EU Drone Pilot Course - Open A1/A3

EASA drafts unified EU drone regulations to safeguard safety and the environment, including Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/947 for open a1 and a3 operations.

Complete online A1/A3 training and theory exam, then finish A2 self-practical training under A3 conditions and pass A2 theory exam, practicing take-off, landing, recovery, and maneuvers with a similar drone.

Respect privacy as a fundamental right protected by drone use, including homes, private spaces, and personal data, with explicit permission required to capture or publish identifiable images and revocable consent.

Learn about drone liability, including bodily injury and property damage from crashes. For drones 20 kg or more, insurance is mandatory; under 20 kg, rules vary by member state.

Learn to report drone incidents to prevent safety occurrences through a collaborative process, filing open category reports for fatal or serious injuries or incidents with manned aircraft by country.

drones pose security risks, including disruption to air traffic at airports, weaponized, hoax, dispersal attacks, with operator registration and remote identification, including a three-digit secret number kept private.

Identify dangerous goods carried by unmanned aircraft, explosives, gases, flammable liquids, oxidizers, toxic substances, and corrosives; lithium batteries are not dangerous goods, and dropping payloads is prohibited in open category.

Learn the MEUH safety pillars—meteorology, environment, UAS, and human factors—and maintain visual line of sight; beyond that is prohibited except with follow-me under 50 meters or first person view goggles.

Assess the weather before flight by checking wind direction and speed, battery charge, and temperature, then account for ground-level versus higher-altitude wind and precipitation for safe drone operation.

Explore the physics of flight and how drones balance lift, weight, thrust, and drag, control axes yaw, pitch, and roll, and operate safely with UAS, telemetry, datalinks, and modes.

Assess the flying area for uninvolved persons and avoid overflying assemblies in the open category. Use C0 or C1 rules, choose remote areas, and be ready to interrupt landings.

Learn how drones share airspace with manned aircraft, manage airborne conflict risks, and maintain safe separation through priority rules, immediate landing, and observer-supported scanning within visual line of sight.

Perform a preflight self-assessment using the 'I'm safe' checklist—illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, emotions—to ensure safe flight and maintain VLOS in the open category.

apply theory to real-world drone flights by maintaining situational awareness using the meuh perspective and the ooda loop to observe, consider options, decide, and act safely within legal boundaries.

Perform a comprehensive pre-flight with a physical inspection and parameter checks, review the manual for constraints and safety features, and set altitude and visual line-of-sight limits.

Master pre-flight checks and situational responses by reviewing C2 link loss procedures, how drones auto-land or return-to-home, and steps to regain control amid position uncertainty and low battery warnings.

Perform a post-flight check to identify minor issues and plan maintenance, log your drone's flight history, and follow li-po battery care for safe charging and storage.