Drone Laws UK 2021 (Updated May 2021)

Drone Registration

 All persons operating a UAV in the UK weighing between 250g and 25kg need to do these 2 things in order to fly legally (see under 250g drones post for info regarding smaller drones)

1) The person responsible for the UAV must register as an operator to get an operator ID. There is a £9 fee for this and you must be 18 or over to register for an Operator ID. If your child intends to fly a drone which requires an Operator ID then they must had someone over 18 apply for an Operator ID.

2) Any person intending to fly a drone (even if it’s not yours) must pass an online theory test and get a Flyer ID. Anyone under the age of 13 is still required to get a Flyer ID but must have someone over 18 with them to take the test.

Here is a link to the Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Service

All of your drones must be labelled with your Operator ID Number (not your Flyer ID) and the label must be:

• visible from the outside, or within a compartment that can easily be accessed without using a tool
  • clear and in block capitals taller than 3mm
  • secure and safe from damage
  • on the main body of the aircraft

You can download the most up to date drone code at Drone Safe 

Changes to UK Drone Laws and the EASA

As discussed above, the UK Drone Regulations changed on December 31, 2020, to align with those of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in order to allow free circulation of drones with Europe.

The new rules remove the requirements of PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operations) and whether your operation is commercial/non-commercial, focussing solely on the type of drone and where you intend to fly it. To emphasise the new focus away from commercial or leisure flying the Permission for Commercial Operations) has been replaced by an Operation Authorisation (OA) which still requires a CAA application and submission on an Operations Manual in order to demonstrate how your drone operations will be carried out safely and with due regard to legislation. 

There are now 3 categories of operations providing a framework related to the level of risk involved in the flight.

These categories are Open, Specific and Certified,

Drone Classifications

From 1 January 2023 all new drones will be required to meet a set of product standards and will be classified from C0 to C4.

These classes will be based on the weight and capability of the drone, and will determine how and where you can fly.

Until January 2023 if your drone doesn’t have a class marking, you may fly it in the following categories:

• Drones under 250g are authorised to be flown in the sub category A1 (as well as A2 and A3)
• Drones less than 2kg are authorised to be flown in the sub category A2 and A3, however you are required to maintain a 50 meters distance from people and are required to pass the A2 theory exam (A2 Certificate of Competency or ‘A2 CofC’).
• Drones of MOTM (Maximum Take Off Mass) of 2kg or greater are only authorised to be flown in the A3 subcategory.

After 1 January 2023,  ‘legacy’ unmarked drones are still authorised to fly in the following categories:

• Privately built drones with a MTOM (Maximum Take Off Mass) of 250g are still authorised to be flown in the sub category A1.
• All other drones are only authorised to be used in the sub category A3

The full requirements for flying in the Open category are shown in the CAA factsheet  CAP2012.

Specific Category

For medium-risk operations, operators will have to require an authorisation from the national aviation authority on the basis of a standardised risk assessment (PDRA – Pre-Defined Risk Assessment) or a specific scenario (Standard Scenario) STS. Pilots will require a GVC (General VLOS Certificate) to apply for operational authorisation (See Below for GVC details) 

Certified Category

In the case of high-risk operations, classical aviation rules will apply. To ensure operational safety flights falling under the Certified category with require certification of the UAS, licensing of the pilot and to be carried out by an approved operator.

While these changes may cause some initial confusion for pilots used to the previous regulations, it means that drone pilots will be able to fly commercially with fewer restrictions based on the risk of the operation where the flights are of lower risk.

Once you have all of the above requirements in place, Each Individual Flight requires its Own Permissions:

Landowner – you must have the permission of the landowner in order to take – off and land on their property.

Local Authority – individual authorities often have specific requirements in order to carry out a flight within their jurisdiction. There may also be local bylaws which regulate your flight in addition to the Drone Code so always check with the local authority to ensure you are abiding by their requirements.

Police – always inform the local police in advance of the location, date and time of your flight. If any additional information is needed they will let you know and issue you with a Log Number for your records.

CAA – the Civil Aviation Authority oversee and regulate UK civil aviation. If your flight can be carried out within the requirements of the Open category or within the remit of your Operational Authorisation there is no need to contact them for general flying. If different permissions are required (ie. You need to reduce the distance to buildings etc) then you may need to apply to them for an Operational Safety Case (OSC) which will then require that you provide evidence that you will be able to carry out the flight without compromising safety.

Rail Network – if your flight brings your drone in close proximity to the railway you will need to inform Network Rail of your intended flight path. Flights within 50m of the railway are not permitted and NR has a list of companies who are permitted to carry out this work, with whom they will put you in touch if required.

Local ATC – you must not fly your drone in the vicinity of an airport. If your flight plan takes you within the airspace controlled by the airport you should contact the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and request permission to fly. Providing that your flight is deemed safe and any mitigation is put in place then it may still be possible to carry out your flight.

Nuclear Facilities – Nuclear Facilities will be surrounded by a Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ) and it is illegal to fly in this space without permission. You will be required to gain permission from an authorised person at the Facility and pass this to the CAA who will grant you temporary permission to carry out the flight.

Prisons, Military Bases, Sport Stadiums etc.– many sites are surrounded by restriction zones which restrict flights in that airspace. It is always recommended to check the airspace around the site you are planning to fly as soon as possible in your planning process in order to ensure you have the time to gain all the permissions which may be required.

Controlled airspace – Class G Airspace is classified as “uncontrolled”, all other airspace is considered “Controlled” ie. Under the control of the direction of Air Traffic Control.

According to the CAA “any authority or regulatory body should be able to identify the specific laws, regulations or bye-laws that empower it to regulate the use of UAS, or more usually, the land from which they are operated, much as the CAA has set out the regulations that it applies”

Here are a variety of links to tools to use in order to help determine the requirements of your flight, click on the logos below for more information.

Indoor Drone Flying

If you are flying your drone indoors without any possibility of the drone escaping outdoors into general aviation then you are not required to follow these regulations. You are however, responsible for Health and Safety regarding your drone flight.