UK drone rules, in plain English
Everything here is reviewed against official CAA sources, with the review date shown on every page. Rules changed significantly in January 2026 — if advice you read elsewhere predates that, treat it with caution.
Operator & Flyer ID
Which CAA IDs you need in 2026, what they cost, age rules, and the 100g threshold that changed everything.
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Open category (A1/A2/A3)
Where you can fly in the Open category — Over People, Near People, and Far From People — and which your drone falls into.
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Class markings
What the UK0–UK6 labels on new drones mean, how European C marks map across, and the 2027 legacy deadline.
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Sub-250g rules
What you can and can't do with a drone under 250g — and what the January 2026 changes took away.
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A2 CofC & GVC
The two main UK remote pilot qualifications — what each unlocks and who actually needs them.
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First-flight checklist
A practical pre-flight routine for new UK pilots — legal checks, weather, site choice and the first ten minutes.
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Drone Code
The CAA's Drone and Model Aircraft Code in one page — the rules every UK pilot must know.
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