Can you fly your drone in Germany?

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 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 Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), 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 Germany as well. Coming from outside the EASA area, you register once — in the first EASA country where you plan to fly, here with Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA). Germany requires aviation liability insurance for every drone, with no weight exemption — even sub-250 g models — and you must carry proof when flying. Foreign hobby policies often exclude this, so verify coverage for Germany before you go.

The short version: Max. 120 m above ground level (AGL) in the open category. On top of that: Registration for items weighing 250 g or more (or less than 250 g if photographed) — LBA registration number. Also: LBA operator registration is subject to a fee — minimum age is 16. The registration number (e-ID) must be clearly visible on the drone. These are central aviation rules — location-specific airspace, land, nature, privacy and photography requirements can also apply in Germany, so always check the official sources.

The no-go areas are the restricted zones — typically around airports, prisons, military sites and protected nature. In Germany you can see every zone on the interactive map on this page, and in the DroneKoll app wherever you are standing.

Drone flying in Germany is regulated by Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA). The airspace itself is managed by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung. You will find both organisations' official pages under Sources below — those are the links worth bookmarking.