Russia Establishes Dedicated Airspace Class for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Russia has officially introduced a new airspace class, designated as Class H, specifically for the operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The corresponding regulation was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, according to the government’s press service. This document amends the Federal Rules for the Use of Airspace and aims to establish a regulatory framework to support the further development of civil unmanned aviation.
Class H encompasses airspace from the surface up to 150 meters (approximately 500 feet) above ground or water level. In certain cases, special corridors may be designated for UAS operations at altitudes up to 3,050 meters (10,000 feet). Within these corridors, a simplified airspace access procedure applies to drones with a maximum takeoff weight of up to 30 kilograms (66 pounds). The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) will publish information on these routes and their operational requirements in the Russian Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP).
"Unmanned aircraft are increasingly being introduced into the Russian economy and its transport system – in the first half of the year, the number of UAV flights increased by 26%. The legislative consolidation of a separate class for drones in the airspace is an important step for the future of all Russian air transport. This will allow the segment of civilian drones to develop and increase their use safely, taking into account the interests of manned aviation. Leading industry experts have worked to establish the principles of Class H operation in order to mitigate flight safety risks. I thank everyone for their work in the interests of Russian civil aviation,"
said Andrey Nikitin, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The principles of the formation of the new H class were previously discussed with the unmanned aviation community, commercial air transport operators, representatives of aviation operations, general aviation and ultralight aviation operators.
The main thing:
● Class H covers: - airspace from 0 to 150 meters from the ground (water) surface with the most simplified procedure for the use of UAVs with a take-off weight of up to 30 kg; - special routes for UAVs, up to an altitude of 3050 meters, which provide for a permissive simplified procedure for the use of airspace.
● The requirements for equipping UAVs with aeronautical and on-board collision avoidance lights (flashing lights), navigation equipment, control lines for unmanned aircraft systems and control over them are fixed.
● Manned aircraft using visual flight rules are allowed to cross flight routes for UAVs.
● Rosaviation will publish information about flight routes for UAVs and the conditions of their use in the Russian Aeronautical Information Collection.
What are the additional innovations?:
Flight organization: a flight plan is not needed at altitudes up to 150 meters with visual visibility for small drones (with a maximum take-off weight of up to 30 kg).
Logistics transportation: corridors for drone flights from point to point are established in advance. The deadline for submitting a flight plan will be reduced to 1-2 hours in the near future. At the same time, safety is ensured for other participants in air traffic (general aviation, helicopters).
The appearance of the H class will increase the scale of use of these aircraft, as the frequency of their flights can now significantly increase, and the price of flight hours will decrease. Marketplaces have the opportunity to effectively integrate drones into their logistics. And providers of unmanned monitoring services, for example, pipelines, will increase their competitiveness in relation to traditional aviation companies,"
commented the head of Rosaviation. Dmitry Yadrov.
By introducing Class H, Russia becomes one of the few countries to establish a dedicated airspace segment for unmanned systems. Previously, Russian airspace was divided into Classes A, C, and G, all of which primarily served manned aviation. The new class is intended to streamline UAS integration into the national airspace system and reduce administrative barriers for drone operators.
Operational requirements for Class H include equipping UAS with navigation lights, anti-collision strobes, appropriate navigation systems, and reliable command and control links. These measures are designed to enhance safety during concurrent operations of manned and unmanned aircraft. Piloted aircraft conducting visual flight operations are permitted to cross UAS-designated routes, provided they adhere to established procedures.
Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev stated that the government continues to monitor the implementation of the new regulations and will adjust the legal framework as necessary. The introduction of Class H reflects the growing use of unmanned systems across various sectors, including logistics, agriculture, and infrastructure monitoring.
Internationally, only a limited number of countries have established dedicated airspace classes for UAS. In most jurisdictions, drone operations are regulated within existing airspace classes, which complicates UAS integration into the broader air traffic management system. The Russian model may serve as a reference for other nations seeking to advance civil unmanned aviation.
The exact number of designated routes and the current extent of Class H utilization have not yet been disclosed. As operational experience accumulates and new technological solutions emerge, the regulatory framework is expected to evolve. The establishment of Class H lays the groundwork for expanding UAS applications and improving operational efficiency in the civil sector.
Photo: Illustration generated by AI
Sources: RuAviation; AK&M
