EU Drone Rules for Commercial Aerial Shoots in 2026: The EASA Checklist We Fly By

"Can you get a drone shot of the building?" Almost always yes — but the question that decides the budget isn't the camera, it's which regulatory category the flight falls under. In the EU, drones run on the EASA framework, and getting that wrong is how a shoot day gets grounded.

We fly licensed for architectural and automotive work. Here's the practical version of the rules in 2026 — what actually governs a commercial aerial shoot, minus the legalese.

The three categories — only two matter for shoots

• Open. Low-risk, no prior authorisation. Most marketing and architectural shots live here — flying away from crowds, below 120 m, within visual line of sight. Subdivided into A1/A2/A3 by how close you fly to people.
• Specific. Higher risk — over people, in controlled airspace, beyond visual line of sight, at night in some cases. Needs an operational authorisation from the national authority (in Portugal, ANAC) via a risk assessment (SORA or a predefined scenario).
• Certified. Passenger and heavy-cargo drones. Irrelevant for camera work.

Paperwork that must exist before wheels-up

1. Operator registration. The company/operator registers with the national authority and gets an operator ID, displayed on the aircraft. Register where your business is based — it's valid EU-wide.
2. Remote-pilot competency. An A1/A3 online test at minimum; A2 adds a certificate. Specific-category flights need more.
3. Third-party liability insurance. Mandatory for commercial operations. Get the certificate before the date, not on it.
4. Airspace check. Geo-zones, airport proximity, temporary restrictions. The apps and the national map are the source of truth, not the pilot's memory.

What this means for your shoot

• An Open-category architectural shot in an empty area: bookable on short notice, minimal overhead.
• City-centre, over people, or near an airport: that's Specific category — lead time for authorisation, higher cost, sometimes a hard no on the date you wanted. Tell us early.
• "Just a quick drone clip" over a crowded launch event is the single most common request that's actually illegal in the Open category. We'll re-plan it, not wing it.

Why we don't cut corners here

A grounded shoot, a fine, or an uninsured incident costs more than doing it right. The same discipline shows up in how we handle reflective car bodies and heritage capture — the boring preparation is what makes the shoot day look effortless. Aerial is no different; the licence and the airspace check are the prep.

The short version

In 2026, EU commercial drone work is governed by EASA categories. Most marketing shots are Open category and easy. Over-people, urban-core and controlled-airspace flights are Specific category and need authorisation, lead time and budget. Operator ID, pilot competency and insurance are non-negotiable on every flight.

Planning a shoot that might need an aerial angle? Tell us the location and date — we'll tell you the category before you book anything.