All about Drones

29.9.2025

Drone driving license for roofers, carpenters & PV installers: The complete 2025 guide

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Drone License for Roofers, Carpenters & PV Installers: The Complete 2025 Guide

The commercial use of drones is revolutionizing the trades sector — but without the right drone license, the benefits remain out of reach.
This comprehensive guide shows you which certifications you need for your trade, how much they cost, and how you can benefit from measurements that are up to 90% faster.

What is a Drone License and When Do You Need It?

Quick answer:
A drone license (officially: EU Certificate of Competency or EU Remote Pilot Certificate) is legally required for commercial use of drones weighing 250 g or more or for any drone equipped with a camera.

Depending on how you use the drone, tradespeople need either:

EU Certificate of Competency A1/A3 (starting at €96), or
EU Remote Pilot Certificate A2 (starting at €230).

EU Drone Regulation at a Glance

The EU drone regulation divides airspace into three categories: Open, Specific, and Certified.
For craftsmen, the Open Category is the most relevant, with three sub-categories:

A1: Flights over uninvolved people with drones under 250 g
A2: Flights close to people with drones weighing 500 g – 2 kg
A3: Flights far away from people with drones up to 25 kg

Registration with the German Federal Aviation Authority (LBA) is mandatory for all drones over 250 g or with a camera.

€20 for private individuals
€50 for companies (e.g., GmbH)

Private vs. Commercial Drone Use

The key difference lies in insurance:
Private liability insurance does not cover commercial drone flights.

Tradespeople must clearly separate private hobby flights from business flights, because even a single commercial flight requires special drone insurance, starting at €119 per year.
Mixed use (private + commercial) under one insurance policy is not allowed.

💡 Tip: Some commercial liability insurance policies already cover drone use — check your insurance documents!

‍The Three Drone License Levels

EU Certificate of Competency A1/A3 (Small Drone License)

The A1/A3 certificate is the basic entry point for commercial drone use.
It allows you to fly drones up to 25 kg in the open category.

Limitations:
You must keep a 150 m distance from residential, commercial, and industrial areas — which severely limits practical use in urban environments.

Costs:

€25 LBA fee
€71 for the cheapest online training (e.g., Eudrohnenpruefung.de)
Total: €96

EU Remote Pilot Certificate A2 (Advanced Drone License)

The A2 certificate significantly expands your options.
It allows you to fly drones weighing 500 g – 2 kg close to people and in built-up areas with reduced minimum distance requirements.

Prerequisite:
You must first obtain the A1/A3 certificate and then pass an additional theory exam.

Costs:

€30 LBA fee
€200–300 for training (depending on the provider)
Total: €230–330

STS Certificate for Special Scenarios

An STS (Standard Scenario) certificate may be required for very complex operations, such as flights over crowds or in controlled airspace.
However, this is rarely needed for typical trade applications.

Recommended Drones & Costs

A good work drone costs €1,000–2,000.

Entry-level models: from €500
Professional drones: up to €15,000

Suitable drone models and costs

A good drone for everyday work costs between €1,000-2,000. Entry-level models start at €500, while professional drones can cost up to €15,000.

Drone recommendations by area of use:

For single-family homes (up to 300 m²):

DJI mini series or similar consumer drones (€500-800)
Adequate image quality for smaller roofs
Compact and easy to use

For larger residential buildings (up to 500 m²):

DJI Mavic series (€800-1,500)
Better camera and sensors for precise measurements, RTK module optional
Longer flight time for more complex projects

For commercial properties (from 500 m²):

DJI Enterprise series (€1,500-3,000)
Professional sensors and integrated RTK module for maximum accuracy
Advanced security features for commercial applications

Recommended equipment:

High-resolution camera for precise measurements: camera should be at least 20 megapixels
Sensor size at least 1 inch
Certification according to EU regulation
GPS positioning, with high precision for large areas, additional RTK

The time savings are impressive: drone surveys are 90% faster than classic roof measurements, with traditional surveys lasting several hours being reduced to 5 minutes of drone flight.

