Germany makes SERA exemptions for specific-category UAS operations

Germany’s Association for Unmanned Aviation UAV DACH has welcomed the exemptions from the Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) for uncrewed aerial systems operated in the “specific” category. UAV DACH says the exemptions by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV) provides clarity, initially for a limited period until June 20, 2025, where a contradictory legal situation had previously caused uncertainty.

“In principle, operations in the specific category are subject to the operational requirements of Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 – SERA). However, these are designed with manned aviation in mind and therefore cannot be fully transferred to UAS operations for very practical or technical reasons,” UAV DACH said in a LinkedIn post. “To make matters worse, certain rules of the European “Drone Regulation” (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947) are not compatible with the SERA requirements. In these cases, the specifications of the Implementing Regulation 2019/947 are generally applicable, but clarity for operators certainly looks different.”

UAV DACH has repeatedly called for clarification from regulatory bodies. “With the establishment of geographical areas for the purpose of animal welfare and wildlife rescue, the responsible BMDV has now made use of the possibilities offered by Article 71(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and the establishment of a European Union Aviation Safety Agency. A general ruling creates legal certainty through individual exemptions from SERA for unmanned aircraft in the “special” category. This applies to both operators and the responsible authorities.”

The association says the exemptions will help implement operations in control zones. “It is now clear that generally approved BVLOS missions do not necessarily have to end at the edge of control zones or take uneconomical detours. In this way, infrastructure inspections or the monitoring of sensitive areas, for example, can be carried out in an ecologically sustainable, economically sensible and, above all, safe manner.”