New technologies often necessitate new regulations and laws. However, if all aspects are not clearly defined when drafting such rules, ambiguities are inevitable. With a recent general ruling granting exemptions from the Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) for drone operations in the "specific" category, the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) has pragmatically addressed such uncertainties—at least temporarily.
The Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 establishes a binding regulatory framework for air traffic, including operations in the specific category of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). However, the “Standardised European Rules of the Air” are not easily transferable to drone flights, as they were designed with manned aviation in mind. To complicate matters further, some SERA provisions conflict with the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, which governs drone operations.
In response, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) has issued a general ruling to provide greater clarity, at least temporarily. From October 21, 2024, to June 20, 2025, exemptions from SERA will apply in Germany for unmanned aircraft operating in the "specific" category. Following the recent permanent easing of drone regulations for wildlife rescue and agricultural purposes, the Federal Ministry is leveraging Article 71(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, which outlines common rules for civil aviation and establishes the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
This administrative act (File Reference: PG Unb LF 6312.1/5-4) enables UAS to perform operations such as uninterrupted inspections of high-voltage power lines or pipelines running through controlled airspace—provided the necessary operational authorizations are in place. This regulatory flexibility ensures smoother drone operations for these critical applications, at least for the months ahead.
> This article was created in collaboration with Drones, the magazine for the drone economy. www.drones-magazin.de
