Open category flights

The lowest risk category gives the operator the most freedom. A drone may be operated in the ‘open’ category if the following requirements are met:

• Unmanned aircraft in use bears one of the C class labels: 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 or it is privately built and weighs less than 25 kg; or it was purchased before 1 January 2024 and does not bear the above C class label and is less than 25 kg.
• it will not be operated directly over people unless it bears a class C label or is lighter than 250 g. (See subcategories of operation: A1, A2 and A3 to find out where you are allowed to fly your drone);
• unmanned aircraft is flown according to open category subcategory A1, A2 or A3;
• it is flown within visual line of sight (VLOS) or with the assistance of an unmanned aircraft observer;
• it is not flown higher than 120 metres from the ground and/or water;
• it does not carry dangerous goods or drop any material.

If any of these requirements are not met, the drone must be operated in the ‘specific’ or ‘certified’ category.

The subcategory of the ‘open’ category is based on:

• the drone class identification label (C0, C1, C2, C3 or C4); or
• the weight of the drone.

The weight of the drone is relevant in the case of privately built drones and drones without a class identification label. Such drones are also known as legacy drones. Drones without a class identification label may be operated until 1 of January 2024 in accordance with the requirements defined in Article 22 of EU Regulation 2019/947. From then on, legacy drone flights will be divided into two parts, in accordance with Article 20 of EU Regulation 2019/947:

• Drones weighing up to 250 grams can be flown under the conditions for subcategory A1.
• Drones weighing 250 grams or more can be flown under the conditions for subcategory A3.

Legacy drones can no longer be flown under the conditions for subcategory A2 from 1 January 2024. A2 subcategory operations are possible only with C2 class marking drone and having passed A2 remote pilot exam.

‘Open’ category operations are further subdivided into three subcategories (A1, A2, A3) based on operating restrictions, the requirements for remote pilots and the technical requirements for unmanned aircraft. Please note: These rules only apply to drones with a C class label.

• A1 – Flying over people, but not over assemblies of people, with a class C0 or C1 drone. As only the lightest drones can be in class C0 or C1, the risk to people and property is minimal even in the event of an accident/crash.
• A2 – Flying close to, but not over, uninvolved persons with a C2 drone. The operation must be carried out at a safe distance from uninvolved persons, at a horizontal distance of at least 30 metres. In the case of low-speed flight mode, the minimum distance can be reduced to 5 metres. Also you need to follow 1:1 height and distance rule.
• A3 – Flying at a distance from people with an unmanned aircraft (class C4 or lower) with a maximum weight of 25 kg. The operation must be carried out at a safe horizontal distance of at least 150 m from uninvolved persons and from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas.

For a full overview of  subcategories of the ‘open category’ and class-labelled, privately built and legacy drones, and the applicable requirements and restrictions, please see the link to EASA website.

Please also consult the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority’s website.

What is the difference between autonomous and automatic drone?

An autonomous drone is able to conduct a safe flight without the intervention of a pilot. It does so with the help of artificial intelligence, enabling it to cope with all kinds of unforeseen and unpredictable emergency situations.   This is different from automatic operations, where the drone flies pre-determined routes defined by the drone operator before starting the flight. For this type of drone, it is essential for the remote pilot to take control of the drone to intervene in unforeseen events for which the drone has not been programmed.   While automatic drones are allowed in all categories, autonomous drones are not allowed in the ’open’ category.

Autonomous drones need a level of verification of compliance with the technical requirements that is not compatible with the system put in place for the ’open’ category. Autonomous operations are, instead, allowed in the ’specific’ category, where the Regulation includes a tool flexible enough to verify requirements with the appropriate level of robustness. 

Autonomous operations are also allowed in the ’certified’ category.