Air traffic TCS may use cargo drones over densely populated areas
TCS can also fly its drones with a payload of up to 40 kilograms over densely populated areas in urban areas. The responsible federal office granted the club's specialized offshoot an extended operating permit for this purpose.
18.11.2025, 11:17
SDA
The TCS Drone Operations Service (TCS Drops) has been flying loads and other missions since the spring, as the Touring Club Switzerland announced on Tuesday. Previously, it only did this over areas with a maximum population density of 300 people per square kilometer, for example during inspection flights in Blatten VS in June.
With the extended operating permit, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) has authorized the company to fly over densely populated areas, allowing it to offer its services nationwide. TCS Drops reportedly demonstrated this on Monday with the drone transport of solar panels to its headquarters in Vernier GE.
According to TCS, cargo drones replace or supplement scaffolding and cranes during construction. The precise positioning of loads and independence from access routes saves time. Drones are also ideal for transportation in remote or ecologically sensitive areas.
In the communiqué, TCS Director General Jürg Wittwer described the extended permit as an important step in the expansion of the business. Vertical mobility will play an important role in the coming years.
Nicolas Kestens, the drone expert at the FOCA, explained that the Federal Office is checking compliance with EU regulations in the interests of the highest safety standards. The FOCA supports innovative and sustainable projects through constant exchange with the drone industry.
