Can you fly your drone in Hungary?

MAIN RULES (EASA OPEN CATEGORY)

1. 01In the open category the maximum height is 120 m, understood as the distance from 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. 02In addition to operator registration, in Hungary the drone itself must also be registered with the aviation authority (device registration) – the application must be submitted at least 10 days before the flight, and the registration mark issued must be clearly displayed on the drone. The only exception is a toy drone: a drone qualifying as a toy, under 120 g, with no data-recording device, that cannot fly more than 100 m away.
3. 03Flying on your own in the open category requires a minimum age of 16 — the A1/A3 training at KTI is free, and the exam must be taken in person at the KAV exam centre (fee: 12,700 Ft); the certificate is valid for 5 years and recognised throughout the EU. Younger pilots may only fly under the direct supervision of a pilot over 16 who has already passed the exam.
4. 04Mandatory liability insurance – according to the authority, recreational open-category flights with a drone of up to 250 g are exempt; carry proof of insurance with you while flying.
5. 05Over built-up areas – in any town or village, not only Budapest – drones may only be flown in ad hoc airspace designated by the military aviation authority; the application must be submitted at least 30 days before the planned flight. Exception: a toy drone, i.e. a drone qualifying as a toy, under 120 g, with no data-recording device, that cannot fly more than 100 m away.
6. 06The MyDroneSpace app is required for every flight
7. 07In the open category you must keep the drone within your own direct line of sight with the naked eye (glasses/contact lenses are fine; binoculars or a screen do not count) — or use an observer with whom you maintain clear and effective communication at all times, so that together you can monitor the airspace and avoid collisions. “Follow-me” mode is a separate exception, permitted within 50 m of the pilot.
8. 08Do not fly over assemblies of people. Rules for uninvolved persons depend on subcategory, class mark and operating conditions; check the official matrix.
9. 09There is no single EU-wide distance you must keep from airports. Restrictions near airports are published as geographic zones (Article 15) whose shape and size vary from airport to airport. Before flying anywhere near an airport, airfield or heliport, check the official drone-zone map; flying inside a control zone (CTR) normally requires prior authorisation from air traffic control.
10. 10In the Budapest CTR outside the LHBP No Drone Zone, and in the Kecskemét, Szolnok and Pápa military control zones (MCTR) outside the No Drone Zones, you may fly up to 40 m above ground without air traffic control clearance; flying in the No Drone Zones is prohibited. Within 2 km of the reference point of aerodromes without an ATZ, and within 750 m of air ambulance helicopter landing sites, you may only fly with the consent of the aerodrome operator, and you must notify the aviation authority at least 2 days in advance.
11. 11Flying a drone is prohibited within 300 m of the priority national memorial site (the area around the Parliament and Kossuth Square), designated protected facilities and facilities of particular importance to the functioning of the state; it is also prohibited within 300 m of designated critical and defence infrastructure, except with the operator’s permission. Flying is prohibited in prohibited (P) airspace, and in restricted (R) airspace it is only allowed in accordance with the applicable rules.

Frequently asked questions