From January 1, 2024 the drone regulation will become fully applicable and the open category will benefit from drones with a class mark. Drones with a C1 marking weighing up to 900 g will be able to conduct operations in populated areas (as defined in A1 subcategory). Drones up to 4 kg with a C2 marking will be able to fly as close as 5 m to uninvolved people (as defined in A2 subcategory).
On the same date, the EU standard scenarios will become applicable, allowing for a streamlined authorisation process which will be more straightforward for European citizens.
Drone manufacturers have already placed several compliant drones on the market and EASA has published an overview of compliant drones with a class mark that are already available on the EU market. This data will be included as part of the upcoming EASA Sustainable Air Mobility Hub (‘the Hub’) and will be updated regularly. The Hub is an online platform made available by EASA for authorities, communities, municipalities, industry and stakeholders to support sustainable drone market implementation. It constitutes flagship 7 of the EU Drone Strategy 2.0.
A CE marking is a certification mark that indicates conformity with health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Source: Press Release