Register and insure weather balloon in Switzerland

» Here’s how you can register and insure your weather balloon in Switzerland! «

Launching a weather balloon in Switzerland is generally very straightforward. Typically, weather balloons can be launched without the need for approval from the Bundesamt für Zivilluftfahrt (BAZL). However, there are exceptions to this, which we’ll address below.

How to register your weather balloon in Switzerland!

Would you like to start your mission into space with a weather balloon in Switzerland? Then you’ve come to the right place. In recent years, our Stratoflights team has already carried out numerous missions in Switzerland. Compared to other countries, registering the ascent of a weather balloon in Switzerland is very uncomplicated and really easy.
For our flights from different launch sites in Switzerland, we first used the following information from the Bundesamt für Zivilluftfahrt (BAZL) and checked whether permission was required at all for the launch of our weather balloon or so-called unmanned free balloon. For numerous launches of weather balloons, free balloons or unmanned free balloons we did not have to obtain a permit, so that the launching of our weather balloons was free of charge.

A brief note in advance: Please note that depending on the launch site and wind and weather conditions, your balloon may leave Switzerland and land in a neighbouring country. In this case, you must obtain permission from the country you expect to fly over! Alternatively, register a launch period in advance and check with our predicting tool whether the weather balloon or free balloon will leave Switzerland or not and only launch if you stay within Switzerland.

Using the following restrictions for the whole of Switzerland, you can find out whether the ascent of your weather balloon or free balloon in Switzerland requires a permit:

In Switzerland it is prohibited to launch balloons

which are filled with flammable gas;
with more than 2 kg payload;
with more than 30 m³ capacity.
At a distance of less than 5km from civil or military airfields.

Are there any restrictions near airfields?

Balloon ascents within 5 km of the runway of a civil or military aerodrome are subject to the following additional requirements:

The contents of a balloon must not exceed 1 m³.
No balloons may be launched with open fires or with attached payloads, except for competition answer cards up to A5 size attached to balloons.
No more than 300 balloons may be released at any one time.
The balloons must not be tied together.

If one of these conditions is not met, permission must be obtained from Skyguide or the responsible aerodrome manager.

Contact of the licensing authority
Contacts airports, airfields and heliports for authorisation of drone flights and sky lanterns

Map with airfields:
https://www.bazl.admin.ch/bazl/de/home/infrastruktur/flugplaetze.html

Our tip: Unless you are more than 5 kilometres from the airstrip as the crow flies, make it easy on yourself and simply move your take-off location outside the 5 kilometre radius.

Insuring Your Weather Balloon in Switzerland!

To apply for an ascent permit for your weather balloon in Switzerland, first check with the rules below if you need aviation liability insurance so that personal injury and property damage are covered. You can obtain weather balloon insurance for Switzerland using the following tool: Weather Balloon Insurance from AXA.

Notice: The liability claims of third parties on earth must be secured by the owner or keeper by means of liability insurance with a guaranteed sum of at least 1 million Swiss francs. The securing of liability claims is not required for free balloons with a payload of less than 0.5 kg and a capacity of less than 30 m³ (Art. 20 VLK). In the event of accidents, the person or persons who have allowed the balloons to rise and thus culpably, unlawfully and adequately cause damage are generally liable (Art. 41 of the Swiss Code of Obligations).

Contact details of the BAZL:
Bundesamt für Zivilluftfahrt
Papiermühlenstrasse 172
3063 Ittigen
Schweiz
Internet: https://www.bazl.admin.ch/bazl/de/home/themen/sicherheit/ballone-kinderballone-und-freiballone.html#
Mail: ballone@bazl.admin.ch

Source:
https://www.bazl.admin.ch/bazl/de/home/themen/sicherheit/ballone-kinderballone-und-freiballone.html

The legal basis for the ascent of weather balloons or free balloons in Switzerland can be viewed here:

In general, balloons shall be launched in such a way as to minimise hazards to persons, property or other aircraft, and the conditions set out in Annex 2 of the Implementing Regulation (EU) No: 923/2012 (SERA.3140) as well as the requirements set out in Art. 16 of the DETEC Ordinance on Special Category Aircraft shall be complied with.

Disclaimer: This website is constantly updated and checked. Despite all care, however, information may have changed in the meantime. The accuracy, completeness and timeliness of the information published on the pages, cannot be guaranteed. Stratoflights takes no liability for the published information.