EASA eyes 100g threshold: registration, training and Remote ID from 2028
EASA stakeholder talks signal that from 2028, EU operators of drones above 100g may face registration, training and Remote ID under NPA 2026-103.
Key facts
- EASA stakeholder discussions in Cologne signalled potential new requirements for EU operators of drones over 100 grams from 2028.
- The measures referenced include registration, pilot training and Remote ID.
- The discussions relate to NPA 2026-103, proposing amendments to Regulations (EU) 2019/945 and 2019/947.
3 minute read
Discussions between EASA and drone-industry stakeholders in Cologne indicate that EU-based pilots operating drones weighing more than 100 grams may be brought into a more prescriptive compliance regime from 2028, potentially requiring registration, pilot training and Remote ID. The talks reportedly centred on NPA 2026-103, a proposal to amend the EU drone regulatory architecture set out in Regulations (EU) 2019/945 and 2019/947.
Even at this early, high-level signalling stage, the suggested 100-gram pivot is operationally significant for Europe because it would capture a large portion of the small UAS ecosystem used for inspection, public safety, critical infrastructure monitoring and dual-use experimentation. A lower mass threshold tends to pull in platforms that have been treated—de facto or de jure—as comparatively low consequence, increasing administrative load on operators and strengthening regulators’ ability to attribute flights and enforce rules through broadcast identification.
Remote ID implications are particularly material for European government and critical-infrastructure stakeholders: it improves situational awareness and post-incident traceability but also raises questions around data handling, exposure of operator location, and the interaction with sensitive missions. For manufacturers and integrators serving European markets, any shift toward mandatory Remote ID and more uniform training expectations would need to be designed into product roadmaps, documentation, and conformity workflows aligned with the 2019/945 product rules and 2019/947 operational rules.
The source does not provide the detailed provisions, timelines beyond “from 2028”, or the scope of exemptions and categories potentially affected. Procurement and compliance teams should treat this as an early-warning indicator and monitor the NPA 2026-103 text and subsequent EASA consultation outputs for concrete requirements, transition periods, and enforcement modalities across Member States.
Source: Dronewatch.eu
