EASA Drone Regulations 2026: Flying FPV in the Open and Specific Categories Across Europe

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) oversees drone regulations across all 27 EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. The regulatory framework, established by EU Regulations 2019/947 and 2020/746, categorizes drone operations into Open, Specific, and Certified categories. For FPV pilots, understanding where your flying fits — and what certifications you need — is essential for legal flight in Europe.

The Open Category: Where Most FPV Pilots Fly

The Open category covers low-risk operations and is divided into three subcategories: A1 (fly over people), A2 (fly close to people), and A3 (fly far from people). FPV flying falls primarily under A3, which requires the drone to be flown at least 150 meters horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas, and the pilot must maintain visual line of sight (VLOS) or use a trained observer to maintain VLOS on their behalf.

The VLOS requirement is the regulatory sticking point for FPV pilots. Flying with goggles — by definition — means the pilot cannot maintain direct visual line of sight. EASA regulations address this through the “uninvolved observer” provision: a person standing next to the pilot who maintains visual contact with the drone and can immediately alert the pilot to hazards. This observer must be trained in their role and must have direct communication with the pilot at all times. For solo FPV pilots, strictly speaking, there is no legal path to goggle-based flight under the Open category. This is a widely acknowledged tension in the regulations, and many EU countries interpret the observer requirement with varying degrees of strictness.

Pilot Competency Requirements

All drone pilots in the Open category must register with their national aviation authority (NAA) and complete the A1/A3 online competency test. This free, online examination covers basic aviation knowledge: airspace structure, weather, privacy regulations, and safety procedures. Passing the A1/A3 test grants the operator ID that must be displayed on any drone over 250 grams. The A2 “Certificate of Competency” requires an additional theoretical exam and a practical self-training declaration, enabling operations in the A2 subcategory (closer to people with a heavier drone).

For 2026, EASA has proposed updates to the competency requirements that would create a specific “FPV endorsement” to the existing certificates, explicitly addressing the unique operational characteristics of first-person-view flight. This proposal is currently in the comment phase and expected to be implemented by 2027. The endorsement would mandate demonstrating FPV-specific skills including controlled flight in attitude mode, lost-link recovery procedures, and observer communication protocols.

CE Class Markings: What Your Drone Label Means

Commercially manufactured drones sold in the EU since 2024 must carry a CE class marking (C0 through C4) indicating the drone’s compliance with EASA technical standards. C0 drones (under 250g, maximum speed 19 m/s) enjoy the most operational freedom, permitted to fly over uninvolved people (but not crowds). C1 drones (under 900g) may fly in A1 with restrictions. C2 drones (under 4kg) require A2 certification to fly close to people. C3 and C4 drones are restricted to A3 or Specific category operations.

Home-built FPV drones — which covers the vast majority of the hobby — fall outside the CE classification system entirely. Privately built drones are automatically restricted to A3 operations under 25kg, regardless of weight. This means a 400g home-built 5-inch quad faces the same operational restrictions as a 24kg industrial UAV when flown in the Open category. The practical consequence is that FPV builders in Europe should seek A3-appropriate flying locations (remote fields, designated model aircraft club sites) or operate under the Specific category with an operational authorization.

Moving to the Specific Category

For FPV pilots who want operational flexibility beyond A3 restrictions, the Specific category offers a path through standardized scenarios or operational authorizations. The STS (Standard Scenario) declarations most relevant to FPV are STS-01 (VLOS over controlled ground area) and STS-02 (BVLOS with visual observers). An operational authorization, issued by your NAA, can permit specific deviations from Open category rules — for example, authorizing FPV flight without an observer if the pilot demonstrates competency and uses a technical mitigation (like a visual observer camera). These authorizations require a SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) submission, which is a non-trivial process that most hobby pilots will find impractical.

For the average FPV pilot flying in Europe in 2026, the practical path is: take the A1/A3 online test, register with your NAA, label your drones with your operator ID, fly sub-250g quads wherever possible (fewer restrictions), use an observer for goggle-based flights, and operate at least 150 meters from populated areas. Join your national model aircraft association — most have negotiated operational agreements with their NAAs that provide additional FPV flying privileges at club sites.

Source: EASA Easy Access Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Regulations 2019/947 and 2020/746), EASA NPA 2025-08 (proposed FPV amendments), national aviation authority guidance documents at easa.europa.eu