whirrwork
Insights

Hiring a drone in 10 countries: the rules your operator should already know

A buyer's guide to commercial drone rules in the US, EU, UK, India, China, Australia, UAE, Brazil, Japan and Canada, with what to ask your operator before they take off.

By The Whirrwork team7 min read
  • drones
  • drone regulations
  • FAA Part 107
  • EASA
  • UK CAA
  • DGCA
  • CASA
  • GCAA

The short version

  • Almost everywhere, a commercial drone job needs a registered drone and a qualified pilot, and anything near airports, over crowds, at night or out of sight usually needs extra permission.
  • The 120 metre / 400 foot ceiling is close to universal. The details below it aren't.
  • You're the client, not the pilot, but you can still end up dealing with the fallout of an illegal flight. Ask for the paperwork; a legitimate operator sends it in minutes.
  • Rules change often (the UK changed its system in January 2026; the US is still finalising a beyond-line-of-sight rule). Check the regulator's current guidance before you book.
  • This isn't legal advice. It's a summary to help you ask the right questions.

The quick comparison

CountryRegulatorWhat a commercial operator typically needsHeight limit (standard ops)
United StatesFAARemote Pilot Certificate (Part 107), registered drone, Remote ID400 ft
European UnionEASA + national authoritiesOperator registration; pilot competency for the category; operational authorisation for "specific" ops120 m
United KingdomCAAOperator ID and Flyer ID; insurance for commercial flights; Remote ID for class-marked drones120 m
IndiaDGCA / Ministry of Civil AviationUnique Identification Number on Digital Sky; Remote Pilot Certificate; zone permissionDepends on zone
ChinaCAACReal-name registration; category-based rules120 m for light drones in permitted airspace
AustraliaCASARegistration and accreditation (excluded category) or licences for more complex work120 m
UAEGCAAUAS operator authorisation, operation permission, security clearance for cameras400 ft (recreational)
BrazilANAC, DECEA, ANATELSISANT registration, airspace request (SARPAS), equipment homologationVaries by operation
JapanMLITRegistration (100 g+) and Remote IDPermission needed at 150 m or higher
CanadaTransport CanadaRegistration and Basic or Advanced pilot certificate400 ft (about 122 m) in uncontrolled airspace

Below, the details that matter for buyers, with sources.

United States

  • Part 107 covers commercial flights with drones under 55 lb: below 400 ft, within visual line of sight, by a pilot holding a Remote Pilot Certificate (minimum age 16). Registration costs $5 and lasts three years. Remote ID has been required since 16 September 2023 (FAA).
  • One pilot, one drone. Flying more than one drone at a time needs a waiver of §107.35, which is why every US drone show runs on a waiver. Waiver decisions can take around 90 days (FAA), so book early.
  • Spraying crops also needs Part 137, plus a 44807 exemption for drones over 55 lb (FAA; UF/IFAS), and usually a state pesticide applicator licence (Texas example).
  • Beyond visual line of sight is coming: the proposed Part 108 rule had been at the White House regulatory office since 10 July 2026 and wasn't final as of October 2026 (Drone Authority).
  • Check a pilot: the FAA's public airmen inquiry lets you look up certificates, and the FAA publishes waivers issued.

European Union

  • Low-risk flights sit in the open category (subcategories A1, A2 and A3, depending on drone class and distance from people), within line of sight and below 120 m (EASA).
  • Anything riskier goes into the specific category, which needs an operational authorisation from the national authority (EASA). Most drone shows and many inspections near people land here.
  • Insurance is mandatory above 20 kg and most member states require it below that (EASA).

United Kingdom

  • From 1 January 2026, the UK uses its own class marks, UK0 to UK6 (CAA).
  • You need a Flyer ID to fly a drone of 100 g or more, and an Operator ID for drones of 250 g or more, or 100–250 g drones with a camera (CAA). Remote ID applies to class-marked drones (CAA).
  • Commercial flights need insurance meeting EC 785/2004 (CAA).

