Basic safety rules

This requirement is valid for Open Category flights where the drone must be in the pilot’s field of view at all times. This requirement is called VLOS (Visual Line of Sight).

✅ What is required:

• The pilot should always see the drone with the naked eye, without the aid of:

  • binoculars,

  • telescopes,

  • FPV goggles (except in special cases and competitions with exceptions),

  • or drone cameras.

• The pilot should be able to judge:

  • the position of the drone,

  • its altitude,

  • the direction in which it is flying,

  • and possible obstacles or hazards.

❌ What is not considered a sight flight:

• If the drone passes behind a building, tree or hill and disappears from direct view, it is no longer flying in VLOS.

• If you only monitor it through its camera or controller screen – it also does not meet the requirement.

This restriction applies to the Open Category and is intended to ensure safety and avoid conflicts with other aircraft.
According to Regulation (EU) 2019/947, a drone must not fly more than 120 metres above the ground immediately below it, regardless of altitude or take-off point. This is not to be confused with the technical specifications of some drones, which have maximum flight altitudes of 5000 metres above sea level.

✅ What is required:

• The maximum permissible height of the drone is 120 meters above the terrain below the drone at any time during the flight.

• This means that if you are flying over flat terrain, you should not rise more than 120 m above the ground.

• If you’re flying in a mountainous area or on a slope, you can keep the drone 120 m above the sloping terrain as you move.

❌ What is not allowed:

• Taking off from the bottom of a hill (0 m) and rising to 320 m to reach the top (200 m) and another 120 m up – this exceeds the allowable height relative to the terrain below the drone.

• Taking off from a building, tower or hill and going 120+ feet above it – unless it’s a special mission with consent and under certain conditions.

In the Open Category, flying over non-participants is severely restricted for safety purposes. According to Regulation (EU) 2019/947, only certain drones in subcategory A1 are allowed to fly over people – and only under certain conditions.

✅ What is required:

• To fly over people, the drone must be:

  • in subcategory A1

  • weighing less than 250g, or

  • be labelled C0 or C1 according to the new standards

• Even in A1:

  • Deliberately flying over groups of people is not allowed

  • Flights should be conducted in such a way as to avoid flying over people whenever possible

❌ What is not allowed:

• Flying a drone in subcategory A2 or A3 over people – this is absolutely forbidden

• To deliberately fly over groups of people, even with a light A1 drone

• Using a drone weighing more than 250 g that does not have a C1 marking near people

There are areas with airspace restrictions where drone flights are not allowed unless there is prior approval. Such areas include airports, military sites, restricted airspace and other sensitive locations.
The official list of geographical areas with restrictions on drone flights in Bulgaria is published on the website of the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA).

✅ What is required:

• Before the flight, be sure to check the restriction map (official sources of DG CAA or just use the Pre-flight Preparation Steps which integrate the most important pre-flight requirements to be followed HERE)

• Flights within restricted/controlled airspace are only allowed with special permission from the relevant authorities (also an integrated step)

• Observe designated No Fly Zones and temporary restrictions (e.g. events, fires, etc.)

❌ What is not allowed:

• Flying a drone near airports, military bases, energy infrastructure or special access sites

• Ignoring a designated restricted area, even if the drone is small or flies for a short time