Drone licence in Spain: which category do you need?

The question we get asked most at UMILES University is always the same: “which drone licence do I need in Spain?”. The answer is slightly uncomfortable, because it does not depend on the drone you bought, but on where and how you are going to fly it. There is no single licence: there is a European framework of risk categories (Open, Specific and Certified) and each one requires different training.

We see it every week. Someone takes the cheapest certificate, accepts a job filming a trade fair or inspecting a roof on an industrial estate, and finds out that flight does not fit inside their category. The certificate was not bad: it was the wrong one. If you are not yet clear on how all this is organised, start with our guide to drone categories and with the update on drone regulations in Spain.

Here we get straight to the point: what each category requires, when the Open category falls short, what an STS standard scenario really is and which training fits what you want to do. Written from the flying side: at UMILES we operate drones every day on shows, inspections and topographic surveys, as well as training pilots.

Is there such a thing as a drone licence in Spain?

Not as such. What exists are remote pilot competency certificates issued by AESA (the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency), and their scope depends on the category the operation falls into. Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945 classify each flight by risk, not by the pilot’s profile:

• Open: low risk. No prior authorisation, with strict limits on weight, height (120 m) and distance from people.
• Specific: medium risk. You need an operational authorisation from AESA or, if your flight fits an already defined scenario, an operational declaration.
• Certified: high risk, with rules equivalent to manned aviation. Carrying people, dangerous goods, large aircraft. It sits outside almost everyone’s day-to-day work.

Put another way: when someone searches for “drone licence in Spain” they are almost always moving between Open and Specific. Two points that are often forgotten: you must register as an operator with AESA if the drone weighs 250 g or more, or if it carries a camera or sensor capable of capturing personal data; and the minimum age to fly is 16, dropping to 12 or 14 in the open category depending on the class of drone.

Open category: what you can fly in A1, A2 and A3

This is the way in. It covers recreational use and a fair amount of light professional work, always within direct visual line of sight (VLOS) and below 120 metres. It splits into three subcategories depending on how close you are to people.

A1: close to people

Designed for very light drones: class C0 (under 250 g) and C1 (under 900 g). With a C0 you may overfly uninvolved people occasionally, never crowds. With a C1 you must not overfly them intentionally. The training is the A1/A3 certificate: an online theory course and an AESA multiple-choice exam.

A2: controlled proximity

This is the subcategory for class C2 drones (up to 4 kg). It lets you approach uninvolved people while keeping 30 metres of separation, or 5 metres if the drone has low-speed mode active. It requires an A2 certificate: self-declared practical self-training plus an additional theory exam, harder than the A1/A3 one.

A3: far from everything

The most permissive on weight, up to 25 kg, but the most restrictive on surroundings: 150 metres away from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas, and with no people outside the operation in the flight area. Training equivalent to A1.

One detail that catches many people out: now that the transition period for the C classes has ended, drones with no class marking are limited in practice to A1 if they weigh under 250 g and to A3 in every other case. If you bought your kit years ago, check this before accepting a job. And if you are deciding what to buy, it helps to go over the types of drones and what each one is for.

Specific category: STS-01, STS-02 and operational authorisation

This is where the real professional work sits. Flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), operations in environments with people present, drones over 25 kg, special payloads or any mission that does not fit within the limits of the Open category.

You have two routes. The first is to request an operational authorisation from AESA with a SORA risk assessment: it is the flexible route, but also the slow one and the one that demands the most paperwork. The second, faster route is to use a standard scenario (STS): a predefined operation already accepted across the European Union, where you submit an operational declaration instead of waiting for an individual authorisation.

The two standard scenarios in force are:

• STS-01: flight within visual line of sight (VLOS) over a controlled ground area in a populated environment, with a class C5 drone.
• STS-02: flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) with airspace observers, over a controlled ground area in a sparsely populated environment, with a class C6 drone.

To operate under an STS you need a specific theoretical knowledge certificate and proof of practical competence from a recognised entity. That is the real difference with the Open category: it is not settled with an online test. There are flight hours with an instructor, emergency procedures and work with a controlled ground area. At UMILES University we teach it with instructors who also fly real operations, which shows the moment a question comes up that is not in the syllabus.

If your work is topographic surveying, industrial inspection, precision agriculture or security, the Specific category is not optional in the medium term: it is the door to the market that pays.

AESA and EASA: who regulates and who examines you

The two get mixed up constantly and are worth separating. EASA is the European Union Aviation Safety Agency: it writes the common framework that applies in every member state and defines the categories, the standard scenarios and the class marking requirements for drones.

AESA is the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency, the national authority. It registers operators, issues remote pilot certificates, recognises training organisations and receives operational declarations. In short: Europe writes the rule, Spain gives you the exam and the certificate.

What training you need depending on what you want to fly

• Recreational use or occasional flights in open country → A1/A3 certificate. Online theory and an AESA exam.
• Property photography, events or content near people → A2 certificate, with the declared practical training the subcategory requires.
• Surveying, mapping and 3D modelling → the pilot base plus technical specialisation: photogrammetry and drone surveying course.
• Inspection of roofs, façades, towers or infrastructure → technical drone inspection course.
• Agriculture and crop monitoring → precision agriculture with drones course.
• You want to do this professionally → the professional drone pilot course, which links the regulatory side, the flight practice and the certifications you will be asked about in your first interview.

One honest note on salaries: the ranges circulating online mix very different profiles. A salaried operational pilot in Spain usually sits in indicative market bands running from modest entry-level pay to clearly better figures once you add a technical speciality (surveying, sensor-based inspection, thermography) or responsibility for the operation. What raises the bar is not the certificate: it is the speciality and the documented flight hours.

Frequently asked questions about the drone licence

Do I need a course to fly a drone in Spain?

Yes, except in very specific cases such as toys or drones under 250 g with no camera. For everything else you need at least the AESA A1/A3 certificate, even for recreational use.

What is the difference between AESA and EASA?

EASA sets the common European regulations. AESA is the Spanish authority that applies them, examines you and issues your certificate.

Can I get certified without attending classes in person?

For A1/A3, yes: online training and an AESA exam. For A2 there is added practical self-training that you declare yourself. For STS scenarios, no: practical flight competence has to be demonstrated.

What exactly is an STS standard scenario?

A predefined operation accepted across the European Union within the Specific category. Instead of requesting an individual authorisation, you declare to AESA that you meet the conditions of the scenario (STS-01 or STS-02) and operate under it.

Is my Spanish certificate valid for flying in another European country?

Yes. The competency certificate issued by AESA is valid in the other member states, because EASA sets the framework. What does change is each country’s UAS geographical zones: always check them before flying abroad.

Do I need insurance?

For professional use, yes: public liability insurance is compulsory. For recreational use it depends on the weight of the drone, but it is strongly recommended in any case.

The next step

If you are unsure which category your project falls into, sort that out before paying for a course. It is the ten-minute conversation that avoids enrolling in the wrong training, and we have it every day at UMILES University, based in Madrid.

Tell us what you want to fly, where and with what equipment, and we will tell you which certification you actually need. Write to us and we will point you in the right direction, no strings attached. And if what draws you is the spectacular side of the sector, take a look at how we put together a drone light show.

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