Airffic InspectionThe future guide to drone inspection

REGULATIONS / NO

Norway: drone rules for inspection

Norway applies the EU drone rules through the EEA Agreement, and all operators register at flydrone.no and mark the drone with their operator number, except for sub-250 g drones without a camera and toys. BVLOS inspection uses SORA- or PDRA-based authorisations or STS declarations. Flights within 5 km of airports need air traffic services permission (a move to CTR-based permits is planned without a date), military sites and prisons are off-limits, and sensor recording is banned in NSM-listed areas.

Checked against official sources

Fields are recorded in the language of the research notes.

Authorityノルウェー民間航空局 (Luftfartstilsynet)、国家安全保障局 (NSM、空中センサー禁止区域) / Civil Aviation Authority of Norway (Luftfartstilsynet / CAA Norway); Avinor and airport towers for airport-area permissions; National Security Authority (NSM) for airborne-sensor restricted areas
Main frameworkEU Regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945 incorporated through the EEA Agreement, plus Norwegian national rules (including the airport-vicinity rule and the 2018 regulation on airborne sensor systems). The date EU rules began to apply in Norway (reported as 2023) was not confirmed on the pages read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
RegistrationEveryone flying a drone in Norway must register at flydrone.no, except for drones under 250 g without a camera or clearly marked toys. Annual fees: NOK 230 (private person), NOK 1,500 (organisation); courses and exams are free. The operator number (without the secret final digits) must be marked on the drone. Private registrants are asked for an insurance number (can be added later); the legal insurance threshold was not stated on the page read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Remote IDEU direct Remote ID rules apply via EEA incorporation (EASA). Norwegian detail (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Pilot licensingOnline courses and exams via flydrone.no (free); STS declarations require the pilot to have passed the STS exam. Business pilots register as 'pilot' (courses and exams only).
Risk categoriesOpen / Specific (SORA-based authorisation per operation type; PDRA as a pre-made SORA; STS declaration with C-class drone and STS-exam pilot; LUC holders may approve their own SORA, PDRA or STS operations; forms NF-1145E and NF-1144E) / Certified.
BVLOSCAA Norway notes that many Specific-category operations are BVLOS; they need a SORA- or PDRA-based authorisation or an STS-02 declaration. Norway-specific BVLOS conditions (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Night & over peoplePer EU Open-category rules. Norwegian night rules (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Near structuresFlying within 5 km of an airport needs permission from air traffic services (many airports use the NinoxDrone2 app); CAA Norway says this will probably change to a permit requirement inside airport control zones (CTR), with no date set (a 2024 consultation proposed removing the 5 km limit). Flying over or near military areas, prisons and embassies is not allowed; central Oslo (R102) needs CAA permission; temporary restrictions apply near emergency operations. Under the regulation on airborne sensor systems (in force 1 Sep 2018), recording with drone sensors is prohibited in areas listed and mapped by NSM, while outside them no prior permission to photograph is needed. Landowner permission is needed for take-off and landing sites. National rules for power plants or other energy infrastructure were not found (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Indoor & confinedTreatment of indoor flights under Norwegian rules (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Imaging & privacyNSM sensor-ban areas restrict recording around protected objects; national parks and nature reserves may have their own drone rules. GDPR via the EEA and Datatilsynet guidance apply (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).
Recent changes2024: CAA Norway consultation on removing the 5 km airport rule in favour of a permit requirement (CTR-based); CAA page says the change is coming without a date. Earlier: 1 Sep 2018 airborne-sensor regulation. Any 2025-2026 changes (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22).

Sources

Sources checked: 2026-10-22