Drone Laws in Sweden

Sweden Drone Regulations

According to Sweden’s national aviation authority, the Transport Agency of Sweden (TAS), flying a drone is legal in Sweden, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact the TAS directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: TAS Contact Form / +46  010-495 64 91 (for text messages only)

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

General Rules for Flying a Drone Within the European Union

Sweden 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, Sweden 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 Sweden

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

These rules apply to these use of drones weighing less than 7 kilograms (15 pounds):

• Drones weighing less than 7 kilograms (15 pounds) shall be marked with the operator’s name and telephone number.
• No liability insurance is required for drones weighing less than 20 kg (44 pounds) and being used for recreational activities.
• If flying in the dark, the unmanned aircraft shall be equipped with lighting in such a way that the position and direction of the unmanned aircraft can be clearly understood.
• Prior to flying, the drone pilot will receive updated information about any restrictions or special conditions from AIP, AIP Supplement, NOTAM, County Administrative Board, Police and the municipality.
• Flights shall be made such that the drone is well within sight of the pilot.
• A flight in uncontrolled airspace may occur at a height less than 120 m (400 feet) above the ground or water.
• Drones may not be flown over nuclear power plants, prisons, nature reserves, and military areas.

Special permission from the Transport Agency is required for these situations:

• All drones weighing over 7 kilograms (15 pounds).
• Any flight beyond visual line of sight.
• Any flight over 120 meters (394 feet) in uncontrolled air.
• Any flight over people, or over animals or property that does not belong to pilot.

You must apply for a permit from Lantmateriet before sharing, uploading, spreading or selling images, video or other material that in some way depicts Sweden’s land areas from the air. A permit must be obtained for:

• Distribution or spread of aerial photographs and other types of depictions of Sweden’s surface produced by aircraft.
• Distribution or spread of beam scan data, video, registrations from the infrared camera, radar data and so on of landscapes.
• Distribution or spread of maritime geographic information, such as deep data and images of the seabed, must be authorized by the Maritime Administration.
• Spread of images depicting the following areas do not require a permit:
  • Residential buildings with associated land and buildings
  • Areas for public events and events
  • Public places in accordance with Chapter 1 of the Order Act. 2§ (for example, public roads, streets, squares and parks)
  • Your private woodland, if nothing but forests and forestry facilities are included in the material
  • Arable land and other cultivated fields

For more information on Sweden’s drone laws, see this page on the Transport Agency’s website.

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