# Insurance for drone pilots and aerial imaging in Germany

> For drone pilots and aerial imaging businesses in Germany, insurance is not optional: no drone may take off without owner's liability cover. The expensive surprises often come from elsewhere, though, such as a camera drone at the bottom of a lake or survey data the client cannot use. Here is what is compulsory, what the rest costs and what the Federal Aviation Office (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, LBA) expects from you.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-drone-pilot-and-aerial-imaging.php  
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Is my personal liability insurance enough if I fly paid jobs?

No. Personal liability policies in Germany often exclude drones altogether or only cover private use up to a certain weight. As soon as you fly for money, you need drone liability cover that explicitly includes commercial use. The German Aviation Act requires the owner of every drone to hold liability insurance.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** Owner's liability insurance under § 43 of the German Aviation Act (LuftVG) for every drone; the minimum follows § 37 LuftVG and is 750,000 units of account for aircraft under 500 kg
- **Registration:** with the LBA from 250 grams, or for drones with a camera that are not toys; the number must be visible on the drone
- **Competence:** required from 250 grams: an online test with the LBA for A1 and A3, plus a theory exam at a designated body for A2
- **Basic cover from:** about €150 a year for commercial drone liability for one drone under 5 kg, a guide value from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** Public liability policies usually exclude aircraft, and the drone itself is not covered without its own hull insurance

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Crash onto people or cars:** Signal loss, a flat battery, a gust at the roof ridge: a camera drone weighing several kilos lands on a road, a car or a spectator.
- **The drone is gone:** A crash into water, a tree, theft from the car. Professional drones with thermal cameras cost five figures.
- **Unusable data:** Faulty survey results, gaps in a roof inspection, a missed shoot: the client wants the fee and follow on costs back.
- **Privacy and image rights:** Neighbours, guests or number plates in the shot: published aerial footage leads to cease and desist letters.
- **Trouble with authorities:** Flying in a geographical zone without approval or without the right certificate leads to fines that cost money and time.
- **Accidents on the ground:** Setting up on a roof, an embankment or an industrial site: the pilot falls or injures a helper.

**Risk radar** (Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.): Liability 5, Fire and water 4, Theft 3, Cyber 3, Downtime 3, Health 2

## The insurance you need

- **Drone insurance** (Essential): Owner's liability is compulsory for every drone under the German Aviation Act. For paid jobs it must explicitly include commercial use. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-drone-insurance.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Strongly advised): Equipment insurance replaces drone, camera, batteries and controller after a crash, water damage or theft, provided drones are explicitly included. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Professional indemnity** (Strongly advised): Professional indemnity for financial loss from faulty data, missed deadlines or breached image rights. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-professional-indemnity.php
- **Business liability** (Strongly advised): Public liability for damage on the ground, for example while setting up on a client's site. Damage caused in flight is only covered by the drone policy. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): Legal expenses cover for fines, disputes with clients and claims over image rights. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For data breaches involving aerial images, inspection data and client files. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): Income protection if your eyes, hands or health no longer allow you to fly. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php

## What it costs: example prices

The premium depends on the weight and number of drones, the type of work, the limit and the excess. Inspection flights over industrial plants cost more than property photos.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drone insurance | One drone under 5 kg, commercial use, €3 million limit, open category | about €150 to €350 a year |
| Drone insurance | Three drones up to 25 kg, inspection and surveying, €5 million limit, specific category | about €500 to €1,200 a year |
| Electronic equipment | Drone and camera worth €8,000 new, crash and theft, €500 excess | about €450 to €900 a year |
| Professional indemnity | Aerial imaging, inspection and surveying, financial loss up to €250,000 | about €250 to €700 a year |
| Business liability | Sole trader without a workshop, €3 million limit | about €100 to €250 a year |

For comparison: Liability and hull cover for a professional drone cost about as much per year as two days of roof inspection work.

