Primoco UAV SE has been granted a Light Unmanned Certificate (LUC) in the “Specific” category for the Primoco UAV One 150 by the Czech Civil Aviation Authority on 11 February 2022, in accordance with European Regulation (EU) 947/2019.
This is the first time worldwide that an LUC certificate has been issued for a European unmanned fixed wing aircraft. Overall, this is the fifth certificate issued in Europe, with the previous ones relating to unmanned rotating wing aircraft. The company’s LUC authorisation allows it to conduct flight operations within the scope of the certificate, based on internal approval of operations at the company level. This is the highest authorisation that can be achieved under existing European rules. The company intends to use the certificate for development, test and training flights, as well as for inspections of the Czech Republic’s critical infrastructure and other activities within the framework of approved operational scenarios.
There are nearly 35,000 registered operators of unmanned aircraft systems in the Czech Republic, of which more than 300 fall into the “Specific” category. Primoco UAV SE was the first Czech applicant for the LUC certificate and is the first company to obtain it. In addition to the civil LUC approval, the company is also approved as a design and manufacturing organisation to EMAR 21 military standards, and the Primoco UAV One 150 is undergoing certification to NATO STANAG 4703. These approvals mean that the company is unique in the world in being able to offer aircraft manufactured to standards that are recognized by aviation authorities globally. Given the increasing legal regulations governing drone operations, certification is the only way to ensure compliance with the requirements of international aviation regulations.