It is recommended that you take out insurance against physical or material damage to third parties due to accidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles or model aircraft. So check whether your personal liability insurance covers damage caused by model aircraft. For private operators with a model aircraft from 20 kilograms, insurance is mandatory based on EU regulations. You can add the insurance to the registration in the RDW register. Until 31 December 2022, the national Model Flying Regulations will continue to apply in association with model flying and the European rules are therefore not relevant yet.
From 31 December 2020 you are required to register online as an operator at the RDW. You do this by requesting an operator number. This can be done as a person or as an organization. If the model flying association registers as an operator, the model airplanes of all members shall be assigned the same operator number. If you are going to fly outside of a club, you must register yourself as an operator. The operator number you receive from the RDW must be visibly affixed to all your model aircraft and drones, for example by means of a sticker or fire plate. Are you flying a model aircraft that weighs less than 250 grams and does not have a camera? Then registration is not necessary.
If you do not fly in an association with a model aircraft after December 31, 2020, the European rules that also apply to drones. The new European rules are based on the risk of the flight with a specific unmanned aircraft. That risk depends, for example, on the weight of the unmanned aircraft, your level of knowledge and the location where you want to fly. The rules apply to all unmanned flights, except when you fly indoors. The Open category includes drone flights with a low risk, for example flights with a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle that do not fly over crowds.
The Specific category includes flights with a higher risk. For example flying with a heavier unmanned aircraft over urban areas. To fly in this category you need a flight permit from the
Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). This can also be a flight statement if it is a Standard Scenario published by EASA.
Also read: The same drone rules for drone pilots in the European Union