_All premiums are guide values from our quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, as of October 2026. The duty to insure and the minimum are set in the German Aviation Act; registration and competence are described by the Federal Ministry of Transport. We obtain your quote from several insurers._

- [Luftverkehrsgesetz § 43: owner's insurance](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/luftvg/__43.html)
- [Luftverkehrsgesetz § 37: liability limits](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/luftvg/__37.html)
- [Federal Ministry of Transport: drones](https://www.bmv.de/SharedDocs/DE/Artikel/LF/drohnen.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Starter** (Side business with one camera drone for property and weddings): Drone insurance, Electronic equipment. Together: about €600 to €1,200 a year
- **Aerial imaging** (Full time with several drones, inspection and commercial film): Drone insurance, Electronic equipment, Professional indemnity, Business liability. Together: about €1,300 to €2,800 a year
- **Inspection and surveying** (Firm with staff, heavier drones and work in the specific category): Drone insurance, Electronic equipment, Professional indemnity, Business liability, Business legal expenses, Cyber insurance. Together: individual, usually from about €3,000 a year

## The worst day at the drone controls

Six things drone pilots really go through, all on one windy working day. Tap through and see who pays.

- 08:30: During a roof inspection a gust pushes the drone into the solar array; two panels crack. (€2,600, Paid by: Drone insurance)
- 08:31: The drone itself breaks on impact. (€4,200, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 11:45: While setting up on a client's site, the tripod knocks against a company car and scratches the paint. (€900, Paid by: Business liability)
- 14:20: Survey data for a building pit is wrong and the excavator digs too deep. (€12,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 17:10: A neighbour's lawyer sends a cease and desist letter over a published photo of his garden. (€1,800, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 19:30: Signal loss over a car park; the drone lands on a car bonnet. (€2,300, Paid by: Drone insurance)

**Damage so far:** €23,800

## Practical tips from your broker

- Check that your drone liability policy includes commercial use, every drone and every pilot you use.
- Choose a limit well above the legal minimum; €3 to €5 million is common for jobs over roads and buildings.
- Register as an operator with the LBA and put the number visibly on every drone.
- Keep your competence certificate and any approval to hand; insurers ask for them after a loss.
- Keep a flight log with place, time and weather; after a crash it is your most important record.
- Have hired drones and client equipment explicitly included in the hull cover.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We know the aviation rules:** Compulsory cover, registration, competence and categories all fit together. As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert checks whether your policy matches the work you fly.
- **Drone, camera and data:** Liability, hull and financial loss cover are arranged together, so no gap opens between the policies.
- **Claims seen from the inside:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves and know which records an insurer wants after a crash.
- **Broker since 1989:** A family business, not tied to any insurer. Our service is free for you; the insurer pays our commission. We advise in English.

## FAQ

### Is insurance compulsory for commercial drones in Germany?

Yes. Under § 43 of the German Aviation Act the owner of every drone must hold liability insurance. The minimum for aircraft under 500 kg is 750,000 units of account under § 37 LuftVG.

### Do I have to register with the LBA?

Yes, if your drone weighs 250 grams or more, or carries a camera and is not a toy. The registration number must be shown visibly on the drone.

### Which drone licence do I need?

From 250 grams a certificate of competence is compulsory. For A1 and A3 an online test with the LBA is enough; for A2 you add practical self study and a theory exam at a designated body.

### What does commercial drone liability cost?

For one drone under 5 kg with a €3 million limit we expect about €150 to €350 a year. More or heavier drones and work in the specific category cost more.

### Is the drone itself insured?

Not by the liability policy. For crashes, water and theft you need hull or equipment cover that explicitly includes drones.

### Who pays if my survey data is wrong?

That is a financial loss. Professional indemnity covers it, not the drone liability or the public liability policy.

## Request quotes

We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-drone-pilot-and-aerial-imaging.php#anfrage

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Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT. Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act. Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company. It does not arrange your contract.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.