Registering and safely launching your drone: the first steps

Just like with a car, a drone has an owner and a driver. The operator – usually the club, the company, or whoever purchased the drone – takes out insurance, registers with the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA), and ensures the operator ID is affixed to the drone. The pilot needs proof of eligibility, similar to a driver's license, and is responsible for ensuring that every flight complies with the regulations.

If a club is registered as the operator, its members fly using the club's e-ID. However, each individual pilot needs their own proof of eligibility.

In Germany, liability insurance is mandatory for every drone (§ 43 LuftVG). First, check if an existing insurance policy already covers the drone; some hunting liability policies do. Otherwise, take out a separate policy.

Make sure that the type of operation you're undertaking is covered: who is flying, how many drones are in the air simultaneously, and, most importantly, the type of mission, such as rescuing fawns. Particularly inexpensive policies often exclude such missions.

In the EU, you must register as the operator if your drone weighs 250g or more or carries a camera (toys are excluded). Registration is for the operator, not the individual drone. For this, you will need a scan of an ID card, an excerpt from the register of associations (for clubs and organizations), and your name and insurance policy number.

Registration costs a one-time fee of €20 for individuals and €50 for clubs and companies (as of October 2026). Afterwards, you will receive an electronic operator ID (e-ID). Applications from clubs are reviewed manually by the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA), which can take several weeks: therefore, register well in advance of the season.

You must visibly attach the e-ID to the outside of your drone. As a customer, you will receive a suitable sticker from us free of charge. You also need to enter the e-ID as the Remote ID in the remote controller. Our guide Setting up the Remote ID on DJI drones shows you how to do this for DJI Enterprise drones.

Important: The Operator ID is not the same as the Remote Pilot ID, which pilots receive with their certification.

Before the season and again on the day of your flight, check whether your area is located within a designated geographical area or if temporary restrictions apply. This includes, for example, nature reserves and distances to airports, highways, railway lines, power lines, and industrial facilities. The map on the Digital Platform for Unmanned Aviation (dipul) shows this information at a glance.

If your area is located within a nature reserve, obtain approval from the local nature conservation authority. Often, an informal email is sufficient; you can find a template at Cover Letter for Protected Areas. Detailed information on all areas and distances can be found on our page Drone Law and No-Flight Zones.