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Posts tagged “regulations”
2026-07-14
Drones on Everest: how DJI's cargo flights rewrote the deadliest climb
A ladder falls from the sky over the Khumbu Icefall, and a small Nepali company's DJI drones are quietly taking the deadliest job in mountaineering out of human hands. The real story behind the eight-minute headline — the people, the physics, the economics, and what it teaches anyone who flies.
- drones
- latvia
- safety
2026-07-14
The history of drones: from balloons over Venice to EU rules
In 1849 a swarm of unmanned balloons bombed Venice by accident of wind. Nearly two centuries and five turning points later — a radio-controlled aircraft, a battlefield surrender, a drone video over a cathedral tower, and a €350 fine — that same idea became a regulated EU-wide skill anyone can learn.
- drones
- history
- regulations
2026-07-05
Drones over Latgale: how to tell a lawful flight from a violation, and where to report one
From 4 to 12 July, planned military drone flights are running over the Latgale border area, and the Air Force is asking people not to worry. But how does an ordinary resident tell whether a drone overhead is allowed — and what do you do if it looks wrong? A short, practical guide: what makes a flight lawful, which signs are worth watching, and which number to call.
- latvia
- latgale
- airspace
2026-07-01
Assemblies of people: the one line the open category never lets you cross
Every open-category subcategory treats closeness to people differently — but none of them may fly over an assembly of people, not even a sub-250 g drone. And an "assembly" is not a headcount: it is a question of whether people can move away. Here is the precise definition and the trap it sets on the exam.
- regulations
- open-category
- assemblies-of-people
2026-07-01
Human performance: are you fit to fly the drone right now?
The one A1/A3 subject that is about you, not the drone — and it is a legal duty on every flight. What UAS.OPEN.060(2)(a) says, why the open category has no alcohol limit, the IMSAFE self-check, and perception traps like empty-field myopia.
- regulations
- open-category
- human-performance
2026-06-30
The 120-metre height limit for drones: what it's actually measured from
Everyone memorises the number 120 but gets wrong what it's measured from: the closest point of the surface below the drone, not your take-off point. Here is what UAS.OPEN.010 says, the one exception, and why a BGKIS approval buys no altitude.
- regulations
- open-category
- height-limit
2026-06-29
How old do you have to be to fly a drone? The minimum age in Latvia and the EU
In the open category the minimum age is 16 — but there are three exceptions where no age floor applies at all. And "under 250 g" is not a free pass: it removes the test, not the age. Here is exactly what Article 9 says and what Latvia chose.
- regulations
- open-category
- minimum-age
2026-06-28
Visual line of sight and the FPV observer rule: what 'keep it in sight' actually means
VLOS means unaided contact with the drone — binoculars don't count. And FPV in the open category is only legal with an observer standing beside you. Here is the precise definition, the two exceptions, and why it shows up on the A1/A3 exam.
- regulations
- vlos
- fpv
2026-06-27
The 72-hour rule: when you are legally required to report a drone incident
Most pilots don't know they are legally required to file an incident report within 72 hours after a serious event. Article 57 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 sets out when reporting is mandatory, when it is voluntary, and why doing it won't get you in trouble.
- regulations
- incident-reporting
- safety
2026-06-25
A drone with no C-class label: which subcategory can you actually fly in?
The transitional period closed on 31 December 2023. Since then a drone with no manufacturer C-class label flies in just two ways — and mass is the only thing that decides. How to tell whether yours is A1 or A3-only.
- open-category
- c-classes
- regulations
2026-06-20
What data the CAA requires in a UAS flight request
Field by field: what a BGKIS request asks about the operator, the remote pilot, the drone, and the planned flight — under Cabinet Regulation No. 248, point 54.
- bgkis
- uas
- latvia
2026-06-18
Night drone flights — what the EU open category allows
Can you fly at night in the open category? Yes — with an active green flashing light and VLOS maintained. A practical guide for pilots in Latvia.
- open-category
- regulations
- easa
2026-06-08
Flying Near Latvia's 50 km Border Belt — How to Stay Legal in Daytime
Latvia enforced a night-time closure across a 50 km eastern border belt in September 2025. The restriction remains in force with changing hours and end-dates. Here is our practical reading of how to check the status, coordinate through BGKIS, and fly legally in daytime.
- airspace
- latvia
- regulations
2026-06-06
Remote ID in 2026: What's Already Mandatory and Why the Threshold May Drop to 100 g
Remote ID has been mandatory for class-marked drones since 2024. In 2026 the European Commission is pushing to drop the threshold from 250 g to 100 g — which would pull in nearly every camera drone. Here is what already applies and what to do.
- regulations
- remote-id
- eu
2026-05-28
Latvia's Yellow and Orange Drone Alerts — What Pilots Need to Do
NBS has been sending cell-broadcast alerts in two tiers since 23 May 2026. Yellow informs about a possible threat; Orange means act immediately. Here is what each level means and our reading of it for drone pilots.
- operations
- safety
- latvia
2026-05-28
Rezekne, May 2026 — What Changed for Civilian Drone Pilots in Latgale
The Latgale operating picture shifted materially in May 2026. Errant military drones, temporary altitude caps, and mobile intercept teams on the ground — here is what changed and what it means for civilian pilots.
- operations
- safety
- latvia
2026-05-14
Drone insurance in Latvia and the EU — how to read the requirements
A factual guide to what mandatory third-party liability cover actually means in Latvia and why the current CAA matrix matters more than generic summaries.
- insurance
- regulations
- eu
2026-05-14
The EU Open category — A1, A2, and A3 explained
A factual comparison of A1, A2, and A3 — what changes in distance rules, aircraft choice, and qualification inside the Open category.
- open-category
- regulations
- easa
2026-05-14
EU drone regulation 2019/947 — plain-language summary for hobby pilots
A plain-language introduction to how Reg. (EU) 2019/947 actually works in practice — categories, registration, qualification, C-classes, and national geographical zones.
- regulations
- easa
- eu