Switzerland adopts European drone regulation

Under the bilateral air transport agreement, Switzerland and the European Union (EU) regulate the internationally oriented aviation sector uniformly and through a joint committee. The Joint Aviation Committee has decided that the regulatory framework for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones, model aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles of other categories) already in force in the EU will also come into force in Switzerland from January 1,   2023.

European regulation sets safety standards for the manufacture, certification and operation of drones. A new distinction is made between the three categories "open", "special" and "subject to approval", depending on the operating risk. All remote pilots who wish to operate a drone in the open category must have a certificate obtained after training with a final examination. The adopted regulation provides for mutual recognition of the respective certificates in the EU and Switzerland.

Improved protection

New maximum flight altitudes, weight limits as well as area restrictions apply. To address the concerns of the population, regulations were introduced in the areas of environmental protection, privacy and security.

Switzerland will also apply the European regulation on "U-Space". This is a set of digital and automated functions and processes deployed in a defined airspace. U-Space aims to safely integrate the increasing number of civil drone flight movements into the airspace to ensure the conflict-free coexistence of manned and unmanned aviation systems. From now on, pilots have a better overview of the traffic situation.

The Joint Committee also updated several existing provisions. Adjustments to the regulation of slots at airports clarify airlines' entitlement to slots in the upcoming scheduling period in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For fuel planning, existing requirements will be adjusted to account for new fuel or energy sources as well. In addition, administrative facilitations allow several air carriers of the same group of companies to jointly apply for a permit to perform aircraft maintenance operations (CAMO).

For Switzerland, the Director of the FOCA, Christian Hegner, signed the decision of the Joint Aviation Committee. The Federal Council approved the adoption of these provisions at its meeting on November 9,   2022. The new provisions of the agreement will enter into force on January 1,   2023.