Klar for DroneprøvenA valid EASA operator registration and the appropriate pilot competency can be used in Norway. Visitors from outside the EASA system may need to arrange both before flying. Check your drone’s class, NSM requirements for visiting foreign aircraft, insurance and the exact location.
Start with your existing registration
Check where you live and whether you already hold a valid operator registration from an EASA member state. An existing registration from one of those states also applies in Norway: do not create a second registration merely because you are travelling.
If you live outside the EASA member states and need registration, register in the first EASA state where you intend to operate. If that is Norway, use flydrone.no. An earlier flight elsewhere on the same trip can change which authority you should register with.
Check registration validity before leaving home. Our operator-registration guide explains personal and business responsibilities.
Source: EASA: travelling with drones
Check the drone and the pilot separately
The operator is responsible for the operation; the remote pilot controls the drone. The operator number is not a pilot certificate. Before choosing a course, identify the drone’s class label and the subcategory in which the flight will take place.
C0 drones and eligible drones under 250 grams can be flown without a formal theory exam, subject to the applicable conditions. That does not exempt a typical camera drone from operator registration. Heavier drones and other classes require the appropriate training and competency.
Valid EASA-framework certificates are recognised across EASA states. A US FAA Part 107 certificate or UK national drone qualification does not by itself meet an EASA certificate requirement. Check the document you actually hold.
Prepare in English if needed
Norway’s official A1/A3 online course and exam are available in English at flydrone.no. The Norwegian A2 exam is taken at a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office, and English is available. A2 also involves practical self-training and the required declaration; theory practice alone does not complete the qualification.
Allow time for official account and identity checks before travelling. Kurskompis offers optional Norwegian and English theory preparation, including free practice questions. Buying our course does not issue an official certificate, register you as an operator or book an authority exam.
Source: CAA Norway: visiting Norway
Deal with cameras, sensors and insurance
NSM requires visiting foreign aircraft using airborne sensors in Norwegian territory to notify it. This includes cameras used for photographs or video. Follow NSM’s current instructions and check its sensor-restriction map before recording.
Keep this separate from permission to fly. A submitted sensor notification does not authorise a flight in restricted airspace or permit recording in a sensor-prohibited area. Ordinary privacy obligations still apply when filming people.
Check third-party liability cover for Norway and your intended activity. Drones below 250 grams, including payload, flown in the open category are exempt from Norway’s mandatory liability-insurance requirement. The exemption does not remove liability for damage. For other operations, verify the applicable insurance requirements rather than assuming travel insurance covers them.
Source: NSM: airborne sensor systems
Make a fresh decision at every location
Before take-off, review UAS geographical zones, current airspace restrictions, local nature-protection rules and any sensor restrictions. A quiet landscape or a drone app that allows take-off is not evidence that the flight is permitted.
Then assess the real conditions: people, wind, visibility, obstacles, a safe return route and an alternative landing area. Keep the aircraft within visual line of sight and apply the rules for your drone and subcategory. Change the plan or cancel when the legal or safety conditions are not met.
This guide concerns routine open-category flying in mainland Norway. Svalbard, operations affected by sanctions and flights outside the open category require additional checks with the relevant authorities.
Source: CAA Norway: no-drone zones
Common questions
Do I need a new Norwegian registration if I am registered in Germany?
No, a valid operator registration from another EASA member state is recognised in Norway. Check its validity and follow Norwegian local restrictions.
Does a 249-gram camera drone need a certificate?
A C0 drone or another eligible sub-250 g drone can be exempt from the formal theory exam. A typical non-toy camera drone still requires operator registration. Check class, configuration and the applicable conditions.
Can I complete everything on arrival?
Do not assume immediate access. Registration, identity checks, training, exam booking or other permissions can take preparation. Arrange what you can before the trip and check the location again before flying.
Sources and regulatory basis
Regulatory information has been checked against the sources below. Study plans and examples are Kurskompis teaching recommendations. Check current information from the authorities before flying or taking an exam.
- CAA Norway: visiting Norway ↗
- EASA: travelling with drones ↗
- EASA: training for the open category ↗
- EASA: visitors from outside the EASA system ↗
- NSM: airborne sensor systems ↗
- CAA Norway: liability insurance ↗
- CAA Norway: no-drone zones ↗
- Statens vegvesen: drone operator test ↗
- CAA Norway: drones below 250 grams ↗
- CAA Norway: registration and residence ↗