150m max height
Don't fly over crowds
Don't fly near airports
Insurance
France operates a detailed drone flight map (GEOPortail) aimed for recreational drone users. The map has a multi-colored scheme with each color representing different regulations. Colors are pink, yellow, orange and red.
The scope of the flight map does not cover National Parks, in that case, you must seek clarification from the authority concerned.
Take care not to fly over private land and buildings unless you have express authorization from the owner.
Who do I contact?
The body responsible for the regulation and policy framework on drones is the French Civil Aviation Authority alongside the Ministry of Ecological & Solidarity Transition. Working in close cooperation they have created a portal for all drone users called AlphaTango.
The contact information is divided into two and is stated below:
Professional drone pilots contact
Hobbyists email: conseilpourlesdronescivils-bf@aviation-civile.gouv.fr
According to French law, commercial and recreational drone users are not the same. Both groups of people are subjected to various restrictions and codes of conduct. As someone who intends to fly your drone for fun or competition, you are a recreational user.
Alternatively, users who use their drones to earn income or conduct research and tests are regarded as commercial users. The latter category fall are subjected to stricter scrutiny.
The following are the recreational flight rules:
Yes. However, it must fall within the recreational drone category. Which means if you're making money with it you need to register it and only then.
Yes. Flight in the first-person view is only allowed if there is another person who is on standby and ready to intervene should the need present itself.
A judge will weigh the severity of your crimes then decide to:
Check beforehand with your airliner to ensure you have met their storage requirements on batteries.
When charting out a flight path or schedule, avoid anywhere close to:
You are also not authorized to fly your drone close to:
If you fly your drone as a hobby or recreational sport, you do not need a license or permit. However, there are several factors that determine whether your drone falls under this category or not. If the drone falls below 800 g in weight, you are good to go.
If you are part of an aeromodelling clubs such as FFAM ou UFOLEP, you can be exempted.
You can only operate this type of drone if you are over 14 years old. In several instances, an older person (18 years and above) should be holding the certificate. The drone must be equipped with:
The age minimum is 16 years and you must have the drone registered and acquired a license to fly.
Yes. Provided you present a translated version of the document, all is set.
The France drone pilot license comprises of a technical and practical component. You can check out some of the accredited institutions which offer the best technical courses. Here are some of the practice questions for the test, in French
Those who held ULM licenses can upgrade to have them valid for commercial use after changes were made in July 2018.
The practical part of the test can be administered in the following accredited institutions. The course will cost 2000 euros and a week to complete.
Night flights are permissible provided your drone adheres to all aerial visual and aerial lighting requirements. A special 30-day permit is required.
This class of drones is that which exceeds the visual line of sight of the pilot. Legally, this category are regarded as civilian aircraft. In that case, any user must have a pilot license.
My following two recommendations are 2 great compact drones that are quite silent and also small enough to travel with and not stand out as annoying.
4k
31min
10km
No follow me
I have covered it much more in depth in my article review and even compared it with the Mavic Air 2.
DJI lowered it's price since it was first released.
The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, while you're in Romania is by consulting DJI offilicial map.
They do a great job mapping the places that one should avoid while flying in every country:
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