Can I fly a drone in Zürich?
Drone zones in and around Zürich
The zones below are the ones nearest the centre of Zürich, measured from 47.3667, 8.55. 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 |
| CTR DUEBENDORFExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | Over the centre | not stated |
| Gefängnis ZürichExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | 150 m AGL |
| LSMD DübendorfExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | not stated |
| Gefängnis Zürich WestExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 2 km | 150 m AGL |
| LSZH ZürichExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 4 km | not stated |
| Substation AuwiesenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 5 km | 200 m AGL |
| Substation FällandenExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 6 km | 200 m AGL |
| Substation SeebachExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 6 km | 200 m AGL |
| LSMD Dübendorf (Airport perimeter)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 7 km | not stated |
| Massnahmenzentrum UitikonExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 8 km | 150 m AGL |
| Water Bird and Migratory Bird Reserves Greifensee (ZH)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent cantonal specialist office. | Requires authorisation | 8 km | not stated |
| LSZH Zürich (Airport perimeter)Exemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 8 km | not stated |
| Zentrum für ausländerrechtliche AdministrativhaftExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 8 km | 150 m AGL |
| Justizvollzugsanstalt PöschwiesExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 9 km | 150 m AGL |
| LSZN Hausen am AlbisExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 9 km | not stated |
| RümlangExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 10 km | not stated |
| Gefängnis LimmattalExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 12 km | 150 m AGL |
| Substation RegensdorfExemption permits may be applied for at the competent authority. | Requires authorisation | 12 km | 200 m AGL |
Who to ask for permission
The zones around Zürich 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 Zürich?
The centre of Zürich sits inside 2 published drone zones (CTR ZURICH, CTR DUEBENDORF), so you need authorisation or must meet stated conditions before flying there. 19 restricted zones fall within 12 km of the centre in total. Zürich 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 Zürich?
Inside Zürich's UAS geographical zones. Within 12 km of the centre canfly? tracks 19 restricted zones: 19 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 Zürich?
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 Zürich 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 Zürich?
The zones around Zürich 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 12 km of 47.3667, 8.55
- Legal basis
- Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 15
Zone counts are measured from the point above, which is Zürich's centre as recorded by GeoNames; a zone counts if any part of it falls within 12 km of it. That radius scales with population and is not Zürich'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 415,367 (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: