Regulatory overview
Summary¶
libdrone Pro at approximately 807–900 g AUW falls in EASA Open Category A2 in the Czech Republic. A2 requires operator registration with CAA CZ, an A2 Certificate of Competency, and third-party liability insurance. Operations in standard A2 require 30 m horizontal separation from uninvolved persons; with the low-speed profile verified (≤ 4.8 m/s), this reduces to 5 m — enabling skatepark, urban, and close-proximity missions. This article is a summary for procurement and planning purposes. Always verify current rules at caa.cz and easa.europa.eu before each operating season. This is not legal advice.
Concept¶
EASA framework in one paragraph¶
The EU drone regulatory framework divides operations into Open (lowest risk, no prior authorisation), Specific (medium risk, authorisation required), and Certified (similar to manned aviation). Open Category is subdivided into A1 (< 250 g), A2 (250–900 g), and A3 (900 g – 25 kg). libdrone Pro falls in A2. A2 allows flight near uninvolved persons under defined conditions and is the category that enables urban, skatepark, and community preparedness operations.
The low-speed mode provision¶
EASA's A2 reduced horizontal separation (5 m instead of 30 m) requires the operator to demonstrate that the drone cannot exceed a defined maximum speed. libdrone's Betaflight Profile 2 throttle scale implements this. Calibration is the operator's responsibility: fly a straight pass at full throttle, verify GPS speed ≤ 4.8 m/s, document the calibrated value. The calibration must be repeated when payload weight changes.
Reference¶
EASA A2 obligations (Czech Republic, 2026)¶
| Obligation | Detail |
|---|---|
| Operator registration | registrace.caa.cz — ~200 CZK/year |
| Registration number (e-ID) | On drone and carried during flight |
| A2 Certificate of Competency | Online theory + self-declaration at caa.cz |
| Third-party insurance | Mandatory for MTOW > 250 g |
| Max altitude | 120 m AGL |
| Visual line of sight | Mandatory — FPV goggles count as VLOS only with observer |
| Standard horizontal separation | 30 m from uninvolved persons |
| Low-speed mode horizontal separation | 5 m from uninvolved persons |
| Controlled airspace | Requires U-space authorisation or ATC coordination |
| Temporary restrictions | Check mapa.rlp.cz before each operation |
MTOW classification for libdrone¶
| Configuration | MTOW | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Bare Pro (no payload, no battery) | ~410 g | A2 |
| Pro + battery | ~720–760 g | A2 |
| Pro + battery + 80 g payload | ~800–840 g | A2 |
| Pro + battery + 93 g payload | ~900 g | A2 limit exactly |
| Pro + battery + > 93 g payload | > 900 g | A3 or Specific |
Classification is based on design MTOW, not operational configuration. Flying with a lighter battery does not change the legal category.
Core platform (< 250 g)¶
libdrone Core typically falls below 250 g AUW — placing it in A1 with significantly reduced obligations. Verify actual build weight; if any configuration exceeds 250 g, A2 obligations apply.
Procedure¶
Pre-season regulatory checklist¶
- Renew operator registration if due.
- Verify A2 CoC is current.
- Verify insurance policy is active and covers UAS operations.
- Check caa.cz and easa.europa.eu for any regulation changes since last season.
- For new sites: check mapa.rlp.cz for airspace restrictions. Apply for authorisation if controlled airspace is within the operating area.
- For low-speed mode operations: calibrate Profile 2 for current payload weight. Document calibrated throttle scale value.
Rationale¶
Why low-speed mode is required for urban operations, not optional¶
At standard A2 (30 m separation), meaningful urban aerial operations are physically impossible in most Czech cities and towns — the airspace is too constrained. Low-speed mode's 5 m separation provision is the regulatory mechanism that makes community preparedness, skatepark, and urban survey missions legal. Deploying libdrone in urban environments without low-speed mode calibration is an A2 violation, not a technicality.
Connections¶
requires: - platform-overview - easa-open-category related: - betaflight-profiles - preflight-checklist - risk-assessment leads_to: - risk-assessment - preflight-checklist