Can You Bring a Drone to Germany? || Drone laws in Germany

Germany is a country in Europe with all the beauty that nature can give to a specific region. There are mountains, water bodies, grassy hills, buildings, beautiful historical places, and a great history. This beauty or area can be captured in the eye of a drone camera.

Can you bring a drone to Germany?

Yes, you can bring and fly a drone in Germany, but here are the regulations you need to follow. In Germany, drone rules are controlled by FAO(Federal Aviation Office) and EASA(European Union Aviation Safety Agency). You need to register your drone in Germany.

In this article, I have not only told you about the Agencies controlling the rules but also the rules and regulations. Germany also has made some rules for foreigners, so if you are from the USA or another country, this article can tell you precisely what to do to fly your drone in Germany. Keep Reading.

What authorities control drone rules in Germany?

Two authorities control the drone rules in Germany. The first is FAO(Federal Aviation Office), and the second is EASA(European Union Aviation Safety Agency). The EASA controls drone rules in all of Europe.

The FAO specially controls all the local drone rules in Germany. The German federal government establishes this FAO authority. The second name of this authority is LBA(Luftfahrt-Bundesamt). FAO controls all the permits for commercial and recreational drone pilots.

If you visit Germany, you need first to meet a person from FAO who will tell you the latest rules and laws in Germany. FAO also controls all drone operations and enforces safety measures in the country’s airspace.

There are so many regions in Germany. You might not be allowed to fly a drone in specific areas, and this authority controls those rules.

Some places in Germany have local rules, like villages or small towns; FAO doesn’t control the laws in those places. These places have their own drone rules. The regulations that the FAO has made contain everything related to drones.

What are the rules to follow to fly a drone in Germany?

All the drone rules of Germany are controlled by the two authorities, FAO and EASA. These two organizations allow you to fly your drone in Germany, whether a foreigner or non-European. Germany’s rules are so flexible and strict for all of Germany.

At the end of 2020, all the drone rules of Germany were applied to the whole of Europe. Now in this time, Europe has the same drone laws as Germany. The good thing for you is that if you learn all German drone laws, you can fly your drone anywhere in Europe.

But you can still fly a drone anywhere in Europe. There are certain places in Europe where flying a drone is not allowed. All this discussion means is you will know the drone rules of Europe. This benefits people who travel, are students or are commercial drone pilots.

So below are all of the drone rules of Germany:

Standard Drone Rules in Germany:

Weight of Drone: If your drone weighs less than 25 kilograms when it takes off or lands, it will fall in the open category, and you can fly it openly. If it weighs more than 25 kilograms, it is not allowed to fly your drone openly.

Visual Line of Sight: If your drone weighs less than 25 kilograms, you should fly it only within your visible line of sight. It means that when you are flying your drone, it should be seen with the naked eye. It would help if you did not fly it with the drone goggles.

Age Restriction: If your drone is less than 25 kilograms, then to fly it, you need to be at least 16 years old. If you are younger than then, your age is the problem.

Strict Drone Rules in Germany:

In this rule, you must be very aware of the people, buildings and your flying drone behavior. In this category, the standard drone rules in Germany are also included.

Strict drone rules are below:

Flying Drone Over People: You are allowed to fly a drone over people, but you need to be aware that if you keep flying drones over people, you are violating the laws. Flying drone over people accidentally is forgivable. 

Drone Over Crowds: Do not fly your drone when there are so many people in the street. People can be frustrated by your drone noise and call the police. 

Pilot’s Qualifications: If you want to fly a drone over people, you must be at least 16 years old, have gotten the FAO training, and read all the drone rules.

More Strict Drone Laws:

These are the simple but stringent drone laws in Germany. If you are flying a drone in Germany that is bigger, like a size of a car or a bike, then you need to keep this kind of drone away from the people, and it should be at least 30 meters away.

This drone pilot must be at least 16 years old, have a pilot permit, have passed the online exam related to the drone rules, and have passed the practical or physical drone rules with a person from FAO.

Insurance Certificate: If your drone weighs more than 500 grams, you must register it online or visit the FAO office. This insurance certificate should always be in your pocket when flying a drone.

A Badge on the Drone: In these laws, your drone must have a chit displayed, which tells that this specific drone has passed the tests the German government requires. This rule is specially made for recreational users with drones weighing less than 250g.

