Széchenyi István University has been granted a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), making it the first higher education institution in Europe to obtain the highest level of authorization available under the European drone regulations introduced in 2021.

As part of the rigorous certification process, the aviation authority assessed the University’s capabilities and determined that it meets all requirements for safe operation and possesses the necessary competencies. The significance of this achievement is further underscored by the fact that, within the European Union’s 1.8 million registered UAS operators, only about 30 entities hold this prestigious LUC certification.

The certificate allows drone operators to authorize certain low-risk operations independently after a regulatory review, eliminating the need to obtain separate approvals for each operation. This significantly reduces administrative burdens while ensuring full compliance with regulatory and aviation safety requirements.

Obtaining this authorization is not only a prestigious achievement but also offers substantial benefits. With this certification, the University gains greater flexibility in conducting drone-related research and development activities—an essential advantage in technical and engineering fields where drones are increasingly playing a pivotal role.

In education, the certification enables students to engage in practical learning and training in line with industry standards under expert supervision. This enhances their competitiveness in the job market and equips them with hands-on experience in applying cutting-edge technologies to innovative projects.

In research, drone applications offer extensive opportunities in fields such as geoinformatics, environmental monitoring, and transportation system development. With the LUC certification, Széchenyi István University’s researchers can launch their own projects and conduct specialized operations that would otherwise involve significant administrative burdens and potentially slow down project progress.

The acquisition of the certification was made possible through a multi-year collaboration between Széchenyi István University’s Digital Development Centre and Cloud for Intelligent Airspace (CloudIA) Zrt. This partnership provided the innovative solutions and professional groundwork necessary for developing the operational manual and flight safety management system required for LUC certification.

"The authorization is issued under a unified framework established by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which applies consistently across all EU member states. The regulations place special emphasis on the safe and legally compliant use of drones, airspace protection, data security, and respect for privacy," emphasized Dr. István Drotár, Head of the Digital Development Centre. "With this achievement, our University has once again demonstrated its commitment to technological innovation and industrial collaboration. The acquisition of the LUC certificate is further proof that our institution is a key player not only in Hungarian higher education but also in international research and development.”

Obtaining the LUC certification provides significant advantages for SZE in both education and R&D (Photo: Csaba József Májer)