How to get the A1/A3 drone licence in Latvia in 2026

In Latvia, A1/A3 is not a catch-all “camera-drone licence”. It is the qualification the CAA wants you to have for certain Open-category flights.

When A1/A3 is actually required

The Latvian CAA page for the online course says you need A1/A3 training and the exam before you fly if the drone:

• has a C1, C2, C3 or C4 class mark, or
• weighs 250 g or more

That is the main legal line.

If you fly a drone under 250 g, the rule is narrower:

• a camera can still mean you must do operator registration
• but a camera alone does not make A1/A3 mandatory

So before you assume you need A1/A3, split it into three questions:

1. Do I need operator registration?
2. Do I need pilot qualification?
3. Which subcategory will I fly in?

Before you start

The CAA names one practical requirement for the Latvian A1/A3 course:

• a Latvian remote-pilot number in the portal

So the usual order is:

1. register at e.caa.gov.lv
2. get the operator and pilot registrations you need
3. then start the A1/A3 course

What the course covers

The official online course is free and has no time limit. The published syllabus has nine topics:

1. air safety
2. airspace limitations
3. aviation regulation
4. human performance limitations
5. operational procedures
6. general UAS knowledge
7. privacy and data protection
8. insurance
9. security

Exam format

The public CAA page says:

• 40 minutes
• 40 questions
• at least 75% correct to pass

Once you pass, the certificate shows up in the CAA UAS information system. It is valid for 5 years and recognised across the European Union.

What A1/A3 covers

A1/A3 covers the two Open-category subcategories named on the certificate:

• A1 — lighter aircraft and stricter rules around people who are not part of the flight
• A3 — flights far from bystanders and at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial, or recreational areas

If you plan to fly closer to people with a C2 drone, that is A2, not A1/A3 on its own.

A2 is a separate step

The Latvian CAA treats A2 as its own process:

• a valid A1/A3 certificate first
• then practical self-training
• then a separate A2 exam

So passing A1/A3 does not clear you to fly A2.

How to prepare without wasting time

Most people don't lose points on rare aviation details. They lose them on the Open-category basics they skim too fast.

Spend your time on:

• the difference between operator and remote pilot
• when registration is required
• VLOS and FPV limits
• the 120 m height limit
• the distance rules for A1, A2, A3
• Latvian geographical zones

If you can explain these rules in your own words, you're usually preparing the right way.

Your next step

A1/A3 is one stop on a longer path. If you're still deciding which certificate your drone actually needs, the category checker answers it in a few questions, and the full route from buying a drone to a prepared first flight is laid out in the step-by-step guide. When you're ready, the online course covers the full A1/A3 syllabus — then see exactly what the A1/A3 exam looks like.