Compare
A1/A3 vs A2 vs STS
Which qualification fits your drone and the way you fly.
| A1/A3 | A2 | STS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Open | Open | Specific |
| Who it's for | Beginners and most consumer drones — hobby flying. | Flying closer to people in built-up areas. | Standardised advanced operations, including beyond visual line of sight. |
| Distance from people | A1: C0 and sub-250 g drones may overfly uninvolved people, never crowds; C1 should avoid overflying uninvolved people. A3: at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas. | At least 30 m horizontally — down to 5 m in low-speed mode. | Set by the scenario's operational volume (STS-01 controlled ground area, STS-02 beyond visual line of sight). |
| Drone class | A1: C0/C1 and legacy <250 g · A3: C2/C3/C4 and legacy/private-built <25 kg | C2 | C5 (STS-01) · C6 (STS-02) |
| Exam | Online theory — free, at e.caa.gov.lv. | In-person theory (€15) plus practical self-study. | In-person theory (€20) plus practical accreditation and an operator declaration. |
Sources: Reg (EU) 2019/947, EASA Easy Access Rules for UAS, CAA Latvia (droni.caa.gov.lv).