Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red. Colors derive from the Polish emblem – a white eagle on a red field.

Flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Google Earth

Memorial monument at the Plaszow forced labor and concentration camp south of Krakow. Most of the prisoners at the World War II camp – which was operated by the occupying Nazi German Army between October 1942 and January 1945 – were Polish Jews. While the camp was not an extermination site, some 8 to 12,000 people are estimated to have been murdered at Plaszow.

Photo courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Government

According to Britannica, the constitution of Poland’s postwar socialist state, the Polish People’s Republic, took effect in 1952 but was amended numerous times, most significantly in early 1989, when constitutional reforms worked out between the government and Solidarity were passed by the Sejm (legislature). Among the changes were the replacement of the Council of State by the office of president (a position that had been eliminated in 1952) and the reinstatement of the Senate, which had been abolished in 1946 in an allegedly rigged national referendum. The existing Sejm, with 460 members, became the lower house of the new legislature, and the Senate, or the upper house, was assigned 100 members. Additional reforms passed later in 1989 by the legislature included the guarantee of free formation of political parties and the return of the state’s official name to the Republic of Poland.

The new constitution of 1997, which replaced a 1992 interim constitution, was adopted in April by the National Assembly (Zgromadzenie Narodowe; as the Sejm and the Senate are referred to when they meet in a joint session to debate constitutional issues), approved in a national referendum in May, and promulgated in October. The constitution confirmed the mixed presidential-parliamentary form of government that had been established during the period 1989–92. Under its provisions the president is directly elected to not more than two five-year terms. The president serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, has the power (albeit restricted) to declare martial law or a state of emergency, and can veto an act of the Sejm (which in turn can override that veto with a three-fifths majority vote).

The president nominates the prime minister and, on the prime minister’s recommendation, the cabinet, subject to the Sejm’s approval, but the president cannot dismiss the government. Deputies in the Sejm and senators are popularly elected to four-year terms. Laws must be adopted by both houses. The Senate has the right to amend or reject a law passed by the Sejm. The Sejm may override the Senate’s decision with a majority vote. The Sejm appoints the members of the Constitutional Tribunal, the commissioner for civil rights protection (the ombudsman), the chairman of the Supreme Chamber of Control (the state audit commission), and the president of the Bank of Poland. The main executive power is vested in the prime minister and the Council of Ministers, who are responsible to the Sejm. The government can be terminated by the Sejm only by a constructive vote of no confidence. The prime minister has a role comparable to that of a chancellor in the German political system.

Local government in Poland is organized on three levels. The largest units, at the regional level, are the województwa (provinces), which were consolidated and reduced in number from 49 to 16 in 1999. At the next level are some 300 powiaty (counties or districts), followed by about 2,500 gminy (towns and rural communes). The last are the fundamental territorial units within Poland. The status of the capital city of Warsaw is regulated by a special legislation. Both powiaty and gminy are governed by councils, elected to four-year terms. These councils in turn elect the heads of local administration. The representatives to the sejmiki wojewódzkie (provincial legislature) also are elected to four-year terms. The head of provincial administration, the wojewoda, is nominated by the prime minister.

Local government in Poland is organized on three levels. The largest units, at the regional level, are the województwa (provinces), which were consolidated and reduced in number from 49 to 16 in 1999. At the next level are some 300 powiaty (counties or districts), followed by about 2,500 gminy (towns and rural communes). The last are the fundamental territorial units within Poland. The status of the capital city of Warsaw is regulated by a special legislation. Both powiaty and gminy are governed by councils, elected to four-year terms. These councils in turn elect the heads of local administration. The representatives to the sejmiki wojewódzkie (provincial legislature) also are elected to four-year terms. The head of provincial administration, the wojewoda, is nominated by the prime minister.

Civil / National Aviation Authority (CAA/NAA)

The Civil Aviation Authority has a mission to act for the safety and sustainable development of civil aviation in Poland.

Airspace

SkyVector – Google Maps – ADS-B Exchange

ICAO countries publish an Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). This document is divided into three parts: General (GEN), En Route (ENR) and Aerodromes (AD). ENR 1.4 details the types of airspace classes they chose to adopt from classes A through G. Poland AIP

Drone Regulations

Drone Laws

UAS Page on CAA Website

New European rules on Drones:

Since on 31 December 2020 apply common rules drones in the countries of the European Union, Liechtenstein and Norway, which have been defined on the basis of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.

EASA has developed common European rules to facilitate drone operations and a level playing field for all UAS operators within the European Union. With the new rules, UAS operators can seamlessly perform drone operations when traveling within the EU or when developing their drone business in Europe. The rules described are based on an operational risk assessment and balance the obligations of drone manufacturers and operators in terms of safety, privacy, environment, noise abatement and security.

