EU A2 remote pilot certificate: requirements, exam and benefits

If you own a larger camera drone, you sooner or later hit a limit: In subcategory A3, you have to stay far from people and settlements – and that rules out many subjects. The EU A2 remote pilot certificate, often called the “advanced drone license” in everyday speech, moves that limit. This guide explains what you need before the exam, how self-training and the theory exam work, what the certificate costs, what benefits it brings – and why it still changes nothing for plane spotters at the airport.

What is the EU A2 remote pilot certificate?

Since the end of 2020, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 has governed drone operation across Europe. Most hobby pilots operate in the open category, which is divided into three subcategories: A1 (flying over individual uninvolved people is possible, but not over crowds), A2 (flying close to people) and A3 (flying far from people). Which subcategory you may use depends on your drone’s class label and your certificate of competency. An overview of C0 to C6 is given in the article Drone classes C0 to C6.

On the pilot side, there are two levels in the open category:

• EU A1/A3 certificate of competency: online training and online exam at the Federal Aviation Office (LBA). Everything about it is in the article EU A1/A3 certificate of competency.
• EU A2 remote pilot certificate: the next level with practical self-training and an additional theory exam. It is the prerequisite for operating class C2 drones in subcategory A2.

Who is the A2 certificate worth it for?

The honest answer: not for everyone. Many popular camera drones fall into classes C0 or C1 and can already be operated with the A1/A3 certificate in subcategory A1, meaning close to people too. What applies to mini drones is summarized in the article Drones under 250 grams.

A2 becomes interesting when you fly a class C2 drone. According to EASA, this class is under 4 kilograms takeoff mass – here we are talking about larger devices with better cameras, more wind stability and longer flight time. Without an A2 certificate, you may only use a C2 drone in A3, meaning far from uninvolved people and with a large distance from built-up areas. With A2, you get significantly closer to the action.

Requirements at a glance

The LBA describes the path to the A2 certificate in a fixed order. Before you sign up for the exam, these points should be done:

• EU A1/A3 certificate of competency: It is the foundation. Without it, there is no A2.
• Operator registration: As a drone operator, you register with the LBA and attach the registration number to your drone. Details are in the article Registering your drone with the LBA.
• Liability insurance: Mandatory in Germany – what it has to cover is explained in the article on drone insurance.
• Practical self-training: completed on your own and declared in writing.
• Minimum age: The EU regulation generally sets 16 years for remote pilots but allows states to deviate. If you are younger, clarify the route directly with the LBA and your examination body beforehand.

Step 1: practical self-training

Before the theory is tested, the regulation requires practical self-training. “Self” means: You do not need a flight school or an instructor, you practice on your own. What matters is the setting: The training takes place under the conditions of subcategory A3, meaning in areas without uninvolved people and with a large distance from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas. Austro Control explicitly names at least 150 meters for this.

Useful contents for the practice flights:

• Takeoff and landing in different wind directions
• Holding position and height steadily, even in gusts
• Straight lines, squares, circles and figure eights at constant height
• Flights with and without support from GNSS and sensors, as far as your drone allows that safely
• Activating low-speed mode and judging distances
• Emergency procedures: return-to-home function, lost link, low battery, evasive action

After the training, you submit a declaration of completed self-training. The LBA provides a form in German and English for this. It is best to keep a short logbook with date, place, duration and exercises – it helps you and, if in doubt, documents what you did.

Step 2: the theory exam

The additional theory exam is the core of the A2 certificate. According to the EU regulation and the authorities’ information, it covers three topic areas:

Topic area	What it is about
Meteorology	Wind and gusts, turbulence around buildings and obstacles, temperature and battery performance, precipitation, visibility, obtaining weather information
Flight performance	Mass and payload, effect of wind on range and flight time, climb and descent behavior, energy management
Risk mitigation on the ground	Calculating distances, low-speed mode, safety area, emergency planning, dealing with uninvolved people

Where and how you take the exam in Germany

In Germany, it is not the LBA itself that conducts the A2 exam but an examination body for remote pilots (PStF) designated by the LBA. These bodies conduct the A2 and STS theory exams; the LBA publishes a current list on its website. The application for the certificate also goes through the examination body. After you pass, the LBA issues the certificate and sends it to you as a PDF by email.

