Can you fly your drone in Belgium?

Two separate things are easily confused here. Registration as a drone operator is required as soon as your drone weighs 250 g or more, or has a camera or sensor able to capture personal data — so it covers many sub-250 g drones too, unless they qualify for the toy exemption. The A1/A3 Drone License competency certificate is something else: you need it once your drone weighs 250 g or more, or carries a C1 or higher class mark. A camera drone under 250 g therefore needs registration, but no exam. You get the certificate by passing an online theory test with BCAA (Belgian Civil Aviation Authority), and it is then valid across the whole EASA area, not just here.

Yes — EU drone rules apply to visitors too. If you are already registered as a drone operator in another EASA country, that registration and your A1/A3 certificate (also A2) are valid in Belgium as well. Coming from outside the EASA area, you register once — in the first EASA country where you plan to fly, here with BCAA (Belgian Civil Aviation Authority). Belgium requires third-party liability insurance for all open-category drone flights — a national rule stricter than the EU baseline. Check that your policy covers flights in Belgium.

The short version: Up to 120 m above the ground (EASA Open Category). On top of that: Register as a UAS operator if the drone weighs 250 g or more or is equipped with a camera. Also: A1/A3 online training is mandatory — minimum age 16. These are central aviation rules — location-specific airspace, land, nature, privacy and photography requirements can also apply in Belgium, so always check the official sources.

What you need to avoid are the restricted zones — typically around airports, prisons, military areas and protected nature. You'll find the official map for Belgium under Sources below, and the DroneKoll app shows current NOTAMs (temporary airspace restrictions) for Belgium.

Drone flying in Belgium is regulated by BCAA (Belgian Civil Aviation Authority). The airspace itself is managed by skeyes. You will find both organisations' official pages under Sources below — those are the links worth bookmarking.