Due to the increase in the number of unlawful flights over sensitive French sites by drones since autumn 2014, two members of French Parliament tabled a draft law in spring 2016 on improving safety measures when using civilian drones. In particular, this draft followed the Government report to Parliament entitled ‘The rise in civilian aerial drones in France: challenges and possible responses from the State’, published in October 2015.

The law was finally adopted by the French Parliament and enacted on 24 October 2016 (Law No 2016-1428). It imposes new obligations on remote pilots, owners or manufacturers of unmanned civilian aerial vehicles. These are intended to prevent incidents posing a risk to State security and make remote pilots accountable.

The Draft Decree notified by France to the Member States and European Commission under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 aims to implement the obligation to provide a user manual with unmanned aerial vehicles and their main spare parts. This user manual on the conditions of use for unmanned aerial vehicles, rules for using the airspace and safety, and rules and principles relating to privacy, shall be drafted in French and be easy to understand.

The Draft Decree stipulates the penalties applicable in the case of failure to provide this user manual, and its applicability overseas.