How the exam is organized in practice, whether on site or supervised online, and what it costs is set by the respective examination body. Before signing up, therefore, compare the process, preparation material and total price.

Questions and pass mark

For comparison, a look at Austria is worthwhile: Austro Control tests there with 30 multiple-choice questions in person and requires 75 percent correct answers. These values follow EASA’s specifications for the A2 exam. You will get the binding details for your exam from your examination body.

Costs and validity

The costs consist of two parts. The LBA states 30 euros for issuance of the A2 certificate. On top come the examination body’s fees for the exam and, where applicable, a preparation course – they are not uniformly regulated. In Austria, registering for the A2 exam at Austro Control costs 69.60 euros.

According to the LBA, the certificate is valid for five years. For renewal, you have three routes:

• an online refresher course,
• a new exam at a designated examination body or
• earning the higher-level STS certificate for the standard scenarios of the “specific” category.

If you earn a higher-level certificate, its expiry date applies to all entries on the combined certificate according to the LBA, including A1/A3 and A2.

What you may do with A2 – and what not

With the certificate, you may operate a class C2 drone in subcategory A2. The key rules according to EASA:

• Do not fly over uninvolved people. This applies in A2 without exception.
• 30 meters horizontal distance from uninvolved people.
• 5 meters distance when the C2 drone’s low-speed mode is active.
• 1:1 rule of thumb: The lateral distance should be at least equal to the flight height, but never below the minimum values.
• At most 120 meters above ground and always within direct visual line of sight.

What A2 does not change: geozones, nature reserves, residential properties, crowds and above all the areas around airfields. Which areas are restricted in Germany is shown by the article Geozones and the dipul map, and what applies over residential areas and crowds is in Drone over residential areas.

A2 and plane spotting: what changes and what does not

For plane spotters, the question is obvious: Does the A2 certificate open new perspectives at the airport? The clear answer is no. In Germany, drone operation within 1,000 meters of the airport boundary and in the corridor along the runway centerlines is only permitted in the “specific” category. The A2 certificate, however, belongs to the open category. On top come control zones, where you cannot take off at all without air traffic control clearance. All the details are in the guide Drones near airports, and why aerial photos of airports have their own permit route is explained in the article Aerial photos of airports.

Still, the study material is useful to you on the ground too. The meteorology topics of the A2 exam – wind, gusts, turbulence, visibility – are exactly the factors that decide the runway direction in use while spotting, and therefore the right location. If you can read METARs and TAFs and know how to assess the situation with Windy and other weather maps, you plan drone flights and spotting days equally better.

Recognition abroad: Austria, Switzerland and the EU

The A2 certificate is a European certificate. According to EASA, training completed in one member state is recognized in all the others. A certificate earned in Germany therefore also applies in Austria, Switzerland and the rest of the EASA area.

What differs are the national geozones, insurance rules and authority portals. In Austria, you find them at Austro Control in Dronespace, in Switzerland on the federal drone map. The country overviews Flying a drone in Austria and Flying a drone in Switzerland summarize the specifics.

Common mistakes on the way to the A2 certificate

• Ignoring the order: Without a valid A1/A3 certificate and declared self-training, no examination body will accept you.
• Buying the wrong drone: The A2 benefits apply only to drones with a C2 label. Check the class label before buying.
• Not understanding low-speed mode: The 5-meter rule only applies if the mode is actually active. Practice switching it on during self-training.
• Mistaking the certificate for a blank check: Geozones, airport areas and control zones remain in place.
• Missing the expiry date: Five years pass quickly. Put the renewal in your calendar early.
• Forgetting insurance: A class C2 drone is a serious aircraft. Have the coverage confirmed in writing.

Conclusion

The EU A2 remote pilot certificate is the logical next step after the A1/A3 certificate: practical self-training, an additional theory exam at an examination body designated by the LBA and, at the end, a certificate that is valid for five years and recognized in all EASA states. You get the most benefit with a C2 drone, which you may then use close to people. For plane spotters, the situation at the airport remains unchanged – there, the telephoto lens and a legal spot count, not the certificate of competency.