Airspace and restricted zones
Before any flight, identify what exists above your site: P (prohibited), R (restricted), D (danger) zones, CTR and TMA. SIA charts are the reference in France; the flight zone check overlays them on your area.
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Prepare a drone mission
A well-prepared drone mission comes down to four checks: the flight zone, the weather, the applicable regulations and the pre-take-off checklist. Always run them in the same order: one forgotten point is enough to turn a simple flight into an incident. Drone OPS Mission brings them together and sums them up as a GO / GO with conditions / NO-GO verdict, with every factor still shown with its value and reference.
Analyse the flight zone
3D mission preview
Airspace cylinders and sectors can also be viewed in three dimensions with the 3D mission preview, to see at what height a restriction starts above your area.
Check the weather
Wind, gusts and visibility
Compare wind and gusts with your drone’s wind resistance, then check visibility: below 5 km, the tool raises a warning for visual-line-of-sight flight. The drone weather analysis computes this verdict hour by hour.
Kp index
From Kp 5, geomagnetic activity can degrade compass and GPS positioning reliability: the flight is flagged with a warning in the tool.
Check the regulations
Open or specific category
Depending on the drone’s weight and the type of operation, you fall under the open category (A1, A2, A3) or the specific category, such as the STS-01 and STS-02 scenarios. Check which training and certificates apply before you fly.
Maximum height
The 120 m limit is the reference ceiling in the open category, but the authorised height can be lower depending on the zone.
Run the pre-flight checklist
Fifteen points before every take-off
Battery, propellers, GPS signal, zone, weather: the pre-flight checklist takes a few minutes and is repeated before every take-off, even at a site you know well.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before a drone flight?
Four things: the flight zone (airspace and restricted zones), the weather (wind, gusts, visibility, Kp index), the regulations applicable to your drone and operation, then the pre-flight checklist (battery, propellers, GPS signal).
How long does it take to prepare a drone mission?
It depends on the site and the operation. Bringing zone, weather and regulations together in a single tool means preparation takes minutes instead of consulting several separate sources.
Do I need to check airspace in the open category?
Yes. Geographical zone restrictions apply whatever the category: consult the official charts (SIA, Géoportail) before every flight.
From what Kp index should I be careful?
Drone OPS Mission raises a warning from Kp 5, because geomagnetic activity can then affect the compass and GPS positioning.
Does the tool’s verdict replace the remote pilot’s decision?
No. It is a decision-support tool: responsibility for the operation remains with the remote pilot, who must check official sources before every flight.
Go further
Each step has its own tool: look deeper into the one that raises questions before you leave.
Tools: drone weather, flight zones, 3D preview.
The Discovery account is free and needs no credit card: map, DGAC restrictions and wind, rain and visibility weather. The GO/NOGO verdict calibrated on your drone model is part of the PRO plan, with a 7-day trial.
Create a free accountOr try the GO/NOGO in PRO for 7 days.
Decision-support tool. Responsibility for the operation remains with the remote pilot, who must check official sources before every flight.