Flying Drone Near Properties: You can fly a drone near the properties, but you need to be aware of the local rules about flying a drone near the property. If you are flying a drone over a property, you need to ask permission from the property owner.

Consent of People: If you fly your drone over a property, you need first to get authorization from the property owner; you should also ask for permission to shoot the videos of his property. If, while flying the drone, there are some people in your drone footage, you also need to ask their permission.

Drone Flying Rules: You cannot fly your drone above 400 feet in Germany. If you do fly, keep in mind that there is some airspace where other aircraft also fly. So do not exceed the limit of 400 feet. No matter what your drone is, please ensure that it remains within your visual line of sight.

READ MORE: Can you bring a drone to Canada?

What are the German drone rules for foreigners?

I will share the drone rules here for people from other countries rather than for Europe. Another important thing that should be considered is that the Germans still have some different laws from the other European countries, but they are similar.

If you go to Germany from France, Paris, or other countries in Europe and you are not a resident of Europe, then the drone rules below are not for you because you are a non-European and are a foreigner.

If you lived in Europe and were raised here and you have a nationality of Europe, if you go to Germany from somewhere else country of Europe, then the rules are written below or only for you.

• The first and most important rule as a drone pilot foreigner in Germany, you need to register your drone. You need to read and remember the drone rules the German government makes. Drone registration is a must for a foreigner.

• After registering your drone, you need to get the sticker from the Aviation authority. That sticker will be the evidence for you that your drone is registered. Make sure that the sticker is taped on your drone.

• In Germany, you can only fly your drone near or in the airports, even with authorization. If you want to know more about the places where you are not allowed to fly your drone, then you can visit the official website of EASA.

• There is a special fee for foreigners they must pay to register a drone in German. If you come to German from another country, then you will need to pay the cost accordingly.

People who are citizens of Europe countries do not need to register their drones again and again. They need to show the registration sticker and the documents that the FAO or EASA will give them.

What are the drone flying rules for non-Europeans?

For the people of the rest of the world, like the USA, India, China, or any other countries, there are different rules for them. So now it is time to know the rules for non-Europeans, specifically for the people from the USA, India, Pakistan, China and other Asian countries.

• You will need to get a remote pilot certificate wherever you go in Europe. If you revisit Germany, you will need the remote pilot certificate as an outsider from Europe. You will also need to register your drone in Germany or other European countries.

• You will also need to pass the same exam that the natives need to give. But if we discuss the exam in more detail, you will also need to pass the exam with good grades.

• As for a foreigner, if you visit Germany and register your drone and get the remote pilot certificate, then keep in mind that all documents will expire after five years. Before they get, expire you need to renew them.

• Suppose you get the drone remote pilot certificate and register it after this. In that case, you need to remember always that Europe is not your home country, so for that, you will need to keep all of your documents for flying a drone in Germany safe and also should always be in your drone bag or your pocket.

READ MORE: Can you bring a drone to South Africa?

How to register the drone in Germany?

Before going into the process, let me tell you that if you have registered your drone, someone else is flying your drone in front of you, and all of a sudden, the officers come up and ask for the certification.

There will be many problems because the FAO stated that the person who registered the drone is the only person who can fly it.

Therefore, you should always keep your drone in your hands and never give it to anyone else. Everything is in your own hands. Refraining from making mistakes will never stop you from becoming a good or professional drone pilot.

So now let’s head towards the step-by-step guide in which I will tell you what you need to do to register your drone in Germany.

• In the first step, you will need to reach the requirements of the German government for registering the drone in Germany. The drone must weigh over 250 grams, and you need to have completed the necessary pilot training.

• In the second step, you need to register your drone with the German Aviation Authorities, and for that, you will need to visit the German aviation authority’s website, Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA). Open this website, and in the menu, find “Drones”. Hover your cursor on it and open the “Operator registration”.

• In the third step, click on the Operator registration, which will take you to the form where you need to fill in your details.

Quick Tip: The website is in German, so make sure you use the google Translate extension with your chrome browser.

• In the fourth step, you will need to provide information about yourself, such as your name, address, and contact information. You will also need to provide information about your drone, such as the make and model, the serial number, and the weight.

• In the fifth step, you will need to pay some fee for registering your drone in Germany. The cost can differentiate because it is a significant difference between the currencies.

• In the sixth step, you need to wait some days, and the aviation authority will send you an email in which you will be approved or denied for flying a drone in Germany; if approved, there will be the registration number of your drone.

