Drones in Poland: Registration, Pilot Test and No-Fly Zones
Short answer: In Poland you must register as a drone operator at drony.gov.pl if your drone weighs 250 g or more or has a camera, and pass a free online test, according to the ULC civil aviation authority.
Drones are popular with tourists and residents, but in Poland the rules depend on the weight of the drone, whether it has a camera, and where you fly. This guide follows the pages of the Civil Aviation Authority (Urząd Lotnictwa Cywilnego, ULC) on drones and the geographic zones page of the air navigation agency PANSA. Several of these pages are undated or were last updated some time ago, so check drony.gov.pl before you fly.
The three categories
ULC divides drone flights into three categories. The open category is low risk and needs no permit from ULC. In it you fly within visual line of sight of the pilot or an observer, no more than 120 metres from the nearest point of the ground, with a drone under 25 kg. The specific category is for medium-risk flights outside the open category and may require ULC's approval. The certified category is for high-risk operations, for example flights over gatherings of people, carrying people or carrying dangerous goods.
Most recreational flights and low-risk work fall in the open category.
Subcategories A1, A2 and A3
According to ULC, A1 lets you fly over people but not over gatherings of people. A2 lets you fly close to people, with a minimum horizontal distance of 30 m, or 5 m if the drone has a low-speed function. A3 means flying far from people, with a minimum horizontal distance of 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.
Since 1 January 2024, under EU Regulation 2019/947, a drone without a class mark (C0 to C4) can be flown in subcategory A1 if its maximum take-off mass is under 250 g, including its load, and in A3 if it is under 25 kg. ULC says that from 1 January 2024 drones must also have a remote identification system.
When you must register
Registration is free, according to ULC, and is done at drony.gov.pl. It is required for an operator of an open-category drone that has a take-off mass of 250 g or more, or that could transfer more than 80 joules of kinetic energy to a person on impact, or that has a sensor able to collect personal data, such as a camera, unless the drone is a toy under directive 2009/48/EC. Operators in the specific category must always register, whatever the weight.
Once registered, you must put your operator number on every drone.
The conditions listed by ULC are that the pilot is at least 14 years old, and that you register in Poland if your place of residence is Poland or your main place of business is in Poland. An operator already registered in another EU or EFTA country who wants to take the training in Poland can create an account using the number from that country.
Visitors from outside the EU
ULC's FAQ says people from outside the EU who want to fly in an EU member state should register in the first EU country where they plan to fly. If that is Poland, register at drony.gov.pl, create an operator profile and a pilot profile, and put the operator number on the drone.
Pilot training and test
Anyone who wants to fly a drone over 250 g must first complete an online course and pass an online test. ULC says both are free and available in the system, and the qualification is valid for 5 years. The test has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need 75% correct answers to pass.
For A1 and A3, the online training and test are enough. For A2 you also need to complete practical self-study training and pass an additional theory exam run by an examining body. The documents showing your qualifications can be downloaded from your pilot profile on drony.gov.pl.
Where you can fly
The air navigation agency PANSA designates geographic zones. Its page, citing the ULC President's guideline 4/2025 of 21 February 2025, describes a prohibited zone (DRA-P), where drone operations may not be carried out except by listed state services, and restricted zones (DRA-R), where flights need consent from the agency or the entity that requested the zone. Restricted zones are split by the probability of getting consent, with DRA-RH meaning high and DRA-RM meaning medium.
ULC says every drone flight in Polish airspace should take place after informing PANSA of the intention through the agency's system. The operator is fully responsible for the flight and must check airspace availability on the DroneMap site, entering the planned flight parameters. In some cases consent from whoever manages the airspace or the place may be needed.
Insurance
The same ULC page says an amendment of the Aviation Law requires operators of drones from 250 g to 20 kg to hold liability insurance, with the rule to apply from 13 November 2025 and rates to be set by a regulation of the Minister of Finance. I could not confirm the current status of this rule, so ask ULC or an insurer before flying a drone of that size.
Practical points
Check the weight of your drone and whether it has a camera. If either triggers registration, register, take the test, label the drone and check DroneMap before every flight. If you are visiting from outside the EU, register in the first EU country you plan to fly in.
* Photos: Jacek Halicki (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) and A.BourgeoisP (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0). Illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register a small drone with a camera in Poland?
According to ULC, registration is required if the drone has a sensor able to collect personal data, such as a camera, unless it is a toy under directive 2009/48/EC. It is also required for any open-category drone of 250 g or more.
Is the drone pilot test free?
Yes. ULC says the online training and test are free. The test has 40 multiple-choice questions, requires 75% to pass, and the qualification is valid for 5 years.
Can a tourist from outside the EU fly a drone in Poland?
ULC says to register in the first EU country where you plan to fly. If it is Poland, register at drony.gov.pl and put the operator number on the drone.
