Can you fly your drone in France?

ESSENTIAL RULES (EASA OPEN CATEGORY)

1. 01In the open category, the maximum height is 120 m, measured as the distance to the closest point of the Earth's surface — not simply straight down, so near a slope the ground beside you can also count. Within 50 m of a tall artificial obstacle (over 105 m), the maximum height may be increased up to 15 m above the height of the obstacle at the request of the entity responsible for the obstacle.
2. 02You must register as a drone operator if your drone weighs 250 g or more (or could transfer more than 80 J of kinetic energy on impact) — this applies even to toys. Below 250 g, registration is still mandatory if the drone is equipped with a sensor able to capture personal data, unless it is considered a toy under the EU Toy Safety Directive. Remote pilot training/certificate requirements are separate and depend on the drone's class and subcategory.
3. 03In France, two separate registrations coexist: operator registration (from 250 g or with a personal-data sensor) and registration of the aircraft itself on AlphaTango as soon as its mass exceeds 800 g and/or it is fitted with an electronic identification device. The registration number must be affixed to the aircraft.
4. 04In France, the minimum age to fly alone in the open category is 14 (free online A1/A3 training and exam via AlphaTango, valid for 5 years, recognized throughout the EU). There is no minimum age: in A1 with a class C0 aircraft that complies with Toy Directive 2009/48/EC; with a privately built aircraft under 250 g; or under the direct supervision of a remote pilot aged at least 16, both holding the required training and exams. This lowered age applies only in France — in another EU country, that country's minimum age applies.
5. 05Liability insurance is strongly recommended for recreational use (required for professional or commercial use)
6. 06Paris and Île-de-France: extensive no-fly zones — check the official DGAC map (cartes.gouv.fr)
7. 07National rule (arrêté “Espace”, arts. 5 and 6): in the open category, flying over public space in built-up areas — streets, squares, public parks and gardens, beaches, promenades — is only permitted (i) as part of the operator's professional activity, with, in a populated area, a prior declaration to the prefect via AlphaTango (CERFA 15476) at least ten working days before the flight, which may lead to a ban or a restriction; or (ii) at places where the prefect authorizes open-category or model aircraft flights. For recreational use, this effectively rules out public space in towns and villages — not just Paris.
8. 08In the open category, keep the drone within your own direct line of sight, with the naked eye (corrective glasses/lenses allowed; binoculars or a screen do not count) — or be assisted by an observer, with clear and effective communication between you at all times, so that together you monitor the airspace and avoid collisions. “Follow-me” mode is a separate exception, permitted up to 50 m from the remote pilot.
9. 09Do not fly over assemblies of people. Rules for uninvolved persons depend on subcategory, class mark and operating conditions; check the official matrix.
10. 10There is no single EU-wide distance to keep from airports. Restrictions near airports are published as geographical zones (Article 15) whose shape and size vary from airport to airport. Before flying near an airport, aerodrome or heliport, check the official drone zone map; flying in a control zone (CTR) normally requires prior authorization from air traffic control.
11. 11In France, night flying is prohibited in the open category, even if the aircraft is fitted with lights (DSAC guide “Catégorie Ouverte”, §7). The ban covers “aeronautical night”: in metropolitan France, it begins 30 minutes after sunset and ends 30 minutes before sunrise. Exemptions may be granted by the territorially competent prefect and must be requested at least 30 days before the flights; certain published model aircraft sites are also exceptions.
12. 12Specific category: European scenarios STS-01 and STS-02 replace the former French scenarios S-1, S-2, and S-3 (discontinued in 2026)
13. 13National parks and nature reserves: parks and reserves that may not be overflown are published through aeronautical information (AIP ENR 5.7.3) and appear on the Géoportail map. In the core of a national park, overflight below a height of 1,000 m above the ground is prohibited by each park's own regulations, and any exemption is a matter for the park director — not the prefecture or air traffic control (Code de l'environnement, art. L331-4-1). Outside these parks and reserves, overflight of other protected areas (Espaces Naturels Sensibles, Natura 2000 sites, etc.) is usually not prohibited; it may be prohibited temporarily by prefectoral order.

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