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Agricultural drone spraying rules in Switzerland

What you need to spray crops with a drone in Switzerland: legal status, authorities, permits, requirements and operating limits, with links to the official sources.

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Allowed with authorisation. Allowed with authorisation. Spraying plant protection products or fertilisers by drone needs a FOCA authorisation, normally based on PDRA-S01 plus the AGRI supplementary form. The drone model must be approved by Agroscope and each drone spray-tested every three years. Products authorised for ground use may be used and need no special aerial approval.

Who regulates it

What you need

  • A FOCA authorisation in the specific category (usually PDRA-S01) plus the AGRI supplementary form. Apply at least 2 months before the planned flight. (bazl.admin.ch)
  • The drone model must be approved by Agroscope (once per model). (bazl.admin.ch)
  • Each drone (serial number) must pass a spray test by a body approved by FOAG before first use and every three years. (bazl.admin.ch)
  • The operator must employ at least one person with a plant protection product user permit (SR 814.812.34). Staff handling products must hold one or be supervised by a holder. (permis-pph.admin.ch)
  • Use only authorised plant protection products and fertilisers, following their conditions of use. No specific aerial approval is required. (bazl.admin.ch.docx))
  • Record the treated plots and areas and the products and amounts applied. On request, tell the cantonal authority which areas were treated. (bazl.admin.ch.docx))

How to get authorised

  1. Choose an Agroscope-approved drone model and have each drone spray-tested. (bazl.admin.ch)
  2. Make sure at least one employee holds the plant protection product user permit. (permis-pph.admin.ch)
  3. Fill in the PDRA-S01 application, the AGRI supplementary form, the list of pilots and drones and the pilot training declaration, and prepare an operations manual. (bazl.admin.ch)
  4. Send the complete, signed application to FOCA (rpas@bazl.admin.ch) at least 2 months before flying. (bazl.admin.ch)
  5. In the cantons of Valais, Vaud and Geneva, check the extra rules in force since 15 April 2026 (SafetySpray tool and radio, where helicopters also spray). (bazl.admin.ch)

Operating limits for spraying

  • Wind no more than 3 m/s, with gusts below 5 m/s; spraying is forbidden above 5 m/s or in strong thermals (FOCA-UAS-APP-AGRI, N3).
  • Air temperature in the shade no more than 25 °C, no icing conditions, visibility at least 1 km (N1, N2, N4).
  • Horizontal speed no more than 5 m/s while spraying. Height no more than 6 m above ground while spraying (3 m above the crop in high-stem orchards) and 40 m in transit (B, C).
  • Low crops and all herbicide treatments: at least 20 m from buildings, public facilities, private residential areas and people exposed to drift. With fine or medium droplets (VMD ≤ 340 µm), product-specific distances rise by 15 m, and products carrying an SPe 3 drift condition may not be applied by drone (K).
  • Non-herbicide treatments of tall (space) crops such as vines and orchards: the same product-specific drift distances as ground sprayers apply (K). Minimum distances under ChemRRV and the Direct Payments Ordinance also apply.
  • The flight route must be pre-programmed and flown automatically (except one-off herbicide spot treatments), and no one on the ground may come into contact with the product (I, J).

Good to know

  • Drone safety distances were revised at the start of 2026 based on new data.
  • Under chemicals law, spraying organisms (e.g. beneficial organisms) needs no special permit, but FOCA authorisation is still needed for the flight.

Checked against official sources on 2026-09-18. Rules change: confirm with the authorities before operating. This page is a planning summary, not legal advice. The product label and the official rules always prevail.

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