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Taking Europe's Certification Standards to the World: EU Drone Port at the World UAV Congress in Shenzhen, China
The European drone market is one of the most regulated and therefore one of the most commercially protected markets in the world. For manufacturers based outside the EU, accessing it is not simply a matter of building a great product. It requires understanding a certification framework that many international manufacturers have never encountered.
That is why, this month, EU Drone Port CEO Marc Beltran is travelling to Shenzhen to deliver a keynote at the 10th World UAV Conference and UASE Drone Exhibition. Not to promote the event, but to bring the European certification conversation directly to the manufacturers who need to hear it.
That is why, this month, EU Drone Port CEO Marc Beltran is travelling to Shenzhen to deliver a keynote at the 10th World UAV Conference and UASE Drone Exhibition. Not to promote the event, but to bring the European certification conversation directly to the manufacturers who need to hear it.
Who We Are and Why It Matters
EU Drone Port is Europe’s dedicated Notified Body for UAS Class Certification under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945. We are the organisation that evaluates drones, verifies their compliance with EU essential requirements, and issues the EU-Type Examination Certificate that allows a drone to carry a Class Identification Label.
Without that label, a drone cannot legally be placed on the EU market for use under the Open Category or Standard Scenarios. Operators across Europe are already turning down equipment that is not certified. Contracts are being lost. Market share is shifting toward the manufacturers who started the process early. We exist to give manufacturers a clear, direct pathway through that process, wherever in the world they are based.
Without that label, a drone cannot legally be placed on the EU market for use under the Open Category or Standard Scenarios. Operators across Europe are already turning down equipment that is not certified. Contracts are being lost. Market share is shifting toward the manufacturers who started the process early. We exist to give manufacturers a clear, direct pathway through that process, wherever in the world they are based.
The Problem We See Every Day
The manufacturers we speak to most often are not struggling with product quality. They are struggling with European regulatory complexity.
DR (EU) 2019/945 does not prescribe specific components or design choices. It defines performance targets and safety levels that a drone must achieve. That is good news for innovation. But it also means the burden of proof is entirely on the manufacturer, and that proof must be independently verified by a Notified Body before the product can be sold or operated in Europe.
Many manufacturers outside the EU do not have a clear picture of what that process looks like, how long it takes, or how to begin. Some are waiting for others to pave the way. Others assume the process only applies to manufacturers based in Europe. These assumptions are not correct. And every month spent waiting is a month that competitors are using to get certified and win contracts.
DR (EU) 2019/945 does not prescribe specific components or design choices. It defines performance targets and safety levels that a drone must achieve. That is good news for innovation. But it also means the burden of proof is entirely on the manufacturer, and that proof must be independently verified by a Notified Body before the product can be sold or operated in Europe.
Many manufacturers outside the EU do not have a clear picture of what that process looks like, how long it takes, or how to begin. Some are waiting for others to pave the way. Others assume the process only applies to manufacturers based in Europe. These assumptions are not correct. And every month spent waiting is a month that competitors are using to get certified and win contracts.
What Marc Will Address in His Keynote
Marc’s speech in Shenzhen is not a regulatory overview. It is a direct, practical conversation with manufacturers about what EU certification means for their business.
He will cover:
He will cover:
- What Class label status actually unlocks for a drone on the European market, and why operators now require it as a baseline condition for procurement
- How DR (EU) 2019/945 frames essential requirements as performance targets rather than prescriptive specifications, and what that means for manufacturers designing for EU compliance
- The role of a Notified Body in the conformity assessment process, and the difference between Module B (EU-Type Examination) and the manufacturer’s own Declaration of Conformity
- How manufacturers based outside the EU can work directly with EU Drone Port to certify their products, including how distributors can lead the process on behalf of a manufacturer
Why We Are Going to Shenzhen
China produces a significant proportion of the drones already operating across European skies. Many of the platforms being evaluated by European operators today were designed and manufactured there.
And yet the EU certification pathway is still a barrier. The Class Identification Label system, the conformity assessment process, the role of a Notified Body, the implications of the January 2026 regulatory transition, these are not always visible from outside Europe.
We are going to Shenzhen because the manufacturers who need EU certification are there. The conversation about European market access should not only happen in Brussels or Barcelona.
And yet the EU certification pathway is still a barrier. The Class Identification Label system, the conformity assessment process, the role of a Notified Body, the implications of the January 2026 regulatory transition, these are not always visible from outside Europe.
We are going to Shenzhen because the manufacturers who need EU certification are there. The conversation about European market access should not only happen in Brussels or Barcelona.
What Happens After the Speech
Marc will be available throughout the event for one-to-one conversations with manufacturers, distributors, and industry partners. If you are attending the World UAV Conference and want to discuss your product, your European market ambitions, or your certification questions, we encourage you to reach out in advance so we can arrange time.
And if you are not attending the conference, the conversation is just as open. EU Drone Port works with manufacturers globally. The certification process does not require physical presence in Europe. It requires good documentation, clear technical data, and a willingness to engage with the conformity assessment process properly.
We are set up to make that as straightforward as possible.
And if you are not attending the conference, the conversation is just as open. EU Drone Port works with manufacturers globally. The certification process does not require physical presence in Europe. It requires good documentation, clear technical data, and a willingness to engage with the conformity assessment process properly.
We are set up to make that as straightforward as possible.
Start the conversation
Whether you are in Shenzhen this month or on the other side of the world, if you are a manufacturer or distributor with ambitions in the European drone market, we want to hear from you. eudroneport.com
About EU Drone Port
EU Drone Port is Europe’s dedicated Notified Body for UAS Class Certification under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945. We evaluate drones from Class C0 through C6, issue EU-Type Examination Certificates, and enable manufacturers and distributors worldwide to access the EU and EFTA market through a single, independently verified conformity assessment process.
eudroneport.com
EU Drone Port is Europe’s dedicated Notified Body for UAS Class Certification under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945. We evaluate drones from Class C0 through C6, issue EU-Type Examination Certificates, and enable manufacturers and distributors worldwide to access the EU and EFTA market through a single, independently verified conformity assessment process.
eudroneport.com