Can I fly a drone in Geneva?
Drone zones in and around Geneva
The zones below are the ones nearest the centre of Geneva, measured from 46.2022, 6.1457. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE - Cantonal Police of GenevaExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| LSGG GenèveExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| CTR GENEVAExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| Water Bird and Migratory Bird Reserves Rhône-Verbois (GE)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 0.3 km | not stated |
| Water Bird and Migratory Bird Reserves Rive droite du Petit-Lac (GE, VD)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 1 km | not stated |
| GE - Prison ServicesExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | not stated |
| GE - Cantonal Office for Agriculture and NatureExemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | not stated |
| Water Bird and Migratory Bird Reserves Rive gauche du Petit-Lac (GE)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | not stated |
| LSGG Genève (Airport perimeter)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Substation PalexpoExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | 200 m AGL |
| Substation ForetailleExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 5 km | 200 m AGL |
| Substation VerboisExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 9 km | 200 m AGL |
Who to ask for permission
The zones around Geneva 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 Geneva?
The centre of Geneva sits inside 3 published drone zones (GE - Cantonal Police of Geneva, LSGG Genève), so you need authorisation or must meet stated conditions before flying there. 12 restricted zones fall within 10 km of the centre in total. Geneva 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 Geneva?
Inside Geneva's UAS geographical zones. Within 10 km of the centre canfly? tracks 12 restricted zones: 12 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 Geneva?
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 Geneva 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 Geneva?
The zones around Geneva 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 46.2022, 6.1457
- Legal basis
- Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 15
Zone counts are measured from the point above, which is Geneva'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 Geneva'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 201,741 (GeoNames, record updated 2026-05-27). 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: