The question nobody asks before buying
A drone sold in Europe either carries a class label or it does not: a small logo with a number, from C0 to C6. That number does not describe the quality of the aircraft. It decides where you are allowed to fly it.
It is also the one piece of information that neither the seller's product page nor the box always shows clearly, although everything else depends on it.
Where the label is
On the aircraft itself, usually under the airframe or under the battery, next to the CE marking and the serial number. Not on the box, not in the app.
It takes the form of a number in a circle, preceded by the letter C.
⚠️ The marking carried by the aircraft is what counts, not the seller's listing. The same model can be distributed with different markings depending on the region and the production run. That is why our aircraft pages never assert it above 250 grams, and refer you to the label.
What C0 and C1 change, concretely
| C0 | C1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum takeoff mass | Under 250 g | Under 900 g |
| Flight subcategory | A1 | A1, with constraints |
| Flying over uninvolved people | Tolerated, without seeking it | Prohibited |
| Minimum training | None mandatory | A1/A3 mandatory |
| Operator registration | Mandatory as soon as there is a camera | Mandatory |
| Speed limited by design | Yes, 19 m/s | No |
The difference that costs most is not the weight, it is the training. Going from C0 to C1 adds an exam, free and online, but mandatory. Many buyers discover it after delivery.
The second difference is overflight. In C0 you do not seek to fly over people, but a brief and incidental overflight is not an offence. In C1 it is prohibited. That changes the choice of locations, not just the paperwork.
The frequent case: an aircraft with no class marking
Many aircraft in circulation carry none, either because they predate the scheme or because they were bought outside Europe.
What that means:
- An aircraft under 250 g with no marking flies in A1, like a C0. It is the mass threshold that decides, not the label
- An aircraft over 250 g with no marking is limited to subcategory A3, that is, far from people, dwellings and areas of activity. It is the heaviest constraint, and it takes people by surprise
- No label can be bought. A class marking is applied by the manufacturer at the end of a procedure. A sticker bought online has no value, and applying it is a false declaration
⛔ This is the point to check before buying second-hand. The same model, with and without marking, does not give the same flying rights. The price is often identical.
What does not depend on the class
Three obligations apply whatever the label, and even with no label:
- Operator registration as soon as the aircraft carries a camera, including under 250 grams
- The operator number displayed on the aircraft
- Respecting zones, which depends on the place and not on the aircraft
Three questions to ask before buying
- What is the takeoff mass, battery and accessories included? That figure decides in the absence of a marking
- Which class label is applied to the aircraft I receive, not to the model in general?
- Do I have the training that class requires, before delivery rather than after?
Our hobby aircraft pages answer the first two for each model, and say what the class entails for it: see hobby drones.