Flying a drone in France: the complete guide to the 2026 regulations

1 · The open category

The vast majority of leisure flights take place in the open category of the European regulation: no prior authorisation, provided its limits are respected. A drone under 25 kg, flown within direct line of sight (VLOS), never over assemblies of people, and 120 metres of height at most — when the zone does not say less. The framework common to Europe, and the reason why this guide covers only this category, are explained in the European guide.

• ▸A1 — flying over uninvolved people is possible with a drone under 250 g (never over an assembly).
• ▸A2 — flying close to people: 30 m, or 5 m in low-speed mode, with an additional exam.
• ▸A3 — far from people and built-up areas, at least 150 m away: the natural regime of FPV.

France adds its national rules to the European framework: night flying is prohibited in the open category (a derogation can be requested from the prefect, 30 days beforehand); in built-up areas, flying in public spaces is prohibited except in accordance with the “Espace” order (the remark carried by the official map on most of its zones); electronic identification above 800 g.

2 · Heights: the 5 official tiers

The official DGAC / IGN map divides the territory into maximum-height tiers: 0, 30, 50, 60 and 100 m — and 120 m everywhere else. This is the exact scale Glydar uses — same palette, same reading. A “flyable” spot is flyable up to its ceiling: 50 m near an aerodrome is not 120 m in the countryside.

3 · Zones & airspace

Three families of constraints overlap: the permanent zones (airport CTRs, military zones, sensitive sites), the temporary restrictions (NOTAM, SUP-AIP — active for a few hours or a few days), and the protected natural areas, which are not all closed to overflight but where it disturbs wildlife that cannot complain.

No map — ours included — replaces checking the day’s NOTAMs: the official map does not cover temporary prohibitions. Glydar tells temporary from permanent with a dotted line, and says so when it does not know.

On the official map, two remarks come up most often: “flying prohibited in public spaces in built-up areas except in accordance with the Espace order”, and, in some zones, a mandatory prior notification for aircraft over 900 g.

4 · Registration & training

• ▸Drone over 250 g, or fitted with a camera (toys excepted): operator registration on AlphaTango is mandatory (free of charge).
• ▸Online training and a 40-question exam for the A1/A3 subcategory; practical training and an additional 30-question exam for the A2. The certificates are recognised throughout the European Union.
• ▸Electronic identification is mandatory above 800 g: its identification number is declared in AlphaTango.

5 · FPV and immersive flying

Immersive flying is legal in France with an observer: a second person keeps the drone in direct line of sight and can alert the pilot. Without an observer, leisure FPV flying is not compliant — it is the most ignored rule of the hobby, and the easiest to follow.

On the video side, 5.8 GHz transmitters are power-limited, and 25 mW is the common licence-free value: check the ARCEP decision in force for the equipment in use. Frequencies are coordinated between pilots — which is exactly what Glydar sessions do.

6 · Before every flight

• ▸Check the zone and its ceiling on the official map — or on Glydar, which reproduces it.
• ▸Check the day’s NOTAMs for temporary restrictions.
• ▸Look at the wind at flying height, not only at ground level.
• ▸Third-party liability insurance: check that it covers model aircraft flying.

This guide simplifies — it replaces neither the official texts nor an up-to-date check. When in doubt: DGAC, cartes.gouv.fr, NOTAM.

7 · Penalties: what the law says

Flying outside the rules is not only a matter of a fine: the Transport Code provides for criminal penalties, and they target the remote pilot. Here are those of the text, with nothing added.

• ▸Flying over a prohibited zone through clumsiness or negligence: 6 months’ imprisonment and a €15,000 fine (article L6232-12 of the Transport Code).
• ▸Deliberately engaging or keeping the drone over a prohibited zone: 1 year’s imprisonment and a €45,000 fine (same article).
• ▸Confiscation of the drone: a possible additional penalty for these offences, as for deliberately endangering the life of others (article L6232-13 of the Transport Code; article 223-1 of the Criminal Code).
• ▸Breaches of the administrative obligations — registration, training, electronic identification — expose the pilot to fixed-penalty offences: the details are in the texts in force.

These are maximum penalties: it is the judge who assesses them. They are those of the text on the date this guide was checked (October 2026) — the text of the law prevails, not this page.

8 · Your responsibility, and what Glydar does

Glydar informs; it exempts from nothing. This guide and the map reproduce public, official data, but are not an official source, do not guarantee that they are exhaustive or up to date, and do 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.