Can you fly your drone in Switzerland?

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 Remote Pilot Certificate 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 BAZL / FOCA, 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 Switzerland as well. Coming from outside the EASA area, you register once — in the first EASA country where you plan to fly, here with BAZL / FOCA. EU registrations and certificates are valid in Switzerland under a bilateral agreement, but liability insurance of at least 1 million Swiss francs is mandatory for any drone over 250 g.

The short version: A maximum of 120 m above ground level (EASA Open category under a bilateral agreement). On top of that: Register as a UAS operator (CHF 10, valid indefinitely) if the drone weighs 250 g or more or is equipped with a camera. Also: A1/A3 online training required for weights of 250 g or more (certificate valid for 5 years) — Minimum age 12; children under 12 must be supervised by someone 16 or older. These are central aviation rules — location-specific airspace, land, nature, privacy and photography requirements can also apply in Switzerland, so always check the official sources.

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

Drone flying in Switzerland is regulated by BAZL / FOCA. The airspace itself is managed by Skyguide. You will find both organisations' official pages under Sources below — those are the links worth bookmarking.