Drone Certification in Europe: The Essential Guide

Introduction

If you build, sell, or operate drones, you have probably heard the term "drone certification" more than a few times. And if you have ever tried to understand exactly what it means, you will know it can feel surprisingly unclear. Drone technology has progressed rapidly, yet the certification rules have not developed at the same pace. Some standards exist, others are still being defined, and many people bringing a new drone to market are unsure of what is genuinely required.

At WindShape we meet people facing this uncertainty every day. Most arrive with a mixture of curiosity and concern. They know their drone needs to be tested, but they are not always sure what needs to be tested, why it matters, or how to approach the process in a structured way.

This guide is designed to bring some clarity. We explain what drone certification means in Europe, what categories exist, whether you are obliged to test your drone, and what kind of testing you may need. The intention is not to overwhelm, but to help you navigate a topic that is still developing for all of us.

What Is Drone Certification?

Drone certification is the process where aviation authorities confirm that an drone is designed, built, and tested to meet specific safety standards.

In simple terms, certification provides confidence. It shows that your drone performs as expected, in both normal and unexpected situations, and that predictable safety measures are in place. Achieving certification can involve flight testing, environmental testing, reliability testing, and documentation that explains how the drone responds to issues such as low battery or loss of signal.

For operators, certification opens the door to more advanced missions. These include operations beyond visual line of sight, flying close to people, or flying in complex environments such as cities.

For manufacturers, certification allows compliant drones to be placed on the European market.

A Quick Look at How Traditional Aviation Handles Certification

In traditional aviation, certification is very well established and extremely detailed. Authorities define clear requirements that describe exactly how an aircraft must be designed and tested. This includes structural tests, system reliability evaluations, flight performance assessments, environmental qualification tests, and much more. It is this level of rigour that allows commercial aircraft to complete millions of safe flight hours every year.

The drone sector is not there yet, but traditional aviation gives us a good model of what a mature certification system can look like, and what the industry may eventually evolve toward.

Am I Obliged to Have My Drone Tested?

At this point, the natural question is: what type of testing do I actually need to do. The answer depends on whether you are building the drone or operating it.

If you are a manufacturer Europe uses the C Class rating system to categorise drones based on their technical characteristics. To obtain a C Class rating, a manufacturer must carry out a series of tests that prove the aircraft meets the requirements of EU Regulation 2019 slash 945.

These tests typically assess:

• geofencing accuracy
• remote ID performance
• noise levels
• maximum speed
• visibility and lighting
• behaviour during fail safe events
• structural robustness
• controllability and stability
• system reliability

All results must be documented, repeatable, and traceable and carried out in a certified laboratory. A Notified Body will review the material before the drone can officially receive its C Class label.

If you are an operator your testing obligations depend on the type of operation you want to perform. If you are flying low risk missions such as visual line of sight operations under 120 metres and away from people, you fall under the Open Category. Your drone simply needs a CE marking and the correct C Class label between C0 and C4. No additional testing is required.

If you want to perform more complex operations such as flying in urban areas, flying near people, carrying heavier payloads, or conducting BVLOS flights, things work differently.

1. Standard Scenarios

The next option is to see whether your mission fits into one of Europe’s predefined Standard Scenarios. These are common, medium risk mission types. There are currently two:

• STS 01 which covers visual line of sight in urban areas
• STS 02 which covers BVLOS with observers in sparsely populated areas

To use one of these scenarios your drone must have the correct C Class rating; STS 01 requires C5 and STS 02 requires C6.

If the drone is correctly rated, you simply declare that you will follow the Standard Scenario rules, and you are authorised to fly once your declaration is accepted.

2. The Specific Category and the SORA pathway

If the drone does not have the correct C Class rating, or if your operation does not match either Standard Scenario, you move into the Specific Category. Here, approval is based on the SORA, the Specific Operations Risk Assessment.

This pathway is more work, but much more flexible. It allows operations such as:

• autonomous BVLOS
• unique inspection patterns
• heavier payloads
• flying in places Standard Scenarios do not cover

You describe your mission, identify risks, propose mitigations, and provide evidence such as flight tests or environmental tests. Any safe and well designed mission can be approved under the Specific Category, even with a drone that has no C Class rating at all.

3. The Certified Category

At the top end is the Certified Category. This applies to the highest risk operations such as carrying passengers, transporting dangerous goods, or integrating into controlled airspace with crewed aircraft. Approval requires full airworthiness certification, organisation approvals, and ongoing oversight. This category functions much more like traditional aviation.

How Will Certification Evolve

Drone certification in Europe is moving steadily toward a more structured and aviation like framework. Over time, we can expect clearer airworthiness requirements, more harmonised testing methods, and wider use of international standards such as those from ASTM and ISO.

At the same time, regulators will expect more rigorous and data driven evidence. As drones increasingly share airspace with crewed aviation, reliability and predictability will become critical.

The best way to prepare is to design and test with certification in mind from the beginning. Document everything. Track changes. Test early in controlled environments. Doing this creates a strong foundation whether you are preparing for a C Class rating, a Standard Scenario, or a SORA approval.

Final Thoughts

As drones begin operating in more complex environments such as cities, logistics networks, and shared airspace, reliable testing and clear certification pathways become essential.

There is no universal test plan that fits every drone or every mission. Working with an experienced testing partner such as WindShape helps ensure your test campaign is credible, repeatable, and aligned with what regulators expect.

Learn more: https://www.windshape.com/services