‘Specific’ category
If the requirements for drone operations in the ‘open’ category referred to in Article 4 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 are not complied with, operations must be performed in the categories which are subject to authorization. The ‘specific’ category is one of the two categories of operation subject to approval and covers the operation of drones with a higher risk.
The operation of a drone in the ‘specific’ category is permitted only after a prior risk assessment and approval by the competent authority. Authorizations for the ‘specific’ category of operations are granted in accordance with Article 12 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947. Applications must be submitted to the competent federal state aviation authority. In the case of natural persons, the local jurisdiction depends on the applicant’s main place of residence; in the case of legal persons, it depends on the applicant’s place of business. The following federal states have transferred their jurisdiction to the Federal Aviation Office (LBA): Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.
Application forms and further information on the special category are provided by the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (German only).