Swiss government agrees to adopt U-space airspace in Zurich

The Swiss Federal Council has adopted a report “Developing and regulating civil drones in Switzerland” at its meeting on 20 December 2024, proposing measures to integrate drones safely and efficiently into the aviation system.

According to a council press statement:

“The report sees the establishment of a U-space airspace in regions with high air traffic as the central instrument for the integration of drones into the airspace. A U-space airspace comprises a set of digital and automatic services. Within this space, drone pilots can exchange information and data with each other and with other airspace users. The first U-space airspace in Switzerland is to be established in Zurich.

“The report drawn up in response to this postulate outlines the Confederation’s strategy for ensuring that drones are operated safely in Swiss airspace… The measures are implemented by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) in collaboration with other federal offices, the cantons, the air navigation service and airspace users.

“The Confederation is also expected to establish framework conditions for the visibility of all users of Swiss airspace by 2030, which requires that the latter be equipped with modern, internationally compatible position communication systems.

“The report presents a series of measures for the protection of privacy. Since 2023, drone pilots have been required to register in an official register. There is also an obligation to undergo training and pass an examination. Flight restriction zones protect sensitive areas and installations from drone intrusions. In terms of climate protection and noise protection, the Confederation is focusing on the development of technologies to limit noise pollution caused by drones as much as possible. To this end, it relies on international standards.

“Current drone applications do not use any specific infrastructure and do not require specific take-off and landing points. This will change when larger drones are put into service and make regular trips, such as flying taxis dedicated to transporting people or heavy goods. In this case, land use planning rules will have to be adapted to take into account the infrastructure required by these activities.”