Flying a drone in Finland: the regulations guide

1 · The open category

The European regulation applies in Finland, and the authority is Traficom (the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency). Its open category page (2 October 2026): a maximum height of 120 m, operation within direct line of sight (VLOS), a safety distance from people, never over assemblies, and no dangerous goods or dropped objects — see the European framework.

• ▸A1 — C0 (under 250 g): flying over isolated people is permitted, even in a dense area, but not over assemblies. C1 (under 900 g): no flying over people is planned; if it happens, it is kept to a minimum.
• ▸A2 — C2 (under 4 kg): in a dense area, at 30 m (5 m with the low-speed mode) from uninvolved people.
• ▸A3 — C2, C3, C4 (under 25 kg): 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas; at least 30 m from people passing by, and no less than the height (1:1 rule) or than the distance covered in 2 seconds at maximum speed.

• ▸Drones without a class placed on the market before 1 January 2024: A1 if they weigh under 250 g (or are privately built and fly under 19 m/s); A3 up to 25 kg, with the online A1/A3 exam.
• ▸Age: the operator is 18 or older; the remote pilot, in Finland, 12 or older.
• ▸Above 120 m: a Traficom permit.

2 · Zones: prohibited, restricted and UAS zones

Traficom keeps the list of UAS geographical zones (“Droneinfo”); they are published in decision OPS M1-29 of 15 April 2026 (Finlex), with machine-readable versions. Traficom warns: zones displayed in third-party services are a convenience — the official sources are always to be checked. The main ones:

• ▸Prohibited (P) and restricted (R) zones: all aerial activity, other than State aviation, is prohibited there; Traficom may grant a derogation in a P zone for particular reasons; in an R zone, the permission of the Defence Forces is needed. Examples: in Helsinki, EFP35 Meilahti, EFP40 Munkkiniemi, EFP50 Kruununhaka; in Turku, EFP45 Luonnonmaa; EFP10 Loviisa, EFP25 Olkiluoto, EFP30 Kilpilahti (nuclear power plants, refineries, State administration).
• ▸Around airports, aerodromes and heliports: restrictive UAS zones, where flying is allowed only under their conditions. The flight request is submitted to the airport’s control unit at least two working days beforehand; at Helsinki-Vantaa, five days, and permits are rarely granted there (Fintraffic).
• ▸Eastern border: in the air defence identification zone (ADIZ), a flight plan is filed no later than one hour beforehand; the restricted zone EFR100 always requires special permission from the Defence Forces.
• ▸Military zones: photographing or inspecting military zones from the air requires an authorisation from the Defence Command.

Privacy: criminal law prohibits photographing or monitoring people in private places, such as their home. Filming is permitted in streets, forests, squares or other public places; publishing images in which a person is recognisable may not be. The manufacturer’s geofencing does not automatically protect against an offence.

⚠️ Glydar’s map does not display Finland’s regulations: Traficom’s official sources prevail, to be consulted before every flight — see the coverage, country by country.

3 · Registration, exam and insurance

• ▸Operator registration: mandatory for a drone of 250 g or more, or fitted with a camera, except toys. It costs €40 for one year, €95 for three years, €125 for five years. It is done through Traficom’s electronic service, with strong identification. The number (FIN…) is attached to the side of the drone.
• ▸Exam: A1/A3 online, 40 questions (75% pass mark), valid for five years — taken free of charge when a private person registers online; A2: additional in-person exam (€50), after the A1/A3 and practical training. A C0: no exam required, the online exam is recommended.
• ▸Insurance: mandatory from 20 kg under European rules; recommended for all drones. No minimum amount is given.

4 · FPV and immersive flying

The Finnish pages consulted mention neither FPV nor night flying. It is the European framework that applies: the remote pilot keeps the drone in direct line of sight, or is assisted by an observer — immersive flying therefore requires an observer.

5 · Before every flight

• ▸Check Traficom’s official UAS zones: P, R, airports, eastern border.
• ▸Operator number on the drone; A1/A3 certificate for a drone of 250 g or more.
• ▸Do not photograph private places; an observer next to oneself for FPV.

This guide simplifies — it replaces neither the official texts nor an up-to-date check. When in doubt: Traficom, Fintraffic.

6 · Penalties: what the law says

Here is what the Aviation Act (Ilmailulaki 864/2014) provides, with nothing added:

• ▸Aviation offence (“ilmailurikkomus”) (§ 178 — it expressly cites unmanned aircraft systems and their UAS zones): anyone who, intentionally or through gross negligence, breaches a requirement concerning a drone or its pilot, a prohibition or restriction of a prohibited, restricted or UAS zone, or a condition of a UAS zone, is sentenced to a fine.
• ▸The law gives no amount: the fine is pronounced in day-fines, from 1 to 120 days (Criminal Code), the amount of which depends on income. § 178 provides for no imprisonment. A minor offence may go unprosecuted (§ 179).
• ▸A general provision (§ 159) prohibits any activity that endangers air traffic or hinders its smooth flow.

These are ceilings: the judge assesses. They are those of the text on the date this guide was checked (October 2026) — the text of the law prevails, not this page.

7 · Your responsibility, and what Glydar does

Glydar informs; it exempts from nothing. This guide reproduces official sources but is not an official source, does not guarantee that they are exhaustive or up to date, and does not amount to a flight authorisation.

The remote pilot remains solely responsible for their flight and its compliance, as the terms of use recall. Everything needed to check is within reach: the coverage, country by country, the official map and the texts cited below.