IMPORTANT: Iceland and Switzerland don’t apply EASA regulations yet. Please check the rules for UAS flights on the official websites: Switzerland, Iceland.

Unmanned Aircraft Operations are divided into three main categories:

• Open Category – is a low risk category, this means that you don’t need to make a declaration or obtain permission from the Civil Aviation Authority. In this category, operations can be performed within the visual line of sight the pilot or with the assistance of an observer (VLOS), with drones weighing less than 25 kg at a distance of no more than 120 meters from the nearest point of the ground surface. Registration with the CAA system is required for UAS operators who have drones weighing more than 250g or are equipped with a sensor for data collection (e.g. a camera). You can find more information about the open category.

• Specific Category – is intended for operations of medium risk, whose flight parameters go beyond the “open” category. Performing the operation will require verification and, in some cases, approval of the Civil Aviation Authority. When performing specific category operations, UAS operators must be registered in the CAA system. The specific category may be used for UAS operations after meeting the selected option:
• declaration of Standard Scenario (STS) or National Standard Scenario (NSTS) operation;
• to receive authorization for specific category operations;
• obtaining LUC certificate.

You can find more information about the specific category.

• Certified Category – is a high risk category, operations require UAS certification under Regulation (EU) 2019/945. Certification of the operator and the obtaining of a license by the pilot of the UAS may also be required, as appropriate, based on a risk assessment by the competent authority. Operations are classified in the certified category only if the following conditions are met:

1. a) over assemblies of people;
2. b) involves the carriage of passengers;

(c)involves the carriage of dangerous goods which, in the event of an accident, may pose a high risk to third parties.

Registration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operators

Registration is free.

Who must register:

• UAS operators who are operating in the “open” category with drones:

(a) that have an MTOM of 250 g or more, or that are capable of imparting kinetic energy of more than 80 joules to a human in the event of impact;

(b) which are equipped with a sensor capable of collecting personal data (e.g. a camera), unless the aircraft complies with Directive 2009/48/EC (toys).

• UAS operators if they are operating in the “specific” category regardless of the mass of the drone.

Conditions for registration in the system:

• The pilot has to be at least 16 years old.
• An operator registers in our system if their place of residence is Poland or it is their main place of business.
• UAS operators who are registered in another EU or EFTA country and wish to undergo training in Poland may create an account in the operator registration system by providing their operator number from another EU or EFTA country.
• UAS operators from non-EU and EFTA countries may register in our CAA system (this also applies to Iceland and Switzerland) if they intend to perform their first operation in Poland.
• An operator may not be registered in more than one Member State.

Training and exams

Anyone wishing to fly a drone with a mass of 250g or more before flying must complete an online training course and pass an online test to prove they have acquired the required knowledge, these are free and available on the CAA system. Pilot qualifications are valid for 5 years. The exception is for those with valid UAVO qualification certificates, they do not need to undergo the training but must convert their UAVO certificate of qualifications by the 31 December 2021.

The online exam for A1/A3 subcategory consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, to pass the test you must get 75% correct answers.

Competencies for open categories:

• A1 and A3 – online training and test;
• A2 – online training and test, completing a self-practical training, passing an additional paid theoretical exam conducted by an entity. The list of entities

Competencies for the specific category:

Pilots who want to operate in the specific category must undergo training and pass an exams conducted by an entity. A list of entities

IMPORTANT: UAS operators registered in another EU country must register in the CAA system with their operator number before training.

Geographical Zones and Flight Declaration Applications

The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency is the institution authorized to designate geographical zones.

IMPORTANT: Each UAS flight in Polish airspace should be conducted after informing PANSA about the intention of the flight via teleinformatic system defined by the agency. This means that every UAS flight should be preceded by a check-in in DroneRadar application.

The UAS operator is fully responsible for the planned operation and before the operation it is required to check airspace availability (by entering parameters of the planned flight) via DroneRadar application or PANSA website. In some cases the consent of the airspace (or site) manager may be required.

Insurance
Currently, liability insurance for USA operators with drones weighing less than 20 kg is voluntary. The Civil Aviation Authority recommends that each operator has insurance.

Promotional materials

Informational campaign „Miej drony pod kontrolą”

Frequently asked questions

For more information, visit the EASA website

EASA Videos

CAA Videos

Avinor RPAS Page – Information pertaining the use of RPAS at or in the vicinity of airports in Norway:

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

2021 – European UAM Project Gets Underway in Poland

2021 – Poland begins first flights over cities as part of SESAR Uspace4UAM research

IFAR – International Forum for Aviation Research – AAM

Short Essay Questions