Drone Regulations in France

Competent Authority

In France, drone operations are regulated by the DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile), operating under the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The DGAC issues operational regulations, manages airspace authorisations, and enforces compliance for both recreational and professional drone pilots. France fully implements the EASA common framework established by EU Regulation (EU) 2019/947.

Registration and Marking

Any drone or UAS weighing 250 g or more must be registered with the DGAC through the Alphatango portal (alphatango.aviation-civile.gouv.fr). Upon registration, operators receive a unique operator identifier that must be affixed to the drone in a legible and durable manner. Drones equipped with a camera — regardless of weight — also fall under registration obligations. Registration is free and must be renewed every three years. The operator ID must be displayed on every aircraft in the fleet.

Remote Pilot Certifications

France follows the EASA competency framework:

• Open A1/A3: Completion of the free online theoretical training on the Alphatango portal, concluding with a 40-question exam (75% pass mark required).
• Open A2: Passing the online exam plus a self-declaration of practical training, enabling flight closer to uninvolved persons.
• Specific category: Pilots must first obtain the CATS (Certificat d'Aptitude Théorique de Télépilote) — France's theoretical aptitude certificate for remote pilots in the Specific category, administered by the DGAC at approved examination centres (60 questions, 75% pass mark, valid 5 years). The CATS replaced the former CATT on 1 January 2026 and is recognised across all EU member states. For STS operations:
  • STS-01: VLOS over a controlled ground area in a populated environment (Class C5 drone required).
  • STS-02: BVLOS in a sparsely populated environment (Class C6 drone required).
  • Both STS additionally require a practical proficiency assessment at a declared (DTO) or approved (ATO) training organisation, a prior operational declaration, and a DGAC-approved MANEX.

Categories of Operations

For Specific operations, operators must produce a MANEX (Manuel d'Exploitation) — an operations manual detailing procedures, risk mitigations, and emergency protocols — submitted to the DGAC for approval.

Restricted Zones and Official Resources

France maintains an extensive network of restricted zones accessible via the Géoportail Drone application (mobile and web), the official flight planning tool provided by the IGN and DGAC. Key restrictions include:

• Paris CTR: Strict no-fly zones cover the entire Paris metropolitan area. Flights within this zone require explicit DSAC (Direction de la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile) authorisation, which is rarely granted to recreational pilots.
• Protected natural areas, nuclear power plants, prisons, and military installations all carry permanent prohibitions.
• Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are published via NOTAM and integrated into Géoportail Drone in real time.

Pilots must consult the Géoportail Drone app before every flight to verify current airspace status.

National Specifics

France stands out within the EASA framework for several reasons:

• The Alphatango portal is one of the most integrated registration systems in Europe, combining operator registration, pilot training, and airspace authorisation requests in a single platform.
• The MANEX requirement for Specific category operations exceeds the base EASA standard and demands detailed operational documentation.
• STS-01 and STS-02 are formally recognised nationally, enabling commercial operators to work in complex environments with a standardised, pre-approved risk framework.
• Flying over or near critical infrastructure (highways, railways, power lines) requires additional prefectoral authorisation.
• Night operations in the Open category remain prohibited; a Specific category authorisation is required.