Drone Laws in Poland

Poland Drone Regulations

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

If you’d like to contact the CAA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: kancelaria@ulc.gov.pl / +48 22 520 72 00

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone Within the European Union

Poland is a part of the European Union and therefore must abide by the drone regulations put in place by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In addition to these regulations, Poland 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 Poland

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

• Drones cannot be flown above 150 meters (492 feet).
• Drone pilots must maintain a visual line of sight with their drone during drone operations.
• Liability insurance is required for commercial drone operations in Poland.
• Drones must weigh 25 kilograms (55 pounds) or less.
• Drones operations must be conducted 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) or more from airports.
• Drones operations must be conducted at least 100 meters (328 feet) from populated areas and 30 meters (98 feet) from peopls, vehicles, and animals.
• Drones cannot be operated over people, cities, streets, and buildings.
• Special approvals: An additional authorization from the Government Protection Bureau (BOR) is required for flights in Warsaw.
• Commercial drone pilots must obtain the following: medical certificate, certificate demonstrate the passing of a theoretical and practical test. However, if you have already received similar permits in another EU Member State, those permits will be recognized by the CAA.

For more information on Poland’s drone laws, see this announcement concerning drones issued by the Polish government.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Poland? 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 Poland 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 Poland? Here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muIofzuBcGg