If you are registered as an operator of unmanned aircraft (UAS) with the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA) and wish to operate a UAS in the "special" operating category in Germany, you require a UAS operating permit. The authority to which you can apply for a UAS operating permit depends on the federal state in which you live. In the case of legal entities, i.e. companies, associations or organizations, the registered office is decisive. The LBA is responsible if your place of residence or main place of business is in one of the following federal states:

• Bavaria
• Berlin
• Brandenburg
• Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
• North Rhine-Westphalia
• Saarland
• Saxony
• Saxony-Anhalt
• Thuringia

If your place of residence or principal place of business is in another federal state, please contact the local state aviation authority. Legal entities that hold a Light Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate (LUC) always apply to the LBA for their UAS operating permit, regardless of their principal place of business. In your application, you provide information including

• the operating area
• the risk assessment
• the operations manual

If you are applying for a UAS operating license for the first time, it is advisable to contact the competent authority in advance for a preliminary discussion. During this meeting, you can clarify questions about your UAS operation and the necessary application documents, among other things.

An operating license issued by the LBA is valid for 2 years.

As a UAS operator, in addition to the initial application, you can also

• extend an existing operating license,
• return it or
• make changes to the operating license.