Find out how much drone privileges truly cost – from free A1/A3 courses to costly NSTS training. Know the rules, penalties for deficiency of appropriate papers and see if flying unmanned is worth your price.
How much do drone privileges cost?
Flying a drone sounds like fun, even if you haven't tried it yet. On the 1 hand, freedom, sky views and fantastic images that you can boast on social media. On the another hand, the request to comply with the law, to get appropriate skills and to bear the costs associated with discipline and examinations. These are the topics – i.e. how much is the licence (or, in fact, the certificate) for drones, what are the types of permissions and what are threatened by their deficiency – discussed in the following article.
Why do I request drone privileges?
Once drones could be placed in 2 utmost categories – an costly hobby, or specialized equipment for peculiar tasks. Today, quite a few people buy specified devices just like this – for a birthday present or as a tool to aid prosecute passions in the photo-video area. However, it shortly turned out that drones can make rather a stir. Whether by misuse in city centres or by risky flights over people – the threat became real. It is for this reason that there are regulations that each drone pilot – whether recreational or commercial years – must know the safety rules. In certain situations, an appropriate certificate of competence, sometimes commonly called a license, is besides required. And since in Poland the rules are tailored to European regulations, gaining the power to fly not only over Polish meadows, but besides across the European Union.
License or certificate? Short explanation
Many people enter the search engine with the slogan “licence for drones”. This time limit is not rather precise, and so it may be hard to find the right information. Civil Aviation Authority (ULC) gives us the certificate of competence of the pilot of the BSP (Unmanned Air Ship). erstwhile you say “dragon license”, of course everyone will realize you, but for full clarity it is worth sticking to authoritative terms.
When you don't request a drone clearance
Before we delve into price nuances, you request to know that not everyone will request a certificate. If your drone weighs little than 250 g and is utilized for typically recreational purposes, it is adequate that you behave wisely and follow the main safety rules (e.g. you avoid flights over people and altitudes above 120 m). Similarly, erstwhile you bought a child's toy drone, the law frequently does not require additional formalities.
However, this does not mean that you can fly anywhere and at any time. Even a tiny drone can do damage, so you always gotta check where you can fly. It is besides very crucial whether the drone has a camera – if so, weight and additional regulations can change the full situation.
Flight categories: open and specific
- Open category – drones with a weight of up to 25 kg, utilized in low hazard conditions (e.g. distant from human aggregates, up to 120 m high, in the operator's sight - the alleged VLOS). In the case of the lightest devices, as I mentioned, training can be free (A1/A3).
- Specific category – these are already more advanced flights, e.g. in the city, over people, in BVLOS missions (out of sight), with drones over 25 kg or dropping cargo (yes, that happens too!). For this category much more circumstantial NSTS (National Standard Scenerios) privileges are needed.
Costs of open category drone allowances (A1/A3, A2)
Let's start with the good news: A1/A3 training, valid for basic flights in open category, you can do free online. E-learning platforms are available where you can pass through the material, answer test questions and – if you pass – you already have a basic certificate.
However, many people find that they like to fly a small closer to people, e.g. in the city. Then you go to the level A2which requires an additional examination and fees within the limits PLN 100. It's not a fortune, especially due to the fact that it gives you more freedom, e.g. you can get closer to smaller buildings.
Costs of drone allowances in the circumstantial category (NSTS)
If your ambitions or commercial orders require more advanced flights, you gotta go 1 step further – then the alleged NSTS scenarios, e.g. NTS-01, NTS-02 (VLOS flights with drones up to 4 or 25 kg) or NTS-05, NTS-06 (BVLOS flights). And that's where the costs start to get bigger. The span is large – the cheapest courses in the peculiar category, specified as NTS-01, can oscillate around PLN 900-1000, and the most extensive, e.g. NTS-06, can cost up to PLN 3000-6800.
This is due to the fact that training is much more advanced. You learn how to plan flights in public areas, learn about emergency behavior, and have a applicable part where the teacher checks if you can truly fly a drone under more hard conditions.
Additional expenditure: exam, OC insurance, research
- Exam: In addition to the course itself (theory + practice), you frequently pay separately for the final exam. This is usually from respective twelve to respective 100 zlotys.
- OC insurance: It is not always mandatory, but it is powerfully recommended. If a drone falls on someone's head or destroys a car, you can pay a lot out of your own pocket. OC is the order cost 300-1000 PLN per year, depending on the scope and policy.
- Medical examinations: erstwhile necessary, present much depends on the kind of training. Most basic categories are no longer required, although in any advanced scenarios (NSTS) or certified flights may occur. The cost of medical examination is usually PLN 100-300.
Flying drone without permission: Punishments and consequences
For flying a drone without required approval you can get a ticket even to PLN 15,000. It usually ends with a fewer 100 gold fines, but everything depends on the scale of the offense. If you fly where you are absolutely not allowed to fly (e.g. areas subject to strict airspace violations), police or even city or border guards can respond sharply. Worse still, deficiency of cognition and reason can lead to vulnerability to one’s wellness or life. In an utmost situation, you can be held liable for “a disaster in air traffic”, which is punishable by prison punishment.
Drone privileges step by step
In conclusion, the full process should look as follows:
- Course Selection: Depending on your needs – A1/A3 online or paid A2/NSTS training in stationary or online mode (at least the theoretical part).
- Theoretical training: You learn regulations, flight safety, mission planning, etc.
- Theoretical examination: Sometimes it is online (in the basic category), in NSTS usually already on site.
- Practical training: You learn to fly a drone under the eye of an teacher and practice various scenarios.
- Practical examination: You must prove that you can keep a unchangeable flight and respond to unexpected situations.
- Could not close temporary folder: %s: After the full you get a paper that confirms your competence in the selected category.
The cost of drone allowances may scope from 0 PLN for the basic course A1/A3, for about 100 PLN for A2, up to respective 1000 PLN for advanced NSTS scenarios. There may besides be insignificant fees for exams, medical examinations or insurance. It is worth treating this as an investment – alternatively of paying large penalties later, you gain the legal chance to fly and calm the spirit that you do not break the law.
As a result, if flying a drone is to be your hobby or an extra form of income, these expenses will come back. And if you only want to play a drone from time to time over a field under the city – possibly you just request a basic course that costs you nothing and allows you to sleep peacefully.
Legal drone flying is not a fanaberia, it's proof that you care about your own safety and others. alternatively of worrying and figuring out if individual catches you without permission, you better do it “with your head” and enjoy flying without unnecessary stress.
