Flying a drone in France? The complete 2026 guide in English: how to read the zone map, register on AlphaTango step by step, and the rules for cities and Paris.
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C-DRONE GUIDE · 12 MARCH 2026
Drone A1/A3 exam: free online test, official subjects and practice questions
The A1/A3 exam is taken free of charge online, on AlphaTango, the French civil aviation authority's portal: training modules, then a multiple-choice test that EU rules set at 40 questions across nine subjects, passed with 75% correct answers, retakeable without limit, and a certificate valid for 5 years. Flying a drone of 250 g or more requires this training, even for purely recreational use. The European pathway has two levels in the open category: the A1/A3 proof of completion, free and fully online, and the A2 certificate, which adds a supervised exam. Here is how to obtain them in France in 2026, and what they actually allow.
Published on 12 March 2026, updated on 13 October 2026 — regulations in force as of September 2026.
The complete guide to French drone regulations 2026 — procedures, checklists and templates · €10 →
A1/A3 training: free, online, mandatory from 250 g
The A1/A3 training is the common foundation for every open-category remote pilot. It is mandatory to fly a drone of 250 g or more (classes C1 to C4 and unclassified machines over 250 g), and strongly recommended even below. In France it takes place entirely on AlphaTango: online training modules covering regulations, flight principles, airspace limitations, data protection and insurance, followed by a 40-question multiple-choice exam — the format set by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (Annex, point UAS.OPEN.020) for the online theory test. A pass requires at least 75% correct answers; the exam is free and can be retaken without limit.
The regulation lists the nine subjects the questions are spread across: air safety; airspace restrictions; aviation regulation; human performance limitations; operational procedures; general knowledge of drones; privacy and data protection; insurance; security. Websites selling or giving away "drone test PDFs" publish their own questions, not those of the exam: they are useful for practice, not for memorising answers. The material to revise remains the official AlphaTango modules and the text of the regulation.
The proof of training completion is issued immediately as a PDF and remains valid for 5 years. The minimum remote pilot age in France is 14 in the open category (12 for a supervised flight). Allow two to four hours to work through the modules properly: the trick questions classically concern maximum heights in restricted zones, distances from people and night-flight conditions — allowed by the EU rules with a flashing green light, but prohibited in principle in France by the “Espace” order (Article 3), save for narrow exceptions or a prefectoral waiver.
Practice questions, with the rule that answers them
These questions are not taken from the exam: they are written from the articles of Regulation (EU) 2019/947 that the exam tests. Hide the answer, reply, then check.
| Question | Answer | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum height in the open category? | 120 m from the closest point of the surface of the earth | Article 4(1)(e) |
| I am flying within 50 m of a 130 m mast: may I climb above it? | Yes, up to 15 m above the obstacle, and only at the request of the entity responsible for it | Annex, UAS.OPEN.010 |
| Maximum take-off mass in the open category? | Less than 25 kg | Article 4(1)(b) |
| May I drop an object or spray a product? | No: in the open category the drone carries no dangerous goods and drops no material | Article 4(1)(f) |
| May I fly over an assembly of people? | No, never in the open category | Article 4(1)(c) |
| Must the drone stay in sight? | Yes, in visual line of sight at all times, except in follow-me mode or with an observer | Article 4(1)(d) |
| In A3, how far from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas? | At least 150 m horizontally | Annex, UAS.OPEN.040 |
| In A2 with a C2 drone, how far from uninvolved people? | 30 m horizontally, 5 m in low-speed mode | Annex, UAS.OPEN.030 |
| How long is the A1/A3 certificate valid? | 5 years | Annex, UAS.OPEN.020 |
The questions that make candidates fail are rarely these taken one by one: they are the ones combining two rules (a height and a zone, a drone class and a subcategory).
The A2 certificate: to fly closer to people
The A2 remote pilot certificate allows flight in subcategory A2: a class C2 drone (under 4 kg) down to 30 metres from uninvolved people, and down to 5 metres in low-speed mode. It is the key qualification for remote pilots working in suburban areas, on construction sites or on partially occupied industrial sites. Obtaining it involves three steps: holding the A1/A3 proof, completing practical self-training in A3 conditions (declared on your honour, covering flight preparation and control of the aircraft), then passing an additional supervised theory exam.
In France, this additional 30-question exam covers meteorology, drone flight performance and ground-risk mitigation; it is run under DGAC supervision, and the pass mark is likewise 75%. The A2 certificate is valid for 5 years and recognised across the entire European Union — useful for cross-border work, since a French operator can fly in A2 in Belgium or Spain with the same document.
And for the specific category? Theory exam and practical training
The European standard scenarios STS-01 and STS-02 demand a higher level: the CATS, the STS theoretical certificate — 40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes (reduced to 30 questions for A2 certificate holders), 75% pass mark, a €30 fee, valid for 5 years —, obtained after a supervised exam taken in a DGAC examination centre (the OCEANE system, in the same rooms as aeroplane pilot exams), completed by practical training with a recognised entity which issues a certificate of competency for the scenario concerned. The practical training covers emergency procedure management, mission preparation, parachute use for STS-01 over populated areas and coordination with airspace observers for STS-02.
Budget-wise, the French ecosystem is well structured: allow €800 to €2,500 for a full STS pathway at a training centre (theory + practice + operations manual preparation), often eligible for funding. Beware: the national-scenario CATT is no longer issued in mainland France and there is no automatic conversion — since 1 January 2026 every professional remote pilot goes through the European pathway and the CATS. For clients, only one thing matters: ask the provider for the certificate matching exactly the scenario used on their site.
Which training for which use: summary table
The right training level depends on the drone and the flight environment, not on leisure or professional status. Here is the mapping in force in 2026:
| Situation | Required training | Cost | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera drone < 250 g | None mandatory (A1/A3 recommended) | — | — |
| Drone 250 g to 25 kg, far from people (A1/A3) | Online A1/A3 proof | Free | 5 years |
| C2 drone near people (A2) | A1/A3 + self-training + A2 certificate | Modest exam fee | 5 years |
| Urban flight, populated area (STS-01) | STS theory certificate + practical at recognised entity | €800 to €2,500 | 5 years |
| Beyond visual line of sight (STS-02) | STS theory certificate + specific practical | €1,500 to €3,000 | 5 years |
An often overlooked point: the expiry date. Proofs and certificates issued during the 2021 European transition expired in 2026; many remote pilots discover an out-of-date certificate the day before a mission. Check the date on the AlphaTango PDF and retake the exam before the deadline — early renewal costs you nothing.
Preparing well: method and exam pitfalls
For the A1/A3 exam, the most effective method is to read the AlphaTango modules in order, then drill the heights and distances until you know them by heart: 120 m maximum height, 30 m horizontal distance from uninvolved people in A2 (5 m in low-speed mode), 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas in A3, and up to 15 m above an obstacle taller than 105 m, within 50 m horizontally, at the request of the entity responsible for it. Questions mixing restricted zones with Géoportail height limits trip up most hurried candidates.
For the A2 certificate and the STS certificate, focus first on meteorology (wind gradient, thermal breeze, Kp index for GPS) and on computing the ground footprint in case of failure — topics absent from the A1/A3 level. Finally, train for what the exam does not cover: reading an aerodrome VAC chart, requesting a protocol from a control tower and drafting a préfecture agreement belong to professional practice, and they are what separates a certificate holder from a genuinely operational remote pilot.
Put it into practice
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