Chapter 1. Regulatory Framework Overview
1-1. EU Common Framework vs. French National Law
France operates within the EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) regulatory framework as a founding EU member state, and has deep historical national drone regulations that predate EASA. This bible focuses on France-specific rules and procedures; for the common EASA framework (three-category system, STS-01/02, SORA 2.5, record retention), see eu_drone_bible_v2.md.
Key principle: EU Regulation 2019/947 and 2019/945 set the floor; French national law (Code de l'aviation civile, Code des transports, and ministerial arrêtés) adds France-specific requirements. The most critical 2026 change: France has fully abolished its legacy national scenarios (S-1, S-2, S-3) as of 1 January 2026, completing the transition to the EASA framework.
| Layer | Instrument | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| EU Framework | Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (operations) + 2019/945 (product/CE marking) | All EASA member states — Open, Specific, Certified categories |
| French Criminal/Penal | Code de l'aviation civile (CAC) — Articles L6211-1 à L6232-23 | Fines up to €75,000 + imprisonment up to 1 year |
| French Airspace | Arrêté du 23 décembre 2025 (Arrêté Espace) modifying Arrêté du 3 décembre 2020 | Airspace use rules for UAS — Open Category urban flight now permitted from 2026-01-01 |
| French Pilot/Operator | Arrêté du 23 janvier 2026 — télépilote requirements | Updated pilot certification requirements; replaces certain transitional provisions |
| French Insurance | Regulation (CE) 785/2004 implemented in France; CAC Articles L175-1 à L175-29 | Mandatory third-party liability insurance — all operators |
| National Scenarios | ~~S-1, S-2, S-3~~ ABOLISHED 2026-01-01 | No longer valid; replaced by STS-01, STS-02, PDRA, and SORA 2.5 |
Primary Sources:
- DGAC Drone main portal: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/en/french-civil-aviation-authority-dgac
- DGAC Open Category guide: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/exploitation-drones-categorie-ouverte
- DGAC Specific Category guide: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/exploitation-drones-categorie-specifique
- Code de l'aviation civile: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/texte_lc/LEGITEXT000006074234/
1-2. EU Common vs. France-Specific: At a Glance
| Topic | EU Common (all EASA states) | France-Specific (DGAC) |
|---|---|---|
| Three-category system (Open/Specific/Certified) | ✅ Defined by Regulation (EU) 2019/947 | Applied via national implementing arrêtés; see eu_drone_bible_v2.md |
| Operator Registration | Required for all ≥250 g UAS or sensor-equipped UAS | Via AlphaTango portal — free of charge |
| A1/A3 online theory exam | Required by EU Reg | Online via AlphaTango or at exam centers; free exam |
| A2 "OPEN A2" exam | EU requires competency certificate | CATS exam: €30 fee; can be taken online from AlphaTango or at authorized centers |
| Geographical zones | EU framework defines zone types | France has extensive zones for Paris, airports, military sites, national parks, nuclear installations |
| Insurance | EU mandates for commercial operators | France mandates for ALL operators — household insurance does NOT cover drone operations |
| National Scenarios | Not an EU-level concept | S-1/S-2/S-3 abolished 2026-01-01; full EASA STS transition complete |
| Urban Open Category flight | C0/C1 drones allowed near people under EU rules | Newly resolved: Arrêté Espace (2026-01-01) — C0/C1 urban flight now fully permitted in France |
| SORA 2.5 mandatory | ✅ EASA requirement from 2026 | DGAC applies: new OA applications use SORA 2.5 |
| Record retention | 3 years (UAS.SPEC.090) | Same; see eu_drone_bible_v2.md Chapter 3 |
| Accident investigation | National AAIB equivalent | BEA (Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'aviation civile) |
| Airspace information | National ANSP | SIA (Service de l'Information Aéronautique) — alphatango + Geoportail for drone zones |
| BAPD (pilot declaration) | n/a | Abolished 2026-01-01 — no longer accepted |
1-3. Governing Bodies
| Body | Role | Website |
|---|---|---|
| DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile) | France's NAA — operator registration, pilot certificates, OA issuance, regulation oversight | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/en/french-civil-aviation-authority-dgac |
| DSAC (Direction de la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile) | DGAC's safety branch — oversees UAS compliance, guides, inspections | https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/exploitation-drones-categorie-specifique |
| BEA (Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses) | France's independent aviation safety investigation body — accidents and serious incidents | https://bea.aero/en/ |
| SIA (Service de l'Information Aéronautique) | French ANSP for aeronautical information — UAS geographic zones data, airspace charts | https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr |
| AlphaTango | DGAC's official online portal for operator registration, pilot training, flight declarations | https://alphatango.aviation-civile.gouv.fr |
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Quick Decision Matrix
Not sure where to start? Use this matrix to find your path.
| Your Situation | What You Need | Go To |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby pilot, small drone (<250g) | Registration only | Chapter 2 |
| Commercial operator, standard drone | Full pilot certification + registration | Chapter 2–3 |
| Flying near airports or restricted zones | Airspace authorisation required | Chapter 3 |
| Night flights or beyond visual line of sight | Special operational approval | Chapter 3 |
| Incident or accident occurred | Mandatory reporting obligations | Chapter 4 |
| Insurance and maintenance questions | Third-party liability + maintenance log | Chapter 5 |
5-second answer: If your drone weighs more than 250g, you need pilot certification AND aircraft registration before your first flight.