EU Drone Regulation

In the EU, what a drone may do depends on its class mark. DJI's Matrice 5TD joined EASA's list of class-marked drones on 19 October with the C5 and C6 marks. The C6 mark lets an operator fly it beyond the pilot's sight on a simple declaration to the national authority.

Registration may soon start at 100 g. EASA proposed on 18 September that every drone of 100 g or more in the open category have a registered operator and broadcast its identity. Today the line is 250 g, or any camera drone that is not a toy. The proposal now goes to the European Commission, which decides whether to adopt it.

EASA says the 100 g figure reflects requirements set by security authorities rather than its own safety assessment. Britain already registers from 100 g.

Stopping a drone is still a matter for each country. In Germany, only the police, the Bundeswehr or the intelligence services may jam, spoof or bring one down.