India

  • Drones need a Unique Identification Number on the Digital Sky platform, and the airspace map is split into red, yellow and green zones. Type certification is required except for nano drones up to 250 g (PIB; Drone Rules 2021).
  • Third-party insurance is required for drones other than nano drones (Legal 500).

China

  • The national Interim Regulations on unmanned aircraft took effect on 1 January 2024, with real-name registration and category-based rules; light drones may fly up to 120 m in permitted airspace (CAAC; State Council). If you're hiring in China, ask your operator which category your job falls in and whether airspace approval is needed.

Australia

  • Commercial flights with drones from 250 g to 2 kg (the "excluded" category) need registration and operator accreditation; heavier or more complex work needs further licences (CASA).
  • Standard rules include flying no higher than 120 m and keeping at least 30 m from people (CASA).
  • Australia's investigators have also published one of the clearest drone show accident reports we've read: in Melbourne in 2023, 427 of 500 drones ended up in the water after flying in winds more than twice the published limit (ATSB). More in how robot jobs go wrong.

United Arab Emirates

  • Commercial operators need a UAS operator authorisation, then an operation permission for each activity, and security clearance if the drone carries a camera. The GCAA lists target processing times of about three weeks for the authorisation and 14 working days for permissions (GCAA).
  • Recreational flying is limited to 400 ft, daylight, drones up to 5 kg, in designated green zones (same source). Emirate-level rules can be stricter, so ask your operator about local approvals too.

Brazil

  • Drones are covered by ANAC (drone rules and SISANT registration; drones up to 250 g are exempt from registration), DECEA (airspace requests via SARPAS), and ANATEL (radio equipment approval) (ANAC; gov.br; DECEA). Three agencies, three approvals. Your operator should know all three by name.

Japan

  • Drones of 100 g or more must be registered, and registration has been mandatory since 20 June 2022, along with Remote ID (MLIT).
  • Flights at 150 m or higher, near airports, over densely populated districts or in emergency airspace need MLIT permission (MLIT, in Japanese).

Canada

  • Drones from 250 g to 25 kg must be registered, and pilots need a Basic or Advanced certificate depending on the operation (Transport Canada).
  • In uncontrolled airspace, drones are normally limited to 400 ft above ground, or 100 ft above the tallest obstruction within 200 ft (Transport Canada AIM).
  • Changes from 4 November 2025 opened up rules for medium drones (25–150 kg) within visual line of sight and extended visual line of sight operations (Transport Canada).

Patterns worth noticing

  1. Registration plus competence is the floor. Every country above requires some form of drone registration and pilot qualification for commercial work.
  2. Crowds, nights, airports and "out of sight" are where the paperwork lives. If your job involves any of these, add weeks, not days.
  3. Imported crews need local approval. A US Part 107 certificate doesn't let anyone fly commercially in the UK or the UAE. Ask touring drone show teams how they handle each country.
  4. Our view: the most reliable sign of a professional drone operator isn't the drone. It's how quickly they send their authorisations, insurance and a site-specific risk assessment.

Bot or Not?

Hire with confidence when…Walk away when…
The operator names the regulator and their licence numbers"We don't need permission for something this small" for a commercial job
They ask about your site: airports, crowds, power linesThey don't ask anything
They know how long permissions take and build it into the scheduleThey promise next-day flights in controlled airspace
Insurance certificate arrives with the quoteInsurance is "on our list"

What to ask

  1. Which licence or certificate does the pilot hold, and can I verify it online?
  2. Is the drone registered, and does it broadcast Remote ID where required?
  3. Does this job need extra permission (airspace, night, crowds, multiple drones), and who's applying?
  4. Can you send your insurance certificate and a site risk assessment?
  5. What's your weather limit, and what happens to my booking if you can't fly?

Compare drone photography, roof inspection, mapping and drone show prices, or request quotes from operators.

This isn't legal advice, and drone rules change frequently. Always check the regulator's current guidance for the country and site where you plan to fly.

Sources

All accessed October 2026.

More Insights