Can I fly a drone in Basel?
Drone zones in and around Basel
The zones below are the ones nearest the centre of Basel, measured from 47.5584, 7.5733. Distance is to the edge of the zone, so “over the centre” means the city centre itself is inside it. Restricted up to is how far the zone reaches above the ground – the restriction applies from the surface to that height, so it is not an altitude you may climb to.
| Zone | Restriction | Distance | Restricted up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| LFSB Basel-MulhouseExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| CTR BALEExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| Untersuchungsgefängnis Basel-StadtExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 1 km | 150 m AGL |
| Protected natural object BachgrabenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 1 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object AllschwilerwaldExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 3 km | not stated |
| Gefängnis BässlergutExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 3 km | 150 m AGL |
| Protected natural object HerzogenmattExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 3 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object Känelgraben - BammertsgrabenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object FuchshagExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Vollzugszentrum KlosterfiechtenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | 150 m AGL |
| Protected natural object St. JakobExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object Ziegelei OberwilExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Wildlife refuge BruederholzrainExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object In den WeidenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object Muttenzer HardExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object Kuegraben - WeiherExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 5 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object BruederholzhofExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 5 km | not stated |
| Wildlife refuge RütihardhofExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 5 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object Rütihard - RothallenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 5 km | not stated |
| Protected natural object FröscheneggExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 6 km | not stated |
Showing the 20 nearest of 58. See all 58 on the map.
Who to ask for permission
The zones around Basel name one responsible body, so who you ask depends on which zone you are flying in.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fly a drone in Basel?
The centre of Basel sits inside 2 published drone zones (LFSB Basel-Mulhouse, CTR BALE), so you need authorisation or must meet stated conditions before flying there. 58 restricted zones fall within 10 km of the centre in total. Basel is in Switzerland, where the UAS geographical zones are published by FOCA / BAZL (Switzerland), data via swisstopo under Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 15. Always confirm against the official source before a flight.
Where can't I fly a drone in Basel?
Inside Basel's UAS geographical zones. Within 10 km of the centre canfly? tracks 58 restricted zones: 58 requiring authorisation. They are published by FOCA / BAZL (Switzerland), data via swisstopo and shown on the map at https://canfly.io/map.
How high can I fly a drone in Basel?
The EU open category caps you at 120 m above ground across Switzerland, and lower where a zone says so. No zone over the centre of Basel publishes a height at which its restriction stops, so treat 120 m as the limit and check the zones nearby before you launch.
Who do I ask for permission to fly a drone in Basel?
The zones around Basel name one responsible body, so it depends which zone you are in. The most frequently named is FOCA (BAZL) (info@bazl.admin.ch). Each zone's authority is listed on this page.
How this page was worked out
- Zones published by
- FOCA / BAZL (Switzerland), data via swisstopo
- Official source
- https://map.geo.admin.ch/?layers=ch.bazl.einschraenkungen-drohnen
- Data version
- 2026-07-31
- Last refreshed by canfly?
- 2026-07-31
- Area covered
- Within 10 km of 47.5584, 7.5733
- Legal basis
- Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 15
Zone counts are measured from the point above, which is Basel's centre as recorded by GeoNames; a zone counts if any part of it falls within 10 km of it. That radius scales with population and is not Basel's administrative boundary, so a zone just outside the city limits still appears - which is what matters when you are deciding where to take off. Population 177,595 (GeoNames, record updated 2026-04-13). City data from GeoNames, licensed CC BY 4.0. Zone data is the official Switzerland dataset, unmodified except for normalisation to ED-269.
Other cities in Switzerland
canfly? has zone pages for 10 cities in Switzerland. See the whole country, or another city: