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's certificate of competency (Remote Pilot 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: In the open category, the maximum height is 120 m, measured as the distance to the closest point on 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. On top of that: You 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 also applies to toys. Below 250 g, registration is still required if the drone has a sensor capable of capturing personal data, unless it is considered a toy under the EU Toy Safety Directive. Pilot training/certificate requirements are regulated separately and depend on the drone's class and subcategory. Also: In Switzerland, the minimum age for remote pilots is 12 years in the «open» operating category and 14 years in the «specific» category (Art. 26 VLK, SR 748.941) — regardless of the drone's weight. Younger pilots may only fly under the direct supervision of a remote pilot who meets the requirements. When registering, children under 16 must name a legal representative. The A1/A3 proof of competency is obtained online and is valid for 5 years. 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 areas. 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.