All drones in Ukraine will need to be registered

The Verkhovna Rada supported draft law No. 13600, which de-anonymizes the use of drones in civil airspace through mandatory registration, police registration, and identification of operators. The Head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhovsky, provided clarification in an interview with Censor.net.

Vyhovsky emphasized that the need for such rules is increasing due to the use of drones in crimes. This is not only about technical control of flights, but also about liability for offenses committed with the use of UAVs. He noted that if a drone is used to damage property or harm people, such actions should result in punishment, and the severity of such incidents is increasing. According to statistics, in 2022–2024, drones were more often involved in cigarette smuggling schemes, the delivery of prohibited items to places of imprisonment, or in provocations with “mining”, but now there are cases of extortion with intimidation by combat drones and even attempted murder.

Vyhovsky recalled that since 2023, the police have been authorized to prevent, detect and stop violations of the rules for using airspace by UAV operators. Law enforcement officers can use special means to intercept remote control signals and neutralize drones and their components. He also drew attention to the scale of the spread of drones: according to his estimate, there are already millions of them in Ukraine, and they are produced not only by private companies – the National Police, in particular, prints FPV drones on 3D printers for its combat units, since it is cheaper than purchasing.

What is Bill No. 13600 on UAV Registration in Ukraine about?

Bill No. 13600 proposes mandatory registration of drones with entry in the State Register of Aircraft, as well as separate registration in the units of the National Police. The logic of the initiative is that the state can quickly establish the operator in the event of incidents or offenses. In addition, it provides for the identification of users, agreed flight rules and a list of documents confirming the right to operate a drone in civil airspace. A separate block concerns liability. The document provides for administrative sanctions for the operation of unregistered UAVs, flights without proper documents or driving while intoxicated. If violations result in harm to people or significant material damage, liability may be criminal.

At the same time, Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov, an advisor to the Minister of Defense on drones, believes that after the war, Ukraine can gradually move to a model close to international practice: light mini-drones will remain available for domestic use, while heavier commercial devices will require registration and identification of operators. Certain flight zones may be closed, and some home-made FPV solutions are limited to the civilian market to reduce the risks of abuse and simplify incident investigation.