Leisure activities and permits/approvals 

Would you like to release balloons or launch fireworks? Are you planning a balloon flight or a photo flight? Do you want to launch a drone? Here, you can find out at a glance what you need to bear in mind for these leisure activities, and for which activities you need a permit for.  

hundreds of air balloons in the sky

Children's balloons

You can use this form to submit a request for the release of toy balloons. DFS will check your application as regards air safety
issues and will send you a reply as soon as possible. 

Important note on environmental protection: 
Colourful balloons are nice to look at, but unfortunately harmful to nature. Above all, they contribute to marine pollution and are a danger to seabirds and fish. Please bear this in mind when making your application.

You can find out more about this on the internet by searching such keywords balloons and environmental pollution.

Application for balloon release



Drone flight

Are you a drone pilot? Then you, too, count as an airspace user. You can find the most important information needed for a safe drone flight here.

Applications and approvals

person operating drone


paraglider in the sky

Other activities

Many activities in German airspace have to be reported to the competent Ordnungsamt (municipal
office for public order) and not to DFS.

  • Fireworks
    Please contact the competent Ordnungsamt (municipal office for public order) directly. 
  • Laser and high-power projectors
    Please contact the competent aeronautical authority (Landesluftfahrtbehörde) directly.
  • Sky lanterns
    The release of such lanterns is forbidden throughout Germany for fire prevention reasons. Please contact the competent aeronautical authority (Landesluftfahrtbehörde) directly if you have any questions.   

If you have any questions concerning...

  • kites
  • captive balloons
  • air shows
  • photo and calibration flights
  • aerobatics with powered aircraft and sailplanes
  • balloon sondes
  • model aircraft
  • rockets

...send us an e-mail.