Flying a drone in Sweden: the regulations guide

1 · The open category

The European regulation applies in Sweden, and the authority is Transportstyrelsen (the Swedish Transport Agency). A drone under 25 kg flies in the open category: within line of sight, at no more than 120 m, never over an assembly of people — see the European framework. Distances depend on the class:

• ▸C0 and C1 (A1) — flying over uninvolved people is to be avoided as far as possible; never over assemblies.
• ▸C2 (A2) — 30 m horizontally (5 m in slow mode), with the 1:1 rule.
• ▸C3 and C4 (A3) — 150 m from residential, industrial and recreational areas, and 30 m from uninvolved people, with the 1:1 rule.

• ▸Drones without a class placed on the market before 1 January 2024: A1 if under 250 g, A3 if under 25 kg. After that date, a drone without a class flies only with an authorisation in the specific category or in a model flying club. A privately built drone under 250 g and under 19 m/s may fly over people, never over an assembly.
• ▸Age: 15 to fly alone; below that, under the supervision of a pilot over 16 who holds the drone licence.
• ▸At night or in poor visibility: a clearly visible flashing green light on the drone.

2 · Zones: Drönarkartan and the permanent restrictions

The official map is the Drönarkartan, run by LFV (air navigation): airports, control zones, permanent restrictions, danger areas, the surroundings of the runways of large airports and of large heliports. A few rules from Transportstyrelsen’s guide:

• ▸Within 5 km of an airport: only with air traffic control authorisation — with an exemption for a drone flying at no more than 25 m/s, more than 5 km from the runway, below 10 m (military control zones) or below 50 m (other control zones). Heliports: within 1,000 m, only in consultation with the heliport.
• ▸Permanent restricted zones — nuclear power plants, prisons, protected natural areas, military installations: in most cases, an authorisation from Transportstyrelsen is needed.
• ▸Nature reserves and national parks: a ban on taking off and landing may apply; it is the county administrative board (Länsstyrelsen) that authorises. Its site cannot be consulted automatically.
• ▸Assemblies: never in the open category — people prevented from leaving by a dense crowd.

Photos and videos: sharing aerial images of Swedish territory requires a dissemination permit from Lantmäteriet (free; exceptions: a house and its plot, a public place) — the rule concerns sharing, not flying. Filming outside one’s private sphere at a height where people can be identified may fall under the GDPR and the camera surveillance act (IMY).

⚠️ Glydar’s map does not display Sweden’s regulations: the Drönarkartan prevails, to be consulted before every flight — see the coverage, country by country.

3 · Registration, drone licence and insurance

• ▸Operator registration: a drone of 250 g or more, of more than 80 joules, or fitted with a camera, a sound recorder or a sensor — a camera is enough, whatever the weight. The operator must be 18 and resident in Sweden; the application is made on “Drönarsidan” with BankID: 190 SEK on registration, then 250 SEK per year. The number is valid until deregistration and must be legible on the drone.
• ▸Drone licence (“drönarkort”): required from 250 g; online test of 40 questions (A1/A3, 75%, 600 SEK), 30 supervised questions for the A2 (850 SEK), valid for five years. Recommended, not required, under 250 g.
• ▸Insurance: not required for an operator who uses only drones under 20 kg for leisure or demonstration; other operations fall under European regulation 785/2004 (amount not stated).

4 · FPV and immersive flying

Transportstyrelsen states it: flying with goggles is possible in the open category, provided there is an observer who watches the drone and the surroundings. The observer stands directly next to the pilot, in direct contact (not by phone), and sees the drone without visual aids (no binoculars).

5 · Before every flight

• ▸Checking the Drönarkartan: airports, heliports, restricted zones, reserves.
• ▸Operator number on the drone, drone licence if the drone exceeds 250 g.
• ▸At night: the flashing green light. An observer next to the pilot for FPV.

This guide simplifies — it replaces neither the official texts nor an up-to-date check. In case of doubt: Transportstyrelsen, LFV.

6 · Penalties: what the law says

The Swedish Aviation Act (13 kap., “ansvarsbestämmelser”) provides for criminal penalties, imposed by a court. Here is what the text provides, with nothing added:

• ▸Recklessness in air traffic (13 kap. 1 § — it expressly covers the pilot or observer of an unmanned aircraft system): a fine or six months in prison for anyone who, intentionally or through negligence, endangers the life or property of others; if the offence is serious: up to two years in prison.
• ▸Breach of the rules on restricted zones (13 kap. 4 §, point 3): a fine or six months in prison, intentionally or through negligence.
• ▸Flying without the required certificate (13 kap. 4 §, point 8 a): since 1 January 2026, flying without a drone licence is punishable. Transportstyrelsen announces 30 to 150 day-fines, and up to six months in prison in the most serious cases.

The text provides for no express offence for failing to register the operator (only the marking is covered). The law says “böter” without giving a euro figure. Very slight negligence does not engage liability (7 §). These are maximums: the judge assesses. They are those of the text at 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 draws on official sources but is not an official source, does not guarantee that they are exhaustive or up to date, and does not amount to authorisation to fly.

The remote pilot remains solely responsible for the 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.