6. Drones in the European Union

6.1 Division of responsibilities between the EU and member states, and within the various European players

The division of regulatory competence for drones between the Union and the Member States is governed by Article 4 and Annex II (i) of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of 20 February 2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

A joint reading of these two texts shows that European regulations do not apply to unmanned aircraft with an operating weight of less than 150 kg.

The European Union, through EASA, is therefore responsible for drones with an operating mass of over 150 kg, while the Member States are responsible for drones of lesser mass.

To...