long term with no-fly zones and weight restrictions alone. Many of these accidents are due to ignorance or recklessness on the part of the pilots. For this reason, many UAV pilots now have to undergo further training and instruction in the rapidly evolving UAV technology.
At the end there is a questionnaire in which the pilots have to prove their technical understanding and their legal knowledge. Only those who can prove their know-how receive the official licence to fly their multicopter in Germany.
Since autumn 2017 the German drone licence has been mandatory
Even in the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the drone driving licence was a hotly debated topic for a long time. Since autumn 2017, however, the regulation has been clear and unambiguous: anyone who wants to fly a quadrocopter must be able to prove that they are familiar with the flying object. If the person concerned is unable to do so, severe fines may be imposed.
Questions about the drone license that drone pilots keep asking themselves are:
- Which exact knowledge must be proven?
- Who's gonna issue the drone license?
- What costs and effort are involved in obtaining the corresponding proof?
The proof of knowledge for operating drones is certified and issued by official agencies which are certified by the German Federal Office of Civil Aviation. Currently there are about 25 official agencies that can be contacted with regard to proof of knowledge for driving drones. However, as other bodies, such as official flight schools, are currently undergoing the certification process for issuing evidence of knowledge, the number of instances and contact points is likely to increase significantly in the future.
What do drones pilots have to prove for the proof of knowledge?
Applicants for a drone licence or official proof of knowledge for driving drones and quadrocopters are requested to answer selected examination questions. These are examination questions from the fields of aeronautical navigation, meteorology and of course air law.
What many drone pilots or those who would like to become one in the future often do not know, for example, is the fact that aviation liability insurance or at least adequate private liability is obligatory for every drone pilot. Anyone who does not have drones liability insurance is liable to prosecution and risks entering precarious financial situations in the event of damage.
Thanks to
special providers for multi-copter liability policies, which offer aviation liability insurance for drones from a price of less than EUR 70 per year and
private liability insurance with drone inclusion from currently EUR 32.76 per year, the conclusion of an adequate drone insurance today is not only easy and fast, but also very inexpensive.
For all those who do not yet have a drone licence and are afraid of too much effort, the all-clear can be given: Today, it is already possible to answer the examination questions orally or online. The time required to learn the theory can be spent in a few hours. If you are a member of an air sports club, you can have the introduction to the relevant topics confirmed by the association if necessary. However, the instruction is only valid for aircraft models.
As a drone pilot do I always need a drone licence?
Drones are available in almost all formats today. The smallest of them count as toys and do not fall under the new drone regulation. Proof of knowledge for flying the toy drones is of course not necessary. The new drone regulation has clearly stipulated that only pilots of quadrocopters must have a drone licence or proof of knowledge of which flying objects with a take-off weight of 2 kilograms or more want to fly.
But anyone who is familiar with the current drone models will certainly know: Almost all top-class models of the leading drone manufacturers
exceed this weight limit by far: Both the DJI Inspire 1 & 2 and Phantom 3 & 4 are significantly heavier than 2 kg in all variants.
The official proof of knowledge for driving drones can be acquired from the age of 16 years. The certificate for flying model aircraft can even be issued to 14-year-old pilots.
Hope it helps,
GermanPilot
