On 19 September 2023, GDDC's certification for the LUC category was approved by the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA). This is the first company in Germany to receive this type of certification.
To obtain it, GDDC had to go through a long and complex formal procedure and audits, in which the company's professionalism and its resources for carrying out complex drone operations with a Safety Compliance Management approved by the LBA were demonstrated.
What is LUC certification?
The website of EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) states:
"LUC is an optional operating certificate whose acquisition guarantees its holder certain privileges. The highest privilege can be the ability to start operations at a given location without having to obtain an operating permit from the aviation authority."
A LUC certificate saves many working hours otherwise required to register a flight in the specific category, and speeds up the formal process by weeks. The LUC certificate is valid with all aviation authorities of the European Union.
How is the certificate used?
The certificate is used by GDDC for drone services — for example the legally required inspection of solar installations in accordance with DIN IEC/TS 62446-3 with drones such as the DJI Matrice 350 RTK in high-risk areas, i.e. in all those areas where you cannot fly in the open category.
"With the LUC certification we cut the approval time by 95 %, so that many tasks can be completed in a shorter time."
Automated systems (DJI Dock)
The certification is also extremely important for the use of automated drone systems such as the DJI Dock. In this system, the drone performs planned tasks fully automatically according to its programming. With a LUC certificate and the privilege of self-determination of location, the aviation-law permits can be prepared in-house and self-approved.
The future is today
The drone industry is growing rapidly across Europe. Drones are now tools in industry, surveying and security. LUC certification in the hands of a German company raises the entire drone industry in Germany to a new level.