Learn the ups and downs of flying a drone in the Czech Republic

It’s no surprise drones have become a popular pastime in the past few years. For a very affordable price, you can now get a bird’s eye view of the world around you.

Originally developed for the aerospace industry, drones have become a photographer’s best friend. Places and sights that used to be off-limits are now at your fingertips –from wildlife to historical sites to some of your favorite destinations from above.

Commercial drone services have also grown significantly in the past few years. But with specific laws in place to fly a drone for business purposes, things get more complicated. Even to fly for fun, however, the EU has specific rules drone pilots should adhere to – and anybody not complying could be exposed to hefty fines. 

“Since 2021, every entity operating a drone with a camera or a drone heavier than 249g must register the drone, and every pilot operating a drone with a camera or over 249g must take an online test,” explains Alex Novotný, drone tester at DronPro, which runs a flight school for drone pilots. “This can be done online for free and it’s very easy for those who are familiar with general drone flying best practices.”

Once the drone is registered and the pilot passes the test, they can fly in the so-called OPEN A1 and OPEN A3 categories. “A1 means that you can fly with a light drone (up to 900g) in built-up areas but not above people, A3 means you can fly a heavier drone (up to 25 kg), but only in uninhabited areas,” Novotný says.

While flight proficiency isn’t a requirement to pass the basic online test, enrolling in a comprehensive course like the ones offered by DronPro can give you a clear understanding of the regulations and teach you how to actually fly a drone and not just operate the controls.

Much like enrolling in driving school, having the support of a flying instructor means that you’ll learn proper techniques from the start instead of making basic mistakes that can result in a crash – an easy way to lose your drone or destroy private property.

Although flying a drone is nowadays definitely easier than ever – thanks to sensor technologies that automatically avoid obstacles and intelligent flight assistants  – Novotný says you still need to be familiar with some basic fundamentals on how these intelligent functions work and where their weaknesses are.

“Our basic flying course that customers get for free with almost every drone purchase at DronPro will show them how to manipulate with their concrete drone model, how to prepare for take-off, how to maneuver during the flight, how to take the best looking photos and videos from their drone, how to safely land and how to take care of their drone so it serves them well for a long time.”

In addition, because flying a drone in EU countries comes with its own set of – often confusing and complex – rules to keep everybody safe and property intact, it’s especially important to spend some time understanding what everything means. “Of course, people can learn these fundamentals by themselves, but it will definitely take more time and may cost them more money on drone repairs or damages to third parties due to experimenting without guidance,” Novotný says.

For those interested in the business side of drones, becoming a professional drone pilot opens opportunities in almost all fields of human activity  –  agriculture, industry, construction, archeology and architecture, ecology, and gaming.

Another popular field is safety. “Drones help search for missing people or victims of natural disasters,” says Novotný. “They help guard property and you could even see drones disinfecting public areas during the Covid pandemic.”

However, the most common specialization of drone operators is professional photography and filmmaking.  

No matter your reason for getting a drone, DroPro has a course and license to match your needs. This includes OPEN A1+A3 for typical hobby pilots or semi-professionals who are happy to operate within the limits of those categories.

There are also OPEN A2 licenses. “OPEN A2 requires a more detailed test taken at the authorities’ office, plus registration and an online test, and lets you fly closer to people and buildings,” Novotný says, who adds that students looking to fly in normally forbidden areas need the more advanced SPECIFIC license and must report to the authorities and gain approval.  

There’s a lot more to being a drone pilot than just buying a drone. With the proper guidance, you can have fun, capture stunning photography, and potentially open the doors to a new career.