EASA open subcategory
Which EU open-category subcategories (A1, A2, A3) your drone may fly in, from its class mark and mass, with each subcategory's distance rule.
Planning and education aid. Not for primary navigation. Full disclaimer
Experimental: not yet fully verified. How results are checked
This drone may fly in A3. Not legal advice.
| Subcategory | Rule |
|---|---|
| A3 | Fly where no uninvolved people are endangered, and at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas. |
- Note
- Notice
Provenance
- Computed by
- drone.ops.easa-subcategory 1.0.0, core 0.1.0
- Model
- Regulation (EU) 2019/947 UAS.OPEN.020-.040: A1 for C0, C1, and under-250 g legacy drones; A2 for C2; A3 for C0-C4 and legacy drones under 25 kg; C5 and C6 belong to the specific category
- Accuracy
- A summary of the regulation as of the review date; national rules and zones also apply.
- Notes
- 1 shown with the answer
- Cites
- European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft; European Commission, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators
Something look off?
How we got thisFormula, worked example, sources, and proof
Model: Regulation (EU) 2019/947 UAS.OPEN.020-.040: A1 for C0, C1, and under-250 g legacy drones; A2 for C2; A3 for C0-C4 and legacy drones under 25 kg; C5 and C6 belong to the specific category
Accuracy: A summary of the regulation as of the review date; national rules and zones also apply.
Worked example: A legacy 2 kg drone with no class mark. Source: add-drone-suite EASA scenario: A3 only, 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas. It is golden test vector v001, and every build checks the tool still gives its answer within its tolerance.
You enter
- Class mark
- none
- Takeoff mass
- 2 kg
You get
- Available subcategories
- A3
- Note
- Legacy drones (no class mark) of 250 g or more fly in A3 only; the transitional A1 and A2 rules for them ended on January 1, 2024. National standard scenarios expired on December 31, 2025; STS operations need C5 or C6.
- Notice
- Summary of rules as of 2026-09-18. Not legal advice. Check the current regulation and any waivers, authorizations, or local restrictions: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/947/oj
Review: Not yet independently reviewed by a Part 107 remote pilot.
Last verified: 2026-09-18, when a maintainer last confirmed this tool's sources at the issuer. See the sources ledger.
Status: version 1.0.0, core 0.1.0. See this tool in the verification report.
Checked against: 6 golden test vectors (download the test vectors, each with its source and tolerance). See how results are checked and every source.
Sources
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the rules and procedures for the operation of unmanned aircraft, European Commission, Consolidated, as amended by (EU) 2020/639, 2020/746, and 2022/425. Article 4 (open category) and Annex Part A (UAS.OPEN.020, .030, .040: subcategories A1, A2, A3). Rules as of 2026-09-18.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators, European Commission, Consolidated, as amended by (EU) 2020/1058. Annex Parts 1-6 (class C0 to C4 requirements; C1: under 900 g or under 80 J). Rules as of 2026-09-18.
Terms
- EASA: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
- The EU agency that sets aviation safety rules, including the drone rules in Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945. Source: EASA Guidelines for UAS operations in the open and specific category
Experimental means this tool has not yet met the stable bar: at least 20 golden vectors, differential tests, and an independent worked example.