Lastly, you are allowed to fly your drone in Germany without any worries, but you need to keep following the rules, and the excellent rule for you is not to fly your drone in the dark. Fly your drone only in the daytime.

What are the rules for recreational and commercial drone users in Germany?

There are two differences between drone pilots number one is the commercial drone pilot, and the second one is the recreational drone pilot. Whatever you are, there are excellent drone rules in Germany that you need to follow in case you want to fly your drone in Germany without fines.

If you are a recreational drone pilot:

If you are a recreational drone pilot, in most countries, recreational drone pilots do not need to get drone pilot certificates and all the required stuff. But if there are no requirements, it doesn’t mean there are no rules for them.

You cannot fly more than 100 meters in Germany if you are a recreational drone pilot. You cannot fly your drone while wearing VR glasses or FPV goggles. If your drone weighs less than 250 grams, you must register and fly it in only your visual line of sight.

For recreational drone pilots, your drone should weigh less than 5 kilograms when it takes off or land. It would help if you also got drone insurance, and your drone must have a chit on it which declares that the drone is registered.

If you are a commercial drone pilot:

The first and number one rule is crucial for everybody, whether he is a native of Europe or a foreigner, and that is to follow all of the drone rules that the German government makes.

If you want to fly your drone commercially in Germany and also want to fly it without problems, then you need to register your drone correctly, get the permit, and your drone should weigh at most 25 kilograms when it takes off or land.

Third-party insurance is critical for a commercial drone pilot, and also you need to be approved by EASA, and your age should be more than 18 years(Keep in mind it is not 16).

Is flying DJI mini 2 allowed in Germany?

Yes, you can fly a DJI mini 2 drone in Germany. But there are some excellent rules and regulations that you need to follow. The most important ones are down below.

• Your drone should weigh less than 250g.

• Your drone should not be flown above 100 meters from the ground level.

• It would help if you did not fly your drone near the airports or all of the restricted areas.

• Before flying a drone in Germany, please read all the drone rules from the aviation website or the authority’s website that controls the laws of that specific area in Germany.

Most of the time, the DJI mini 2 drone is called a basic drone and weighs less than 250g, making it the best drone for recreational drone pilots. Ensure you stay within the drone’s weight and keep the drone’s type the same.

If you have installed the propeller guards with your drone, consider removing them because they can increase the weight of your drone.

What are the places where you can fly a drone in Germany?

If you want to travel to Germany and fly your drone there and also need to figure out the best places in Germany to fly a drone, below are the best places to fly your drone. The most important thing you must remember is to read the drone rules for specific areas before flying.

Below are some of the best places where you can fly your drone:

• The Bavarian Alps: The Bavarian Alps are an excellent place to fly a drone, with stunning views of snow-capped peaks, beautiful lakes, and pristine forests.

• The Black Forest: The Black Forest in southwestern Germany offers an incredible natural landscape of dense forests, cascading waterfalls, and beautiful lakes that will make for some stunning drone shots.

• The Rhine Valley: The Rhine Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site that offers breathtaking views of the winding river, castles, and vineyards. Flying a drone here will give you a unique perspective of the beautiful scenery.

• The Baltic Sea Coast: The Baltic Sea Coast provides an opportunity to capture aerial footage of beautiful beaches, rocky cliffs, and quaint fishing villages.

• The Berlin Wall: The Berlin Wall is a significant historical landmark, and flying a drone over it will give you a unique perspective of the iconic structure and surrounding areas.

• The Moselle Valley: The Moselle Valley is a scenic wine-growing region that offers incredible aerial views of the meandering river and vineyards that cover the steep hillsides.

• The Zugspitze: The Zugspitze is Germany’s highest peak, and flying a drone over it will give you stunning views of the surrounding landscape and the snow-capped mountain.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Do not fly your drone anywhere without reading Germany’s drone rules. The best practice is to ask for the help of the natives.

Important FAQs

Final Thoughts

Germany has a rich history, stunning architecture, and breathtaking natural scenery. If you want to see all these places, you must visit Germany.

There are so many places where only traveling can give you so much content, and you can make so much drone footage. The question is: Can you bring a drone to Germany?

Yes, you can fly a drone in Germany. You will need to understand and remember the drone laws that the FAO and EASA settle. Germany offers every person to bring his drone to Germany and capture the beauty of Germany.

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Have you ever seen Germany with the eye of a bird?