All the important information you need to know about the drone licence plate / drone badge. Including suitable products.
The new EU Drone Regulation has been in force since 1 January 2021. Among other things, it regulates who needs a drone licence plate or a so-called drone sticker and when.
The eID of the drone pilot (more precisely, the drone operator – often the same person) must appear on the licence plate. In Germany, this unique number is assigned by the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt(LBA) after registration.
Registration for the owner of the drone is mandatory if the drone …
- has a maximum take-off mass of 250 grams, or
- is equipped with sensors for recording personal data (e.g. a camera), unless it is a toy according to Directive 2009/4848/EC.
This means that basically every drone pilot (drone operator) must register. This is because all camera drones are affected. If registration becomes necessary, the obligation to have a drone registration plate also applies.
Further details on registration and marking can be found in our article Registering a Drone – Drone Pilot Registration.
Requirements for the drone registration number
In addition to the mandatory e-ID, there is basically only one other requirement for the drone registration number. According to the EU regulations, a fire-resistant badge is no longer required. However, the marking must still be securely placed on the outside of the dr one.
However, we continue to recommend the well-known robust and fire-resistant badges. On the one hand, because these have proven themselves and you can be sure that they will last a long time and remain permanently legible. On the other hand, because these plates remain intact even after a serious accident with the drone. With a marking on a paper sticker, you cannot be sure of this.
But beware! Especially for drones with an MTOM of <250g, such a sticker can raise the weight above the crucial limit of 250g, whereby the drone slips into a new category and loses the advantages of the low weight classification. In this case, it is better to go for a light label. A commercially available label printer is sufficient for this.
Buying a drone licence plate / drone badge
If you are looking for a suitable drone licence plate or a drone badge, you will find a number of suppliers to choose from in the following list. No one has to spend more than 10€ to buy a licence plate or bad ge.
The (usually self-adhesive) sticker should be as small as possible and be attached to the drone in such a way that it does not cover any sensors or interfere with other functions.
No products found.
More articles on the subject of drone number plates
We have already covered the topic of drone registration plates in detail in other articles, some of which are a little more specialised. Below is a selection of some of them.
- DJI FPV drone number plate
- DJI Mini 2 number plate
- DJI Mavic Air 2 registration plates
- Attaching drone registration plates to DJI drones
Drone number plate / drone badge FAQ
If the drone weighs more than 250g or has a camera, a drone licence plate is mandatory. In this article, we explain in detail what has to be on the licence plate.
The prices for badges are usually less than €10. Our article provides you with some product examples.
