Operations with UAS/drons
Operations with UAS/Drones - Specific Category
The ‘specific’ category includes medium risk UAS operations that cannot be conducted in the open category.
Before carrying out air operations in a specific category with UAS, it is necessary for an operator registered in Spain to apply for and obtain an operational authorisation issued by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (hereinafter AESA)or to submit a declaration regarding an operation that complies with a standard scenario.
An operational authorisation or declaration shall not be required from UAS operators holding a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC).
To declare or apply for authorisation or LUC in a specific category, you must first enter the UAS in the UAS operator profile. This listing is not the record of certified UAS. Below is an explanatory video about it:
Video guía para la inclusión de UAS en el perfil de operador UAS
Operationalstatement. Standard scenarios
- administrative information on the UAS operator,
- a statement that the operation complies with the operational requirements described in the scenario;
- the commitment of the UAS operator to implement all mitigation measures necessary for the safety of the operation; and
- confirmation by the UAS operator that adequate insurance will be available for each flight performed under the declaration.
- STS-ES-01: VLOSoperations over a controlled land area in a populated environment.
- STS-ES-02: BVLOS operations with airspace observers over a controlled ground area in a sparsely populated environment.
- National standard scenarios STS-ES-01 and STS-ES-02
- Video on key requirements of the national standard scenario STS-ES-01
NOTE: Remember that in order to operate in a specific category under an operational declaration, the UAS must incorporate a Direct Remote Identification System (DRI). - Presentation on key requirements of the national standard scenario STS-ES-01 v1
- Video on key requirements of the national standard scenario STS-ES-02
NOTE: Remember that in order to operate in a specific category under an operational declaration, the UAS must incorporate a Direct Remote Identification System (DRI).
- Presentation on key requirements of the national standard scenario STS-ES-02 v1
- Video on key requirements of the national standard scenario STS-ES-01
- ‘STS-01’ means: VLOS operations on a controlled terrestrial area in an environment populated with UAS that have class C5 marking.
- ‘STS-02’: BVLOS operations over a controlled land area in a sparsely populated environment with UAS having Class C6 marking.
A standard scenario is a type of UAS operation within the ‘specific’ category, for which a precise list of mitigation measures has been determined.
The UAS operator, registered in Spain, may submit to AESA an operational declaration in accordance with a standard scenario if its operation can be accommodated to any of the published standard scenarios.
UAS operators that have submitted declarations in accordance with the national standard scenarios (STS-ES) published by EASA before 30 August 2024 may continue to submit amendments until the end of their validity. Such declarations shall be valid and may be operated in accordance with the declaration until 31 December 2025. Those UAS operators who do not have any declarations submitted by the date of 30 August 2024, will not be able to submit new declarations or modify them as of 31 August 2024.
From 1 January 2024, UAS operators may submit declarations in accordance with the European standard scenarios set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
The operational statement, for a given standard scenario, shall include:
These declarations will be made electronically through the AESA website (linkto the procedure). To carry out the procedure, the UAS operator must be previously registered as an operator. (UASoperator registration section)
Once the declaration is signed and submitted, the application will automatically check that it contains all the necessary elements and will automatically provide the UAS operator with a confirmation that AESA has received it and that it is complete. The operator may verify in the application the declaration with “State: Submitted”, being able to download both the supporting document of the declaration and the confirmation (acknowledgement) of it.
The declared operations can be started once the UAS operator has the proof of presentation issued by AESA.
National standard
scenarios
EASA has defined two national standard scenarios, which can be used for those unmanned aircraft operations to which Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 applies in the territory and airspace of Spanish sovereignty.
These national standard scenarios are analogous to the European standard scenarios, providing an equivalent level of safety with no obligation to operate an aircraft with class marking through additional technical requirements and operational limitations.
The published national standard scenarios are as follows:
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/947 defines ‘controlled land area’ as a land area where the UAS is used and where the UAS operator can ensure that only persons participating in the operation of the UAS are present.
See the details and requirements of both national standard scenarios here:
The list of operators that have submitted an operational declaration for a national standard scenario is provided below:
List of operators that have submitted an operational declaration for a national standard scenario (periodic update)
European Standard
Scenarios
The European standard scenarios are detailed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/947 (linkto regulation)and are as follows:
From 1 January 2024, UAS operators shall be eligible for those European standard scenarios, with the prior submission of an operational statement for the standard scenario STS-01 and/or STS-02.
The list of operators that have submitted an operational declaration for a European standard scenario is provided below:
For the requirements of the direct distance identification system and class marking, please refer to the following section "Direct distance identification system and class markings".
Operational authorisation
- If the operation complies with a predefined risk assessment (PDRA) published by EASA, all information and documentation identified in that assessment must be provided together with the application for authorisation:
- Justification of compliance with the mitigating measures described in the PDRA.
- Operations manual.
- Characterization of the aircraft, in order to comply with the technical requirements of the UAS (Technical provisions) of the PDRA.
- Confirmation by the UAS operator that adequate insurance will be available for each flight performed to ensure the safety of the operation
- In the case of operations in controlled airspace and/or FIZ, the operator shall have coordination procedures in place with the relevant air traffic service provider. This coordination will be requested from the ATSP once EASA has accepted the request for operations.
- If the operation does NOT comply with a predefined risk assessment (PDRA) published by EASA, it must be prepared and provided, together with the application for authorisation:
- Risk assessment of the operation in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2019/947;
- Operations Manual,
- Guidance material relating to the characterisation of the aircraft,
- UAS maintenance instructions,
- UAS maintenance records,
- Confirmation by the UAS operator that adequate insurance will be available for each flight performed under the authorisation and
- Evidence of compliance with the safety objectives (OSOs) applicable to the SAIL of the operation.
