Service · Certificates

Pilot certificates, radio operator and UAS operator registration

Everything you need to fly legally, in one place: operator registration, A1/A3, A2 and STS pilot certificates, and the radio operator certificate, increasingly important for operating in controlled airspace.

Pilots: A1/A3 · A2 · STS
Radio operator: Royal Decree 517/2024
With a plan: Registrations included in ZONA 80 and 120

UAS operator registration

The operator is the person or company responsible for the flights. Before flying, in most cases they must be registered with AESA: for example, if the drone weighs 250 g or more, or if it has a camera able to capture personal data. The operator number must be displayed on every drone.

We guide you through the registration and leave everything ready for you to start flying.

Pilot certificates

A1/A3: AESA's online training and theory exam. It is the basic certificate for the open category.
A2: extends the A1/A3 with an additional theory exam and self-practical training. It allows class C2 drones to be flown closer to people.
STS: to operate in the STS-01 and STS-02 standard scenarios. It requires specific theoretical knowledge and practical training. If you held the STS-ES certificate, it can be converted to the European standard by completing the training.

Radio operator certificate

Royal Decree 517/2024 requires the theoretical and practical radio operator training certificate when the operation requires communicating with air traffic services on the aviation radio band.

This is common in controlled airspace and flight information zones (FIZ), for example in many operations coordinated with an EARO. We tell you whether your operation needs it and guide you through getting it.

Increasingly important. If you often fly near airports or in controlled airspace, having pilots with the radio operator certificate opens up operations you could not otherwise carry out.

What we do for you

We check which certificates your pilots need for your drones and operations.
We guide you through the operator registration and every exam or training course.
We coordinate the radio operator certificate process.
We help you convert STS-ES certificates to the European standard.

Price

UAS operator and pilot registrations are included in ZONA 80 and ZONA 120. Without a plan, we prepare a quote for what you need.

See what each plan includes

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about certificates

Do I need the radio operator certificate to fly a drone?

You need it when your operation requires communicating with air traffic services on the aviation radio band, which is common in controlled airspace and flight information zones (FIZ). In that case Royal Decree 517/2024 requires the theoretical and practical radio operator training certificate.

Which certificate do I need to fly my drone?

It depends on the drone and the operation. As a general rule: A1/A3 for the open category, A2 to fly a class C2 drone closer to people and the STS certificate for the standard scenarios of the specific category. In the diagnosis we tell you exactly what each pilot needs.

Can I convert my STS-ES certificate to the European one?

Yes. AESA has published a procedure to convert STS-ES pilot certificates to the European standard, which recognises part of the training and requires the rest to be completed. We help you do it.

Can't find your question? Ask us and we will reply right away.

Other services