In the European Union, as a operator, you must have drones insurance if you are using a drone with a weight above 20kg. In addition, most EASA Member States force the operator to have third-party insurance if the drone operated is lighter than 20kg.
In Spain, the AESA, Following the amendment of the Air Navigation Act and until the entry into force of the Royal Decree on UAS (that is under development and that exempts mandatory insurance for class C0 UAS and subcategory A1 UAS with MTOM less than 250g ) which completes the legal regime for the civil use of unmanned aircraft systems, it will be necessary to have a drones insurance policy covering civil liability to third parties for damages that may arise due to the execution of flights whether they are recreational or professional.
According to articles 11 and 127 of the Air Navigation Act:
- UAS with MTOM equal to or higher than 20 kg for professional purposes must comply with Regulation 785/2004 on insurance requirements for Air Carriers and Aircraft Operators, valid for the rest of the EU Member States.
- Professional UAS with MTOM equal to or less than 20 kg and those with recreational purposes must conform to what is indicated in Royal Decree 37/2001.
Regulation 785/2004 establishes a minimum amount for damages to third parties on the ground of 750,000 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) for drones up to 500kg (947.299,39 €), while Royal Decree 37/2001 covers the minimum amount to be 220,000 SDR (277.863,87 €). That’s why professional drone operators should be insured for damages caused to third parties with a limit of 1.000.000 € or more.
The drones insurance policy must cover each flight. It is not necessary to have a permanent one. Its primary purpose is to ensure that victims of accidents have compensation due to the significant damages that drones can cause.
ALTER, with more than 35 years in the aerospace sector and solid and wide expertise in the drone field, can help you ensure the safety of your drone to reduce the likelihood of having to use insurance, solve your doubts about regulation, and place your drone in the European market with the CE marking and Class Label.
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