Apply for an operating license for the cross-border operation of unmanned aircraft (UAS) in the "special" operating category

Source: BUS Rheinland-Pfalz

You apply for approval from the German Federal Aviation Authority (LBA) and receive it if you meet one of the two requirements:

The aviation authority in your country has already granted you an operating license for your country or
You have the Light Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate (LUC) including the right to add a new operating area independently.

EASA establishes and monitors uniform safety and environmental standards for civil aviation at European level.

You can apply for your UAS operating permit for the cross-border operation of a UAS in the "special" operating category online or by post

Call up the online application on the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information.
Upload the required documents and submit the application. Alternatively, you can print out the completed online application and send it to the LBA by post together with the documents.
The LBA will check your application.
You will receive
- a fee notice and
- an operating license or
- a rejection notice.
You pay the fees.

You live in an EASA member state other than Germany.
You are registered with your national aviation authority as a UAS operator.
You have
- an operating license for the "special" operating category, issued by your national aviation authority, or
- a simplified operator certificate (LUC).
the flight of your UAS does not correspond to any of the standard scenarios.
Your UAS operation is assigned to the "special" operating category. This is the case
- as soon as a condition of the "open" operating category is not met and
- none of the criteria of the "subject to approval" operating category apply.

Note: The conditions that apply to the "open" and "subject to approval" operating categories can be found in Article 4 and Article 6 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.

Application form
Operating license
File with the coordinates of the operating area
File with risk mitigation measures

if an authorization as LUC is available:

Application form
Simplified operator certificate (LUC) with scope of approval
File with the coordinates of the operating area

if you are submitting the application on behalf of another person, for example a minor:

Power of attorney

if you are applying for the operating license by post, you will need the following for authentication purposes

for natural persons:
- identity card
- Passport or
- residence permit, in each case as a copy
for legal entities:
- Extract from the commercial or association register with
- copy of identity card or passport and
- Signature of an authorized representative

Apply for an operating license for the cross-border operation of unmanned aircraft (UAS) in the "special" operating category

Process flow

Requirements

Which documents are required?

What are the fees?

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Processing duration

Legal basis

Applications / forms

What else should I know?

Translation note