On this page you will find the latest information about drones.
Latest News:
26.07.2024 - New locations for A2 and STS pilot exams
The A2 and STS theory exams, which are conducted on site, can now be taken at 3 locations in Switzerland. In addition to the current site of Ittigen, exams take place at Hotzehuus in Illnau and at Aerodrome of La Blécherette in Lausanne.
Find further details here: pilot certificates
Archives:
26.07.2024 - New locations for A2 and STS pilot exams
05.07.2024 - SORA 2.5 has been released on the JARUS website
26.04.2024 - Update on EU PDRA Application Forms, including PDRA S-01 for Spraying
26.01.2024 - Transition from CH-STS to EU-STS
01.11.2023 - New population density map: SORA Ground Risk
01.01.2023 - Requirements on Remote Identification (RID) as of 01.01.2024
08.09.2023 - Model Aircraft: Inspections of large models by the SMV
29.06.2023 - Subcategory Open A3 - New FOCA Guidance
10.05.2023 - FOCA Webinar - Slides Specific Category
11.04.2023 - Simplification of the distance rules for the transitional category A2
08.03.2023 - FOCA webinar on new rules for drones in Switzerland
11.01.2023 - Alternative Means of Compliance (AltMoC) on Containment (SORA 2.0 Step 9)
25.11.2022 - Switzerland adopts EU drone regulation
For operation in the certified category:
The A2 and STS theory exams, which are conducted on site, can now be taken at 3 locations in Switzerland. In addition to the current site of Ittigen, exams take place at Hotzehuus in Illnau and Aerodrome of La Blécherette in Lausanne.
Find further details here: pilot certificates
JARUS has released the latest version of the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA 2.5) method. [BSB1] This update introduces a quantitative definition of ground risk assessment and includes a general revision of the text to simplify language and enhance understanding. All documents are available on the JARUS website.
Link: http://www.jarus-rpas.org/publications (Document in English)
In line with ED Decision 2023/012/R of October 2023 amending the Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) to Regulation (EU) 2019/947, significant updates have been made to the application forms for the EU Pre-Defined Risk Assessment (PDRA) process.
The main changes include the extension of the applicability of PDRA S-01 to agricultural operations and the improvement of containment requirements to be consistent with AMC1 (SORA).
These updates are now included in the EASA Easy Access Rules (Revision from April 2024)
> Further details are available on the PDRA section of our website
A separate process is also now in place to cover UAS spraying operations for pesticide applications, which were previously regulated by a dedicated National Standard Scenario (CH-STS). This procedure is based on the updated version of EU PDRA S-01.
> Further details are available on the SPRAY section of our website
With the start of 2024, the Swiss standard scenarios are replaced by the European standard scenarios EU STS-01 and STS-02 in accordance with the Implementing Regulation for drones (EU) 2019/947.
The two major points are the type of drone, which must be a class C5 drone to comply with STS-01 and a C6 class drone in STS-02, plus the certification of the remote pilot consisting of a theoretical exam and a practical assessment.
Find all the relevant requirements regarding remote pilot certification, operational limitations, and UA specifications here: European standard scenarios (admin.ch)
Note: Operators operating under a CH-STS approved before 31.12.2023 can continue according to the conditions of the CH-STS approval.
A new ground risk layer has recently been published on map.geo.admin.ch to be used for the risk assessment of the SORA methodology. This new ground risk layer is a combination of multiple datasets. The map is an estimate of the average distribution of population density based on the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) dataset by European Commission, Inhabitants (STATPOP) and Employment (STATENT) statistics from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The use of multiple data sources, allows for a more accurate picture of the distribution of people on the ground. This layer shall serve as a starting point and framework for building out the safety case for the ground risk evaluation.
- Link to this new map: Maps of Switzerland - Swiss Confederation - map.geo.admin.ch
- The FOCA's SORA Guidance Material (FOCA-UAS-GM-Part 1) has been updated accordingly: here.
According to article 23 para. 3 of implementing regulation (EU)2019/947 in connection with the Annex UAS.SPEC.050 (1) (l) (ii) (Responsibilities of the UAS operator), UAS operators in the specific category shall ensure that each individual unmanned aircraft is installed with an active and up-to-date remote identification system as of 01.01.2024.
Drones may comply with Direct Remote ID requirements either with a built-in broadcast functionality or an add-on module that satisfies EASA requirements delineated in (EU)2019/945, Chapter III, Article 40, para. 5, referring to AMC1/GM1 Article 14(6) of (EU) 2019/947.
We are pleased to announce that FOCA has concluded a contract with the Swiss Model Aircraft Association (SMV) under which the inspections of model aircraft for which it requires a permit due to their weight (> 30 kg in accordance with Art. 32 OSCA) will in future be carried out by the SMV experts. The SMV experts are well qualified for this and will support FOCA with their comprehensive knowledge in this area. For applicants, there will be hardly any changes to the current process for large models requiring a permit, apart from the inspection activities mentioned above. Applications for large models requiring a permit must still be submitted to FOCA.
Further information on the application procedure for large models here.
FOCA has published new guidance for the application of the following safety distance rule in A3, from (EU) 2019/947 UAS.OPEN.040 (2) : "UAS operations in subcategory A3 shall be conducted at a safe horizontal distance of at least 150 metres from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas".
Further details to this guidance are available here.
After a first webinar on the rules of the open category and the fundamentals of the specific category, the FOCA has presented in more detail the conditions of the specific category and the various approval procedures it comprises. Here are the slides that supported this webinar:
FOCA has achieved that the same distance rules as for the subcategory A2 also apply for the transitional category A2 until the end of 2023 . Therefore the following rules now apply to the transitional category A2 (drone < 2kg):
- Horizontal distance to uninvolved persons at least according to the 1:1 rule, i.e. 40m distance when the drone is flying at 40m height.
- Minimum safety distances:
- Without low speed mode: 30 m
- With activated low speed mode (<3m/s): 5 m
Please find the details of the general order here (in German, French and Italian).
The FOCA webinar series in February attracted great interest with well over 1'000 participants. As desired, the FOCA is therefore publishing here:
Further webinars are planned, and the FOCA will communicate here accordingly.
FOCA has issued an Alternative Means of Compliance (AltMoC) to change the containment requirements and the assessment of their need as currently found in Step 9 of SORA 2.0
The details of this AltMoC are available on the SORA page.
The EU drone regulation applies in Switzerland from 1 January 2023. It specifies three different categories for the operation of drones: open, specific and certified. The main changes are outlined below.
For operation in the open category:
- Mandatory registration via UAS.gate
- Training with examination as specified in the sub-category (A1, A2, A3).
- Minimum age for drone pilots of 12
- Minimum distance from uninvolved persons as specified in the sub-category.
- Maximum flight altitude of 120m above ground level
- Drones must bear a CE marking and a class identification label. The transitional provisions apply to drones without a class identification label.
For operation in the specific category:
- New permit procedures are available (EU-STS, PDRA, LUC)
- The FOCA may outsource some official duties. The entities involved in the authorisation procedure will be properly qualified and training will be carried out by recognised entities.
- The transitional provisions apply to certain areas:
For operation in the certified category:
The certified category mainly concerns the transport of passengers by drone (air taxis). These provisions are still being drawn up. It may be several years before they enter into force.
Last modification 13.05.2025
