New French Regulatory Framework For Drones Provides More Flexibility, Safety

In response to market growth evolution in the use of civil unmanned aircraft, or drones, on December 24, 2015, the French Ministry of Environment published two new Ministerial Decisions¹ regulating the use of drones. These Ministerial Decisions repeal the two existing Ministerial Decisions of April 11, 2012,² and while they do not change the general regulatory framework, they bring about some clarification, alleviate some administrative constraints, and establish new technical requirements for these aircraft.

The regulation is refocused on the three already known types of drone activities, which were redefined according to how the drones are used rather than their physical or performance specifications. "Model aircraft flying" (aéromodélisme) is now defined as the use of an unmanned aircraft for strictly leisure or competition purposes. "Experimentation" is defined as the use of an unmanned aircraft for development or adjustment of an aircraft or its command system.