Drones and model aircraft may not be operated near gatherings of people or beyond direct eye contact. However, the FOCA may issue a permit for such flights under certain circumstances. Here it is essential to allow sufficient time for preparing an application and submitting it to the FOCA as early as possible.
For safety reasons, it is prohibited to operate drones and model aircraft within a radius of 100 metres from gatherings of people (i.e. groups of several dozen people). Operating a drone beyond direct eye contact (e.g. equipped with devices such as binoculars or video goggles) is also prohibited.
To qualify for an exemption from the FOCA, a safety test is required. Standard procedures may be applied for certain operations, and these procedures are being constantly supplemented. For operations that cannot qualify for a standard procedure, a complete safety test in accordance with the JARUS Guidelines on Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) is required.
Permits standard procedures
SORA permits
Depending on how much processing is required, a SORA permit costs at least 90 Swiss francs. Due to the high demand for permits, applicants should allow for a processing time of at least two weeks.
A surcharge up to 50% of the tax (but at least 100 swiss francs) will be lifted if the time limits are not respected (art. 6 Verordnung über die Gebühren des Bundesamtes für Zivilluftfahrt).
1. Operating above private gatherings
2. Operating tethered drones
3. Operating over scarcely populated areas in EVLOS (Extended Visual Line Of Sight)
4. Operating for first person view (FPV) racing
5. Operating of drone swarms for shows
6. Use of drone for spreading
Only applicable until new drone regulation comes into effect.
The standard procedure for requesting permits for filming and photographing minor private events primarily applies to weddings and similar gatherings. The participants at these events must be known; they must be made aware that a drone will be used and be prepared to follow the instructions of the organiser or the drone operator (“pilot”) and his/her assistant(s). This concerns groups of 24 or more people, who will be standing closely together (e.g. to pose for a picture).
The main criteria for this procedure are:
- Defined general conditions
- Specified requirements regarding the drone
- Specified requirements regarding the operator and assistant(s)
- Defined procedures in the event of a technical fault
Application and requirements:
Only applicable until new drone regulation comes into effect.
For the operation of a drone above a gathering of people and at a distance of less than 100 metres from the gathering, a simplified procedure applies as long as the drone is securely tethered at a specified location and the device cannot endanger anyone in the event of loss of control.
Application and requirements:
This standard procedure for flights beyond the drone pilot’s direct visual line of sight is intended for flights below 120 meters above the ground. The maximum distance permitted between the pilot and the drone is 1 kilometer. If one or more observers are used, they must be positioned within 1 kilometer of the pilot, and the drone must remain within 1 kilometer of either the pilot or an observer. This way, the maximum distance between the drone and the pilot can be increased to 2 kilometers, provided there is an observer positioned halfway. Observers must check the airspace around them for approaching traffic at all times and inform the pilot.
Application and requirements:
The standard procedure for professional FPV races allows an event organiser to organise and hold FPV races in Switzerland. The permit is issued to the event organiser and allows the participating pilots to operate their drones beyond direct visual line of sight within a defined and secured race circuit.
Application and requirements:
This standard scenario is foreseen for night shows (22.00-06.00) involving drone swarm over a controlled ground area below 120 m. For such requests, a minimum of 5 weeks is necessary for processing by the FOCA.
Application and requirements:
The use of drones for spreading substances from the air requires a permit. The application requirements depend on the type of drone used and the product spread.
When spreading phytosanitary products, the drone must be approved for spreading substances on the ground. If it is not, it may be certified by Agroscope. The technical certification inspection for spreading substances on the ground is carried out by Agroscope. However, it is necessary to obtain an operational permit from the FOCA for this type of drones.
In order to request a permit, you must meet the requirements of the standard procedure and send the following form to the FOCA:
Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA)
For operations that cannot be processed with a standard procedure, an application according to SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) is required.
This applies in particular to :
- Flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)
- Drones weighing more than 30 kg
- Air Show by Drone Swarms
The applicant must be familiar with the standard verification procedure used in civil aviation for inspecting safety-relevant systems. The SORA includes, among other things, a detailed description of the proposed transactions, the risks they involve and the measures to reduce them.
The FOCA has the option of issuing permits not only for a single event, but also for a lengthier period of time. For the latter, both the nature of the operation and the associated risks always have to be the same, and the operator must always fully comply with the terms and conditions of the permit.
The Application for an Operational Authorization SORA and the current JARUS SORA guidelines are available at the bottom of the page
The applicant must be in possession of a certificate of insurance in accordance with Art. 20 VLK (Verordnung des UVEK über Luftfahrzeuge besonderer Kategorien).
Depending on how much processing is required, a SORA permit costs between 90 and 5000 Swiss francs. Due to the high demand for permits, applicants should allow for a processing time of at least three months. The FOCA gives itself the right to refuse applications that do not meet this deadline. If, after analysis of the case, the FOCA can still process the application, a surcharge of up to 50% of the fee (but at least CHF 100) will be applied to applications that do not meet these deadlines (art. 6 Verordnung über die Gebühren des Bundesamtes für Zivilluftfahrt).
Further information
Contact
Federal Office of Civil Aviation
Mühlestrasse 2
3003 Bern