Poland PL
EASA rules plus a mandatory pre-flight check-in via the DroneTower app, compulsory third-party liability insurance from 250 g, and a large temporary restricted zone along the eastern border with Ukraine and Belarus.
Your plan
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1 thing to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Poland
Operator registration on drony.gov.pl is free. Pilots must be at least 16 to register directly (younger pilots register under a guardian's operator number). 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
EU traveller allowance: goods up to €430 (air/sea) or €300 (land/other) brought from outside the EU are duty- and VAT-free; above that, import VAT (23%) and possibly duty apply. Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares); checked baggage not allowed for lithium batteries.
- Before each flight
Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight · Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people · Every flight, regardless of drone weight, must be checked in ('Check-In') through the PANSA DroneTower app before take-off
Open official page
Flying
- Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight
- Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people
- Every flight, regardless of drone weight, must be checked in ('Check-In') through the PANSA DroneTower app before take-off
- A large restricted zone (currently EP R134) covers a 26-50 km strip along the eastern border with Ukraine and Belarus up to about 3,000 m; civilian drones there are effectively banned and even elsewhere border-area flying needs extra care - this zone has been renewed roughly every 3 months since September 2025 in response to drone incursions, so check NOTAMs before any border-region flight
- Third-party liability insurance is mandatory for drones from 250 g up to 20 kg (since 13 Nov 2025)
- Check geographical zones on the PANSA UTM map before take-off
Commercial use: The Open category covers most low-risk commercial work as elsewhere in EASA. Because DroneTower check-in is required for every single flight and the eastern border zone is frequently closed to civil drones, treat any flight near the Belarus/Ukraine/Kaliningrad border as needing prior clearance.
Official airspace mapRegistration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 250 g or camera) Operator registration on drony.gov.pl is free. Pilots must be at least 16 to register directly (younger pilots register under a guardian's operator number). |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes (online, from 250 g) EU A1/A3 online certificate. The A1/A3 online training and exam on drony.gov.pl is free. The separate A2 certificate of competency needs an extra in-person theory exam at a designated testing entity, costing roughly PLN 50-200 (unconfirmed exact price, varies by entity). |
| Remote ID | Some classes Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones. |
| Insurance | Yes (min. 50,000 SDR (~PLN 270,000 / roughly EUR 60,000, converted at the IMF SDR rate)) Mandatory third-party liability insurance for all operators of drones between 250 g and 20 kg since 13 November 2025; must be in place the day before the first flight. Fine for flying without it is PLN 4,000. Public services (military, police, border guard) are exempt. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Depends EASA operator registration and A1/A3 certificates from any EASA state are valid in Poland - no separate Polish registration is required for visitors who are already registered elsewhere in the EASA area. All visitors must still create a DroneTower/PANSA UTM account to check in each flight, regardless of where they are registered. |
Import & export
- EU traveller allowance: goods up to €430 (air/sea) or €300 (land/other) brought from outside the EU are duty- and VAT-free; above that, import VAT (23%) and possibly duty apply.
- CE marking required for sale in the EU/Poland; non-CE radio equipment brought in personally can be refused or seized at customs.
- Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares); checked baggage not allowed for lithium batteries.
- No customs within the EU single market.
- Duty rate on drones imported from outside the EU depends on the TARIC tariff code; not separately confirmed for Poland, treat as unknown until checked case by case.
Export
- EU dual-use export controls apply to professional drones with long range, autonomy or heavy payload capacity, administered nationally alongside the general EU regime.
Costs
| Operator registration | Free Validity: Set nationally |
|---|---|
| EU A1/A3 online certificate | Free |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 23 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Start flying in Poland Residents
- Register as an operator
Free registration on the drony.gov.pl portal; you must be 16 or older to hold your own operator number. Open
- Pass the A1/A3 test
Free online training and exam on drony.gov.pl, valid across the EASA area for 5 years. Open
- Get liability insurance
Mandatory for drones from 250 g to 20 kg - minimum 50,000 SDR cover, must be arranged before your first flight.
- Create a PANSA UTM / DroneTower account
Sign up at utm.pansa.pl and install the DroneTower app - every flight needs a Check-In before take-off, whatever the drone's weight. Open
- Check NOTAMs near the eastern border
Avoid the temporary restricted zone (currently EP R134) along the Belarus/Ukraine border; it is renewed every few months and often closed to civil drones.
Sources
- EASA – Civil drones (Open category) · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- ULC - Drones, general information · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- PIU - New regulations: mandatory TPO insurance for drone operators · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Unmanned Airspace - Poland's PANSA launches UAS intention-to-fly reporting app (DroneTower) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Militarnyi - Poland extends airspace restrictions on border with Ukraine and Belarus · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (online)−10
- Remote ID−4
- Mandatory insurance−6
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 28 %−17
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works