Aviation Law Exam Questions: What You Need for A1/A3
Aviation law generates the largest share of questions in the online theory test. Here are the rules that come up again and again.
- EASA Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945 as the legal basis
- Open, specific and certified operational categories
- Telling A1, A2 and A3 subcategories apart
- Operator registration from 250 g upwards
- Displaying your operator ID on the drone
The drone licence test is primarily a check of legal knowledge. It's built on EASA's Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, which governs operations, and the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, which sets technical requirements for drones. Your national aviation authority applies these EU-wide rules and issues the EU remote pilot competency certificate for A1/A3. Once you understand how category, subcategory and drone class fit together, a large share of the questions answer themselves.
The three operational categories
The open category covers low-risk flights within visual line of sight up to 120 m and requires no operational authorisation. The specific category applies to higher-risk operations, such as flights beyond visual line of sight or over crowds, and needs an operational authorisation or a standard scenario. The certified category covers passenger transport or the carriage of dangerous goods. The exam focuses almost entirely on the open category.
Telling A1, A2 and A3 apart
A1 allows flying close to people but never over assemblies of people, and is limited to class C0 and C1 drones. A2 allows flying near uninvolved people at a minimum distance of 30 m (reducible to 5 m in low-speed mode) and requires the A2 remote pilot certificate, typically flown with a C2 drone. A3 requires a minimum distance of 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, and covers classes C2 to C4 as well as heavier privately built drones.
Registration, operator ID and required documents
You must register as an operator with your national aviation authority as soon as your drone weighs 250 g or more, or carries a sensor able to capture personal data — which in practice means almost every camera drone. The operator ID you receive must be clearly displayed on every drone and entered into its remote identification system. Both your remote pilot certificate and proof of registration must be carried during flight and shown on request.
Violations and penalties
Flying without a valid remote pilot certificate, without registration, or inside a restricted geographical zone is an administrative offence and can result in significant fines. A common exam question asks who is responsible for a violation: the remote pilot is always liable, and for registration breaches the operator is liable as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU regulation governs drone operations?
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 governs operations, while Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 sets the technical requirements for drones and their classes C0 to C6.
From what weight do I need to register as an operator?
From 250 g take-off mass, or as soon as the drone carries a sensor capable of capturing personal data, such as a camera.
Is my remote pilot certificate valid in other EU countries?
Yes, the EU remote pilot certificate A1/A3 is valid for five years across all EU member states, as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
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