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full screen To be allowed to fly drones weighing 250 grams or more, a drone card is required from 2021. But so far only a minority of those who use drones have acquired it. Archive image. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT
Flying a drone without a drone license may soon become a criminal offence.
Drone cards have been around since 2021, but so far only about one in ten drone users have acquired the training and card.
– It is still a very low number compared to the number of assessed users in Swedish airspace, says Christoffer Massinger, drone coordinator at the Swedish Transport Agency.
The government’s proposal is for the sanctions to be introduced from July 1 this summer: either daily fines or up to six months in prison.
The proposal has been out for consultation and will be presented in a bill to the Riksdag.
Half a million
No one knows exactly how many drones there are in Sweden, but it is estimated to be half a million, according to the Swedish Transport Agency. About 40,000 have obtained drone licenses.
– It’s going up, but it’s going slowly, says Christoffer Massinger.
– Therefore, they want clearer rules and clearer penalties in order to reach users who have not yet acquired a drone card.
The Swedish Transport Agency believes that this is due to ignorance. But there may also be many who think it is difficult and expensive.
Nine serious events
Improper handling of drones can have consequences, not least for air traffic when drones get too close.
In ten years, 719 incidents involving drones in connection with air traffic have been recorded and analyzed.
Nine such events have been classified as serious. For example, it has been about drone flights at far too high an altitude, situations in connection with aircraft landings, collisions and drone crashes. But so far, drone incidents have not resulted in personal injuries.
The Swedish Transport Agency sees a certain downward trend in recent times.
– Right now we only have statistics up to September 2024, but so far there are fewer events than the corresponding period in 2023, says Christoffer Massinger.
Worrying reports
The use of drones is expected to increase exponentially, and then mainly by professional drone operators who carry out complex operations.
The Swedish Transport Agency receives worrying reports from the industry that many deliberately break the rules, for example flying heavier drones in urban environments.
Here, Christoffer Massinger hopes that customers of drone pilots will help by demanding that the drone pilots have the right skills and all permits in place before they take off.
FACT Drone card
The requirement for a drone card applies if the drone weighs 250 grams or more.
The training consists of a 90-page compendium to read and then a test that is done online.
The price depends on the type of and how many authorizations you want and lands at between SEK 390 and 780.
If the drone weighs 250 grams or more, you must also register as a drone operator. This also applies when using all drones that are equipped with cameras or sensors for sound recording, regardless of weight.
For more advanced drones, there are requirements for a certificate of competency if the drone is part of the specific category and requirements for a remote pilot certificate if the drone belongs to the certified category.
More detailed information is available on the Swedish Transport Agency’s website.
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