For Carpenters & Timber Construction

Use Cases & Benefits

Carpenters use drones mainly for precise roof geometry measurements.
This eliminates the need for workers to climb onto roofs, drastically reducing the risk of falls — a major safety improvement for the accident-prone construction sector.

Integrate with CAD workflows

Modern drone surveys can be integrated into common CAD software such as Sema, SketchUp, or AutoCAD can be exported. This seamless integration significantly accelerates the transition from measurement to workshop planning, as manual data entry is no longer necessary and precision data flows directly into production planning.

For PV installers: drones for solar system planning

Roof measurement and planning export

PV installers benefit from significant time savings per object. For smaller single-family homes, it takes 30-90 minutes, but for larger commercial facilities, the time savings can even be several days, depending on the size of the plant. The drone data can be exported directly to proven planning software, including PV*SOL, Eturnity, SolarEdge Designer, Sunny Design and PVcase.

Benefits for PV planners:

Precise shading analysis
Optimized module placement
Faster quotation preparation
Higher completion rate through 3D visualization

Thermography and plant maintenance

Drones analyse the roof condition in 2-3 hours instead of days of manual assessment. With thermal imaging cameras, existing solar systems can also be checked for defects.

Training & Certification: Vendor Comparison

Online training vs. face-to-face courses

online training offer the most cost-effective option:

Eudrohnenpruefung.de: €71 for digital course
Flexible learning pace
Immediate issuance of certificates after passing the exam

Face-to-face courses cost more but offer practical flight experience:

€200-300 depending on the provider
Hands-on experience with various drone models
Direct feedback from flight instructors

Airteam starter sets: Everything from a single source

Airteam provides Starter setsthat combine drone, training and drone license in one package:

Benefits of Airteam starter sets:

Complete package: drone & accessories + training + 1 month software access
Depending on the drone, online training & face-to-face training
Assistance with obtaining a driver's license included
Practical training specifically for tradesmen

Starter set options:

Fast Fusion Set: from €1,950 with online training
Pro/Max/Thermal Fusion sets: up to €7,450 with individual support

Cost overview: From €96 to €330

A1/A3 total costs: €96

€71 cheapest online course
€25 LBA fee

A2 Total costs: €230-330

€200-300 training costs
€30 LBA exhibition fee

Start immediately with precise drone measurement — Airteam starter sets offer the complete solution. Get drone, training and drone license from a single source. In addition, our pilot network Ready if you don't want to fly yourself. Compliant 3D models in 24h, direct export to your industry software — everything included.

Practical checklist: From registration to first flight

Step-by-Step Guide

Operator registration with LBA: €20 (natural person) or €50 (legal person)
Obtain a drone license: A1/A3 (€96) or A2 (€230-330)
Check commercial drone insurance: Review existing business liability or special drone insurance from €119/year
Buy a drone: €1,000-2,000 for professional use
Attach an e-ID to a drone: One e-ID can be used for multiple drones

Insurance and registration

Registration is mandatory for drones over 250g or with a camera. HDI offers commercial rates starting at €119 per year.

Important: Private liability insurance does not cover commercial drone flights. Special insurance is also required for occasional commercial use.

FAQ: Common questions about commercial drone use

How much does a drone driver's license cost for tradesmen? The total costs are between €96-330, with the EU A1/A3 competence certificate starting at €96 and the A2 certificate costing €230-330.

Which drone license for commercial use? The A2 certificate is recommended for most tradesmen, as it allows flights with shorter distances to people. A1/A3 requires 150m distance from residential/commercial areas.

Do I need special insurance? That depends on your existing business liability obligation. Some commercial liability insurance already includes drones. Otherwise, special drone insurance starting at €119 per year is required.

How much time do I save with drones? Drone surveys are 90% faster than traditional methods. Measurements lasting several hours are reduced to just a few minutes of flight time.

Which drone is suitable for craftsmen? This depends on the average object size: Consumer drones (€500-800) are sufficient for single-family homes, semi-professional models (€800-1,500) are recommended for larger buildings, and professional drones (€1,500-3,000) should be used for commercial properties.