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Drone certification guides
Long-form guides on flying drones legally in Latvia and the EU — registration, the A1/A3 exam, regulations, and practical tips. Updated as the rules evolve.
2026-07-10
A2 vs the Specific category: when does the Open category stop being enough?
A2 lets you work a C2 drone 30 m from people — 5 m in low-speed mode. The Specific category is not a "better A2": it is a different regime with a declaration or authorisation, an operations manual and a higher exam bar. Here is an honest framework for the choice.
- a2
- specific-category
- open-category
2026-07-10
Cinematic drone shots: the core moves and the mistakes that ruin them
Cinematic drone footage comes from a small repertoire of moves — the reveal, the push-in, the orbit, the tracking shot — flown slowly and planned before takeoff. Here is what each move communicates, where beginners ruin it, and where the Open category draws the line.
- photo-video
- filming
- getting-started
2026-07-10
DJI Care Refresh vs drone insurance: why one does not replace the other
DJI Care Refresh replaces your damaged drone; Latvia's mandatory insurance covers harm to other people. They are two different protections, and the law only asks for the second. Here is what pays when something breaks.
- insurance
- dji
- latvia
2026-07-10
DJI Mini vs Air vs Mavic: which line fits your flying — and your certificate
Three DJI lines mean three weight bands, three C-classes and three certificate paths. The Mini 5 Pro (249.9 g, C0) flies in A1 with no exam, the Air 3S (724 g, C1) needs A1/A3, and the Mavic 4 Pro (C2) needs A2 on top for work near people.
- drones
- open-category
- licence
2026-07-10
Drone batteries in cold weather: why winter flights are shorter
Cold slows a lithium battery's chemistry, raises internal resistance and makes voltage sag under load — which is why a drone throws critical-battery warnings in winter even at a high indicated charge. Here is what happens in the cells and how to fly safely.
- batteries
- li-po
- safety
2026-07-10
Drone camera settings: RAW, the 180-degree shutter rule and base ISO
A drone's small sensor forgives few mistakes, so settings matter more than on the ground: RAW for photos, a flat profile for video, shutter by the 180-degree rule, ISO at base and manual white balance. Here is the sequence that works on any drone.
- photography
- video
- equipment
2026-07-10
Drone compass and IMU errors: symptoms, causes, and fixes
Most compass warnings come from the environment — rebar, cars, metal roofs — not from a broken drone. How to tell a compass error from an IMU error, when to calibrate, and when calibrating makes things worse.
- troubleshooting
- safety
- equipment
2026-07-10
Drone flew away: what to do in the first minutes and after
Most "flyaways" are not mysteries — they follow a few recognisable causes: a wrong home point, compass interference, wind or signal loss. Here is what to do in the first minutes, how to search using the last telemetry coordinates, and when the event must be reported to the CAA.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-10
Drone photo and video editing: the post-processing basics that lift your footage
A drone shot straight out of the camera almost always looks flat — haze, a wide lens, a small sensor. Here are the post-processing basics that fix it: RAW workflow, dehaze, horizon and color discipline for photos; correct-then-grade, stabilization and pacing for video.
- photography
- video
- camera
2026-07-10
Drones for real estate: what aerial shots add — and the rule most guides skip
An aerial shot shows the plot, the roof and the surroundings like no other frame. But listings usually sit in built-up areas — which means a sub-250 g / C0–C1 drone in A1 or a C2 drone with an A2 certificate, plus a zone check and BGKIS.
- commercial
- open-category
- a2
2026-07-10
Drones under 250 g — the rules that still apply
Under 250 g does not mean "no rules". The exam really isn't needed for A1 flights, but operator registration with a camera, the 120 m ceiling, VLOS and geographical zones remain. A precise list of what applies and what doesn't.
- sub-250g
- open-category
- registration
2026-07-10
The first mistakes that destroy beginner drones — and how to avoid them
Most first drones die to predictable pilot mistakes, not hardware: RTH set too low, a drained battery, an ATTI-mode drift. Nine mistakes — flying and legal — each with a concrete fix.
- getting-started
- safety
- latvia
2026-07-10
How to become a commercial drone pilot in the EU and Latvia
The EU has no separate "commercial drone licence" — the same A1/A3 and A2 certificates cover paid work. The realistic path: A1/A3, A2, operator registration, insurance, then skills and a portfolio.
- commercial
- licence
- latvia
2026-07-10
How to learn to fly a drone: from simulator to a confident first flight
You don't learn to fly a drone from cinematic videos — you learn it from a sequence of drills: simulator, empty field, a steady hover, the box pattern, nose-in flight. Here is a practical path from zero to a confident first flight.
- getting-started
- safety
- latvia
2026-07-10
How to start a drone business in Latvia: the legal floor, the niche, the real costs
Drone businesses fail on paperwork and demand far more often than on flying skill. The sequence that works: certificates, operator registration, insurance, a registered activity — and only then equipment and clients.
- business
- commercial
- latvia
2026-07-10
ND filters for drones: when you need them and how to pick a strength
Most consumer drones have a fixed aperture, so on a sunny day the video shutter gets driven too high and motion turns jittery. An ND filter gives back the missing exposure lever. How the ND8/16/32/64 ladder works, when to skip the filter, and why you only swap it on the ground.
- photo-video
- equipment
- beginner
2026-07-10
STS-01 vs STS-02: the two EU standard scenarios compared
STS-01 is VLOS with a C5 drone over a controlled ground area that may sit in a populated environment; STS-02 is BVLOS with a C6 drone and airspace observers in a sparsely populated one. The exact parameters — heights, distances, buffers and the pilot certificate — from Appendix 1 to Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
- sts
- specific-category
- bvlos
2026-07-10
What is FPV? Goggles, disciplines, and the rules that still apply
FPV means flying through goggles with the drone's own view — racing, freestyle, cinewhoop or long-range. But EASA rules apply to FPV exactly like to any other drone: observer, registration, exam. Here is what to know before the first flight.
- fpv
- getting-started
- open-category
2026-07-10
What are STS, PDRA and SORA? The Specific category, explained
When a flight no longer fits the Open category — BVLOS, above 120 m, over 25 kg — it lands in the Specific category. Three routes in: an STS declaration, a PDRA, or a full SORA risk assessment. Here is how they differ and how it works in Latvia.
- specific-category
- sts
- sora
2026-07-10
When do you need the Specific category for a drone — and when Open is enough
The Specific category is not the next licence tier — it starts the moment your plan crosses any single Open-category boundary: above 120 m, BVLOS, over 25 kg, dropping material or spraying. Here is the full trigger list and the three routes in.
- specific-category
- regulation
- sts
2026-07-09
How long is the A1/A3 certificate valid, and does it work across the EU?
After you pass, the A1/A3 proof is valid for 5 years and recognised across the European Union. Airspace zones, insurance, and local procedures still need a country-by-country check.
- exam
- a1-a3
- certificate
2026-07-09
Can I fly a drone in Jūrmala?
Jūrmala is not a simple yes or no. Check the official map, beach density, people, property and nature restrictions before take-off.
- rules
- open-category
- geozones
2026-07-09
Can I fly a drone near an airport in Latvia?
Near airports, the answer must come from the official UAS-zone map. If the zone requires filing or authorisation, submit the flight in UASIS before take-off.
- rules
- airports
- open-category
2026-07-09
Can I fly a drone near power lines in Latvia?
Power lines are civil engineering structures and a serious safety risk. Check UAS zones, do not fly close to wires, and do not use a line as a low-level filming guide.
- rules
- safety
- open-category