Drone Laws in Norway

Norway Drone Regulations

According to Norway’s national aviation authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway (CAAN), flying a drone is legal in Norway, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact the CAAN directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: postmottak@caa.no / +47 75 585 000

Why fly a drone in Norway? To get great aerial shots like these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone Within the European Union

Norway has adopted the European Union drone laws and therefore must abide by the drone regulations put in place by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In addition to these regulations, Iceland also has regulations that are country-specific.

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone within the European Union.

There are three operational categories that determine drone regulations based on the weight of the drone and the intended operation. This section will only cover the Open Category, to see all European Union laws and categories, click here.

A drone can be operated in the “Open “category if:

• The drone has one of the class identification labels 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
• The drone was purchased before 1 January 2023, with no class identification label as above.
• The drone has a maximum take-off mass of less than 25 kg (55 lbs).
• The remote pilot keeps the drone at a safe distance away from people.
• The drone will not be operated directly over people unless it has a class identification label or is lighter than 250 g (0.55 lbs). (Please refer to subcategories of operations: A1, A2, and A3 to find out where you can fly with your drone).
• The remote pilot will maintain a visual line of sight (VLOS) or the remote pilot will be assisted by a UA observer.
• The remote pilot will not operate the drone above 120m (400ft).
• The drone will not carry any dangerous goods and will not drop any material.

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Norway

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Norway.

• Drone pilots must maintain a visual line of sight with their drone throughout operations.
• Drones may not fly near accident sites.
• Drones may not fly within 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of an airport or airfield without permission.
• Drones may not fly higher than 120 meters (394 feet) above the ground.
• Drones may not fly over festivals, military facilities, or sporting events.
• Drones may not fly within 150 meters (492 feet) from people, buildings, and traffic—this means traffic on roads, at sea, and in the air.
• Drone pilots must be considerate of others’ privacy, and take note of the rules concerning photos and films of other people.

For more information on Norway’s drone laws, see this overview page on the CAAN website, as well as this page listing specific regulations.

Rules for Commercial Drone Use in Norway

To conduct any commercial operations in Norway you need to notify the CAA and register with them. Additional requirements depend upon your intended operations. Commercial operations fall into three categories: RO 1, RO 2 and RO 3.

Requirements for RO 1 Operations

An RO 1 operation is an undertaking in which an aircraft with a maximum take-off mass (MTOM) of up to 2.5 kg and a maximum speed of 60 knots that will be operated exclusively within VLOS during daylight hours and subject to fixed safety distances.

• The operator must notify the CAA of their operations and declare that they will operate in compliance with regulations. The declaration should be emailed to postmottak@caa.no. The declaration should include your name, address, and contact information, as well as information about the type of aircraft that will be used.
• Other requirements for RO 1 operations include having an accountable operations manager who is at least 16 years old, having an operations manual in place, keeping a flight log, ensuring aircraft are maintained to the manufacturer’s instructions, and marking the aircraft with the operator’s name and telephone number.

Requirements for RO 2 Operations

An RO 2 undertaking is an undertaking in which an aircraft with an MTOM of up to 25 kg and a maximum speed of 80 knots that will be used for VLOS or EVLOS operations during daylight hours and subject to fixed safety distances, or BLOS operations.

• RO 2 operators must obtain a license from the CAA Norway before starting up an undertaking. The application must be accompanied by a risk analysis and an operations manual.
• In order to conduct a flight, the pilot or pilot in command must pass the online course for drone operators. The course is currently only available in Norwegian. The fee for taking the exam is 1010 NOK.
• Other requirements for RO 2 operations include having an accountable operations manager who is at least 18 years old, establishing a quality system, being able to demonstrate airworthiness of the aircraft, having an operations manual in place, keeping a flight log, ensuring aircraft are maintained to the manufacturer’s instructions, and marking the aircraft with the operator’s name and telephone number.

Requirements for RO 3 Operations

An RO 3 undertaking is an undertaking in which the aircraft have an MTOM of 25 kg or more, or a maximum speed of 80 knots, oris operated by a turbine engine, or will be used for BLOS operations at altitudes of more than 120 meters, or will operate in controlled airspace at altitudes of more than 120 meters, or will operate over or in the vicinity of crowds of people.

• RO 3 operators must obtain a license from the CAA Norway before starting up an undertaking. The application must be accompanied by a risk analysis and an operations manual.
• In order to conduct a flight, the pilot or pilot in command must pass the online course for drone operators. The course is currently only available in Norwegian. The fee for taking the exam is 1010 NOK.
• Other requirements for RO 3 operations include having an accountable operations manager who is at least 18 years old, establishing a quality system, being able to demonstrate airworthiness of the aircraft, having an operations manual in place, keeping a flight log, ensuring aircraft are maintained to the manufacturer’s instructions, and marking the aircraft with the operator’s name and telephone number.

For more information on conducting commercial drone operations in Norway, visit this page from CAA Norway on Commercial Use of Drones.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Norway? Send us an email at support[at]horizonap[dot]com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Norway can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Norway? Here you go: