France FR
EU baseline plus French extras: drones of 800 g or more need individual AlphaTango registration and a night signalling device, and recreational flights over built-up areas are banned without authorisation.
Your plan
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1 thing to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in France
Operator registration is free. Drones of 800 g or more must additionally be individually registered (declared with make/model/serial number) on the same AlphaTango portal. Free. Allow about 1 day before your trip.
Open official page - Remote ID may apply
Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones.
- Bringing your drone in
Personal luggage from outside the EU: goods up to €430 (air/sea travel) or €300 (land/river travel) are duty- and VAT-free. Online orders from outside the EU: 20% VAT applies from the first euro (no minimum since July 2021); customs duty applies above the €150 consignment value threshold. Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100–160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- Before each flight
Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight · Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people · Check the Géoportail 'Restrictions UAS' layer before every flight (Géoportail is being retired around 30 Sept 2026 in favour of cartes.gouv.fr, which carries the same layer)
Open official page
Flying
- Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight
- Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people
- Check the Géoportail 'Restrictions UAS' layer before every flight (Géoportail is being retired around 30 Sept 2026 in favour of cartes.gouv.fr, which carries the same layer)
- Drones of 800 g or more must be individually registered (make, model, serial number) on AlphaTango, in addition to the operator registration
- Drones of 800 g or more flying at night need an electronic and light signalling device visible from the ground
- Recreational flights over public spaces in built-up/urban areas are banned without prefecture authorisation; professional flights there must notify the local prefecture at least 10 working days ahead
- Class-marked (C1/C2/C3) drones need a flashing green light at night
Commercial use: The Open category covers most low-risk commercial work. Since 1 January 2026, professional flights in the Specific category (standard scenarios) also require the paid CATS theoretical certificate (€30) via AlphaTango, in addition to any operational authorisation.
Official airspace mapRegistration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 250 g or camera) Operator registration is free. Drones of 800 g or more must additionally be individually registered (declared with make/model/serial number) on the same AlphaTango portal. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes (online, from 250 g) EU A1/A3 online certificate. The EU A1/A3 online exam is free on AlphaTango. Professional/standard-scenario flights additionally need the paid CATS theoretical certificate (€30) since 1 January 2026. |
| Remote ID | Some classes Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones. |
| Insurance | Depends DGAC guidance states third-party liability insurance is required once a drone reaches 800 g; some legal summaries describe this as strongly recommended rather than criminally enforced for pure recreational flying below that threshold. Insurance is unambiguously required for commercial/professional operations regardless of weight. Sources conflict on strict enforcement for recreational 800 g+ flying — confirm with your insurer or DGAC before flying uninsured. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Depends EASA registrations and certificates are valid in every EASA state. Residents of non-EASA countries register in the first EASA state where they plan to fly. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| C0 | < 250 g | Subcategory A1: may overfly uninvolved people (never crowds). No test; register if it has a camera. |
| C1 | < 900 g | A1: avoid overflying people. A1/A3 certificate and Remote ID required. |
| C2 | < 4 kg | A2: 30 m from people (5 m in low-speed mode) with the A2 certificate; otherwise A3. |
| C3 / C4 | < 25 kg | A3 only: far from people and 150 m from residential, commercial and industrial areas. |
| No class mark | any | Under 250 g → A1. 250 g and more → A3 only (legacy transition ended 1 Jan 2024). |
Import & export
- Personal luggage from outside the EU: goods up to €430 (air/sea travel) or €300 (land/river travel) are duty- and VAT-free. Online orders from outside the EU: 20% VAT applies from the first euro (no minimum since July 2021); customs duty applies above the €150 consignment value threshold.
- CE marking is required for sale in France/EU; personal imports of non-CE radio equipment can be seized at customs.
- Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100–160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- No customs within the EU. The duty rate on drones from outside the EU depends on the tariff (HS) code; use the French customs simulator to check.
- Online orders from non-EU sellers: 20% VAT applies from the first euro; customs duty applies above the €150 consignment threshold.
Export
- EU dual-use regulation applies to professional drones with long range or high payload.
- France's Service des biens à double usage (SBDU) issues export licences for controlled drone technology.
Costs
| Operator registration | Free Validity: 5 years (operator registration) |
|---|---|
| EU A1/A3 online certificate | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 20 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Start flying in France Residents
- Create an AlphaTango account
Register as an operator (free), using FranceConnect or a SIRET/RNA number for businesses/associations. Open
- Pass the A1/A3 test
Free online training and 40-question exam on AlphaTango, valid 5 years across the EU. Open
- Register drones of 800 g+ individually
Declare make, model and serial number on AlphaTango, and arrange third-party liability insurance. Open
- Label and equip your drone
Mark it with your operator number; add a night lighting/signalling device if it is 800 g+ or class-marked and you fly after dark.
- Check the restrictions map before every flight
Use the Géoportail 'Restrictions UAS' layer (moving to cartes.gouv.fr). Recreational flights over built-up areas are banned without prefecture authorisation. Open
Sources
- EASA – Civil drones (Open category) · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- DGAC / Ministère de la Transition écologique – Exploitation de drones en catégorie ouverte · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Ministère de la Transition écologique – AlphaTango · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Géoportail – Restrictions UAS catégorie Ouverte et aéromodélisme · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (online)−10
- Remote ID−4
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 25 %−15
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works