- In the case of operations in controlled airspace and/or FIZ, the operator shall have coordination procedures in place with the relevant air traffic service provider. This coordination will be requested from the ATSP once EASA has accepted the request for operations.
- Operational risk assessment guidance material Ed.02
- Guide Material Operations Manual Ed.04
- Guidance material Technical Characterization UAS Ed.02
- Guidance material Pilot training in ‘specific’ category under authorisation Ed.05
- Guidance material OSOs in SAIL I Ed.04
- Guidance material OSOs in SAIL II Ed.05
- Guidance material Mitigations GRC Ed.03
- Annexes Guidance Material Justification OSOs and Mitigations SAIL I and II Ed.03
- Containment Guide Material (Step9 SORA) Ed.02
- Calculation Adjacent Area Excel Ed.01
If the intended operation cannot be carried out within the limits set for the open category, nor does it fall under any of the published standard scenarios, the UAS operator must have an authorisation issued by the aeronautical authority before operating. To this end, the operator has to submit a request for operational authorisation based on the risk assessment to the registration authority which will be different depending on whether it complies with aPDRA (Predefined Risk Assessment)or not:
The PDRAs are published by EASA as AMCs in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 and include the list of actions that the operator must implement to carry out the operation safely (more information can be found in the EASA Easy Access Rules UAS document, available in the section on “EuropeanUAS/drones regulation”).
In both cases, the UAS operator, registered in Spain, may submit to AESA an application for operational authorisation when it has prepared the required documentation and satisfactorily implemented all the measures to guarantee the safety of the operation.
These requests will be made electronically through the AESA website (linkto the procedure). Previously the UAS operator shall have properly registered as a UAS operator. (UASoperator registration section).
For the direct distance identification system requirement, please refer to the following section "Direct distance identification system and class markings".
As an aid to the submission of operational authorizations, it has the following guide:
As well as the following reference documentation:
Note: All these documents have been generated as operator assistance and are subject to modifications under changes to European regulations and new AMC and GM or updates published by EASA.
Once the application for operational authorisation has been submitted, EASA will assess it and verify that the intended operation can be carried out safely.
In the event that it is concluded that the requested operation can be carried out safely, EASA will issue the operational authorisation.
Once the UAS operator receives the operational authorization, it will be able to start the operation.
The following is the list of operators that have obtained an operational authorisation for the specific category under authorisation:
List of authorised operators for EASA activities
Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC)
- Description of the UAS operator’s management system, including its organisational structure and safety management system (SMS).
- The names of the staff members responsible for the UAS operator, including the person responsible for authorising UAS operations.
- Declaration that the operator has verified all documentation submitted to the competent authority and verified that it complies with the applicable requirements.
- A manual describing your organisation, management system, procedures and activities.
- Perform operations covered by the standard scenario without submitting the declaration.
- Authorise operations carried out by the operator and covered by a PDRA without requesting an authorisation.
- Authorise all operations performed by the operator without requesting an authorisation.
- the holder continuously complies with the relevant requirements of this Regulation and of the Member State which issued the certificate; and
- is not subject to waiver or revocation.
Certification as a light UAS operator is a voluntary certification after which AESA can recognize privileges to the UAS operator.
UAS operators registered in Spain can ask AESA to assess their organisation in order to demonstrate that they are able to assess the risks of an operation on their own.
The requirements to be demonstrated by UAS operators are defined in Part C of Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
For the direct distance identification system requirement, please refer to the following section "Direct distance identification system and class markings".
LUC applications shall be made by legal persons, shall be submitted to EASA and shall contain the following information:
The UAS operator, registered in Spain, may submit to AESA an application for certification as a light UAS operator, when it has prepared the required documentation.
These requests will be made electronically through the AESA website (linkto the procedure). Previously, the UAS operator must have registered properly.
AESA will evaluate the applications received and take any action it deems appropriate to ensure that the operator complies with the application requirements.
When AESA determines that the operator meets the application requirements, it will issue a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) and recognize privileges to operators based on their maturity level.
Privileges may be one or more of the following:
The UAS Light Operator Certificate shall be valid in all Member States and issued for an unlimited period of time. The certificate shall remain valid provided that:
Below is the list of operators that have obtained a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) for the specific category:
List of operators with Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC)
Direct remote identification system and class markings
- Allow loading of the UAS operator registration number.
- transmit at least at regular intervals:
- the registration number of the UAS operator and the verification code provided by the Member State during the registration process;
- Unique serial number of the AU
- timestamp, the geographical position of the AU and its height above the surface or take-off point;
- clockwise trajectory from geographical north and AU ground velocity;
- the geographical position of the remote pilot;
- an indication of the emergency situation of the UAS;
- Reduce the ability to manipulate the operation of the direct remote identification system.
As of 1 January 2024, under the specific category, both declaratory (national and European standard scenarios) and operational authorisation, UAS are required to be equipped with a direct remote identification system (<<DRI: Direct Remote Identification>>). The UAS with class marking (C5 and C6) required in the European standard scenarios equip this system as standard. The "DRI" must:
Some companies have already put on the market modules that offer a direct remote identification system, providing the "EU Declaration of Conformity". This information can be found in a list published on the EASA website, who does not verify compliance with such components and the declaration of conformity is the responsibility of the manufacturer:
Below you can find a presentation with the information associated with class markings and the Direct Distance Identification (DRI) system.
Further information on the requirements for class markings can be found in the following section: "Design and production of UAS/drones".
Contact AESA UAS Division:
In case of doubt or special situations related to operations with UAS in the ‘specific’ category, you can direct your query to the drone mailbox (drones.aesa@seguridadaerea.es).
