Drone rules in Norway for tourists and visitors
A short overview of what applies when you visit Norway and want to fly a drone in the open category. Last checked 27.10.2026. Source: Luftfartstilsynet (Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority), Visiting Norway and Luftfartstilsynet, drone rules (Norwegian). Parts of this page are our own translation of the Norwegian page.
This is not legal advice. Rules can change. Always check Luftfartstilsynet before you fly. Norsk: Droneregler i Norge for turister.
Registration and drone licence
- Citizens of an EU country (Luftfartstilsynet includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland): You must be registered as a drone operator in your home country. You do not need to register in Norway if you are already registered as a drone operator in another EASA member state.
- Citizens of a country outside the EU: You must be registered as a drone operator in an EU country or Norway. You should register in the first country where you plan to operate. For Norway, you can register at flydrone.no.
- There is no distinction between flying for recreational or commercial use.
- Exception: If your drone weighs under 250 grams and has no camera, or is CE marked as a toy, you are not required to register, take the online course and exam. If it weighs under 250 grams and has a camera, you must register, but you are not required to take the course and exam.
- Fee in Norway: NOK 230 per year for a private person and NOK 1500 per year for an organisation. Course and exam are free.
- Certificate: You must have a valid EASA certificate for the relevant subcategory. The Norwegian A1/A3 course and exam are available in English at flydrone.no. The A2 course is also there, while the A2 exam must be taken at a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office in Norway.
- Marking: Mark the drone with your operator number. You can also use a QR code containing your operator number. The number on your pilot certificate is not valid as a marking. The last characters of the operator number are secret and must not be part of the marking.
- Camera and sensors: Before flying with a camera or other sensors, you must register the use of photos, video and other sensors with the Norwegian National Security Authority.
- Insurance: You must have valid liability insurance. Insurance is not required for drones under 250 grams in the open category.
- Russian citizens: Since 28 February 2022, Russian flights have been banned from using Norwegian airspace. Russian citizens may, as employees (or similar), fly a UAS to benefit operators not subject to the sanctions.
Drone classes
| Class | Subcategory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Under 250 g without C mark | A1 | Drones up to 250 g placed on the market before 1 January 2024, and home-built drones up to 250 g flying slower than 19 m/s. |
| C0 | A1 | Remote ID is not required in the open category. |
| C1 | A1 | Do not fly over other people. Must have Remote ID from the manufacturer. |
| C2 | A2 or A3 | In A2: 30 metres horizontal distance from other people, 5 metres in low speed mode. Requires the A2 exam. Must have Remote ID. |
| C3 | A3 only | Must have Remote ID from the manufacturer. |
| C4 | A3 only | Remote ID is not required in the open category. |
| C5 and C6 | Standard scenarios (STS) | Specific category, not open category. |
| No C mark, 250 g to 25 kg | A3 or specific category | Applies from 2024 ("legacy"). |
C0 and C1 drones may also be flown under the A3 rules. If your drone has Remote ID, you must enter your operator number before flying.
Where and how you may fly
- The drone must weigh less than 25 kg.
- Do not fly more than 120 metres from the closest point of the ground or water. Near mountains or cliffs you can therefore fly more than 120 metres vertically.
- You must always be able to see the drone (VLOS). An observer next to you watching the drone still counts as VLOS. In A1 with follow-me mode, the distance between drone and pilot can be at most 50 metres.
- Do not fly over crowds, for example concerts, festivals and sports events.
- A1, "over people": small drones. With C1 drones and drones over 250 grams you must not fly over other people.
- A2, "close to people": C2 drones only, with the distances in the table.
- A3, "far from people": at least 150 metres from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas. No other people present than those involved in the flight. If someone enters the area, keep at least 30 metres away and follow the 1:1 rule.
- You must be at least 16 years old. The age limit does not apply to home-built drones under 250 grams flying slower than 19 m/s, nor to C0 drones that are also classified as toys.
- Flying over or near protected areas and national parks, military areas, gas terminals, prisons and embassies, oil platforms and areas where emergency services are operating is prohibited. Respect the safety distances to airports unless you have permission from the tower.
- For toy drones, the rules on height, no-fly zones, line of sight and overflight apply. The rules on the 16-year age limit, drone licence and insurance do not.
Check zones before take-off
Check if drone flying is permitted in the area before taking off. A map of UAS geographical zones can be found at dronesoner.no. In Droneportal (Norwegian) you can also see airspace and drone zones and weather and zones where you are.
What may come: proposed 100 gram limit
Proposal, not adopted. This does not apply today.
EASA Opinion 06/2026 proposes to lower the mass threshold for mandatory registration and direct remote identification from 250 g to 100 g. Under the proposal, operators of drones with a take-off mass of 100 grams or more would have to register, both for recreational and commercial use. Luftfartstilsynet has the proposal out for consultation with a deadline of 30 November 2026, and expects the European Commission to adopt the changes during 2027. See the consultation at Luftfartstilsynet (Norwegian).