G/TBT/N/FRA/176  
27 September  2017 
(17-5130) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : FRANCE  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  
Direction générale de l'aviation civile  (Directorate -General for Civil Aviation)  
Direction de la sécurité de l'aviation civile (Directorate for Civil Aviation Security)  
50 rue Henry Farman  
75720 PARIS Cedex 15  
philippe.aurade@aviation -civile.gouv.fr  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading . ICS numbers may be provided in addition where applicable) : Civilian 
unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) of a weight exceeding 800g  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Arrêté relatif à la 
limitation de capacités des aéronefs civils circulant san s personne à bord  (Order on the 
capacity limitation of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles of a weight exceeding 800 g), 
(7 pages, in French)  
6. Description of content : This draft order therefore aims to supplement, in order to 
guarantee public safety and State security, French legislation concerning UAVs, i.e. the 
Order of 1 7 December 2 015 on the design of civilian UAVs, the conditions for their use and 
the skills required by those using them, and the Order of 1 7 December 2 015 on the use of 
airspace by UAV s, as amended on 3 0 March 2 017. 
It aims to ensure that drones will, in time, have a capacity limitation device that prevents 
them from flying above a maximum altitude of 150 m. This will prevent drones from 
wandering off -course and, in particular, recreati onal drones from deliberately flying into 
airspace used by manned aircraft, as well as prevent drones from getting close to sensitive 
sites by flying covertly, because at a significant height, these behaviours are likely to 
constitute an attack on State se curity.  G/TBT/N/FRA/176  
- 2 - 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Due to the increase in the number of unlawful flights over sensitive French 
sites by drones since autumn 2014, two members of the 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 " L'essor des drones 
aériens civils en France : enjeux et réponses possibles de l'État " ("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 2 4 October 2 016 
(Law No 2016 -1428) . It imposes new obligations on p ilots, owners or manufacturers of 
civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) . These are intended to prevent incidents posing a 
risk to State security, and make pilots accountable.  
The aim of the draft Order is to lay down the features of the capacity limitat ion devices 
which Article L6214 -4 of the Transport Code made compulsory for civilian UAVs whose 
weight exceeds a threshold set by Decree.  
It specifies the technical features of the capacity limitation devices and the requirements 
for their implementation . It specifies in particular that the default maximum height that 
drones shall not exceed (or close to which the pilot shall receive a warning) is 150 m. It 
describes in detail the conditions under which a height greater than 150 m may be set.  
8. Relevant d ocuments : Law 2016 -1428 of 2 4 October 2 016 introduced Article L6214 -4 into 
the Transport Code.  
The notified text is enacted under this Article.  
9. Proposed date of adoption : 31 December 2 017 
Proposed date of entry into force : 1 July 2 018  
10. Final date  for comments : 60 days from the date of notification.  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
See point 2.  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/FRA/17_4309_00_f.pdf