Norwegian authorities grapple with drone registration compliance amid rising safety concerns

Nine months after the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority launched a campaign to encourage drone owners to register, only a modest increase of three percent has been observed. This indicates that fewer than 30,000 of the country’s over 200,000 drone owners have complied with the registration requirement. Nils Håheim-Saers, a leading expert in drone safety, argues that all drone users should identify themselves using a bank ID before operating their drones. He believes this measure could ensure that drone pilots possess the necessary skills and make it harder for drones to be misused for criminal activities.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority does not support mandatory identification, asserting that such a requirement would be too intrusive and challenging to enforce among international manufacturers. Hans Petter Heimro, an inspector with the authority, pointed out that while there is growing illegal drone activity near airports, imposing compulsory identification could deter compliance and add complexity for drone producers.

The Norwegian government has announced it will discuss drone regulations in a new policy report expected in the spring, which may include the possibility of identification requirements in sensitive areas. Despite recognizing that a ban on drone operation without identification could boost registrations, the Transport Ministry believes such measures could be unnecessarily invasive.

Håheim-Saers maintains the government should balance various interests to ensure public safety, arguing that current regulations overly favor drone manufacturers at the expense of community security. In 2023, 15 tourists were expelled for illegal drone use.