Becoming a Legal Drone Pilot in Germany
TLDR
For drones under 250g with a camera in Germany:
- ✅ Liability insurance required (must be active before flying)
- ✅ UAS operator registration needed (gives you an eID number)
- ✅ eID must be physically attached to the drone
- ✅ Respect airspace rules, privacy, and visual line of sight
- ❌ No pilot certificate needed for this class
Expect: Multiple days of waiting, identity verification delays, possible technical issues. You can do everything right and still be grounded for over a week.
A Practical Checklist and an Honest Experience Report
I own a DJI Mavic Mini first generation. It weighs 249 grams and has a camera.
That combination sounds simple at first. Lightweight makes things easier. Camera makes things more complicated again.
This article documents what is actually required to fly legally in Germany, what surprised me during the process, and what no short checklist really prepares you for.
This is not legal advice. It is a practical walkthrough based on doing the process myself.
The Short Version First
If your drone weighs under 250 grams but has a camera, you still need
• a liability insurance • registration as a UAS operator • a UAS operator number called eID • the eID physically attached to the drone • to respect airspace rules and privacy
You do not need a drone license or pilot certificate for this class of drone.
The long version starts here.
Step 1 Insurance Comes First
This was my first surprise.
You cannot complete registration without an active drone liability insurance. Not later. Not optionally. Before.
I completed the insurance application and received the policy the next day. That part was fast and uncomplicated.
Important detail The insurance start date can be in the future. You can already continue registration, but you may only fly once the insurance is active.
This step should always be done first.
Step 2 Registration as UAS Operator
You do not register your drone. You register yourself.
Registration happens through the German aviation authority portal. This gives you a UAS operator number called eID.
This eID applies to all drones you own, not just one.
During registration you must
• enter personal data • upload identity documents • provide insurance details
This is where my process slowed down.
Step 3 Identity Verification and Waiting
I accidentally entered my address incorrectly.
That single mistake triggered
• a rejection • a second identity verification • another document upload
After that, the review took several more days. In total, the confirmation took more than a week.
This is important to understand
Even if you do everything correctly, waiting time is normal.
There is nothing you can speed up.
Step 4 Technical Problems Can Still Block You
After registration was approved, I ran into another issue.
The system was under maintenance. My eID existed, but I could not view or download it.
That meant
• registration done • insurance active • legally still not allowed to fly
Why Because the eID must be physically attached to the drone.
Until you can access it, you have to wait.
This was frustrating, but legally clear.
Step 5 Attaching the eID
The eID must be attached to the drone itself.
Not in an app. Not in your wallet. Not in your account.
Physically on the drone.
There are no strict rules about format.
Allowed options include
• sticker • engraving • durable label
Requirements are simple
• readable • permanent • attached to the outside
Size and font do not matter.
What You Do Not Need
This is another common confusion.
You do not need a pilot certificate or Fernpiloten ID for drones under 250 grams in the open category A1.
The dashboard may show a pilot ID as not issued. That is normal and irrelevant in this case.
Only the UAS operator eID matters.
When You DO Need a License
Even with a drone under 250 grams, there are situations where you need an EU drone license.
You need the EU drone license (A1/A3 certificate) if you
• fly commercially or for business purposes • get paid for your flights • use the footage for commercial projects
Commercial use includes
• real estate photography • paid event coverage • advertising and marketing content • any paid service involving the drone
For commercial operations, you must complete the EU drone theory exam and obtain the A1/A3 certificate, regardless of drone weight.
Hobby and personal use with drones under 250 grams stays license free, regardless of whether the drone has a camera.
This also applies to sharing content online for free. Making money from it changes the rules.
Where You Are Allowed to Fly
There is no fixed distance rule from houses or settlements.
What matters is
• no official restricted zone • no flight over uninvolved people • no violation of privacy • visual line of sight • maximum height of 120 meters
Fields and forests are generally allowed if they are not protected areas.
You do not need permission from land owners just to fly over open land.
Settlements shown on official maps are not automatic no fly zones. They are informational.
Flying directly at the edge of a settlement over a field is allowed if no people are below.
Roads and Infrastructure
There is no explicit rule that forbids flying near roads or mobile phone towers.
However
• roads mean traffic • traffic means risk • crashes would endanger others
So while not explicitly forbidden, flying near major roads is a bad idea.
Mobile phone towers are not restricted airspace, but they may affect signal stability.
Legal does not always mean smart.
Height and Distance Rules
Maximum height is simple
120 meters above ground.
Distance is not measured in meters.
You must always see the drone with your own eyes without aids.
If you cannot clearly see it, you are too far away.
Which Maps to Trust
Community maps are useful for orientation. They are not legally binding.
Official sources should always be used for final decisions.
If you use official DFS or authority backed maps, you are on the safe side.
A Simple Final Checklist
Before every flight, I now ask myself
• Is this area free from official restrictions
• Is the area below free of uninvolved people
• Can I keep visual contact with the drone
• Am I staying under 120 meters
• Am I respecting privacy
If all answers are yes, the flight is legal.
Final Thoughts
On paper, flying a small drone looks easy.
In practice, it involves
• insurance dependencies • identity verification • waiting times • technical downtime
You can do everything right and still be grounded for days.
That is frustrating, but it is also reality.
If this article helps even one person avoid confusion or wrong assumptions, it did its job.
A Note on Other Countries
Everything described in this article reflects my experience in Germany.
Drone rules are harmonized on an EU level to some extent, but implementation and bureaucracy differ strongly between countries.
Examples of what can differ elsewhere
• registration process and speed • whether insurance is checked upfront • how operator IDs are issued • whether IDs are physical or digital • how strictly rules are enforced • what map tools are officially recognized
Some countries have faster systems. Some require less documentation. Some are stricter in different areas.
Even within the EU, the practical experience can feel completely different.
So while the general principles like operator registration, insurance, altitude limits, and visual line of sight apply widely, the process itself is very much country specific.
If you are flying outside Germany, always check the local aviation authority before relying on this checklist.