Can I fly a drone in Winterthur?
Drone zones in and around Winterthur
The zones below are the ones nearest the centre of Winterthur, measured from 47.5056, 8.7241. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTR ZURICHExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| Gefängnis WinterthurExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 0.2 km | 150 m AGL |
| Halbgefangenschaft WinterthurExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 1 km | 150 m AGL |
| LSPH WinterthurExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | not stated |
| Substation TössExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 3 km | 200 m AGL |
| Substation RietExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 3 km | 200 m AGL |
| LSPH Winterthur (Airport perimeter)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 3 km | not stated |
| CTR DUEBENDORFExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Substation BreiteExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 7 km | 200 m AGL |
| LSZH ZürichExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 8 km | not stated |
| LSMD DübendorfExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 8 km | not stated |
Who to ask for permission
The zones around Winterthur 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 Winterthur?
The centre of Winterthur sits inside a published drone zone (CTR ZURICH), so you need authorisation or must meet stated conditions before flying there. 11 restricted zones fall within 10 km of the centre in total. Winterthur 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 Winterthur?
Inside Winterthur's UAS geographical zones. Within 10 km of the centre canfly? tracks 11 restricted zones: 11 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 Winterthur?
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 Winterthur 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 Winterthur?
The zones around Winterthur 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 47.5056, 8.7241
- Legal basis
- Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 15
Zone counts are measured from the point above, which is Winterthur'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 Winterthur'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 111,840 (GeoNames, record updated 2025-06-13). 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: