Understanding CAA Drone Licensing Changes

Understanding the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)’s drone licensing changes starts with knowing how aviation rules are built and interpreted. International standards and recommended practices are first set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), forming the foundation for global aviation safety. Within the United Kingdom (UK), these principles are shaped into national requirements through the Basic Regulation, which establishes common rules for civil aviation and provides for implementing and delegating regulations covering areas such as operational safety, pilot competency, and aircraft requirements. The Civil Aviation Act 2012 acts as the core legislation enabling the regulation of all civil aviation activities, including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and grants the CAA its enforcement powers. To support operators, the CAA issues Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC), non-binding standards that show recognised ways of meeting secondary legislation, while still allowing alternative methods that achieve an equivalent level of safety and compliance. Alongside these, Guidance Material (GM) offers additional explanations, recommendations, and examples to help interpret both the regulations and the AMC. Although GM is advisory rather than legally binding, it plays an important role in helping operators apply the rules correctly and maintain safety standards.

Do you need a license? 

Whether you need a licence to fly a drone or model aircraft in the UK depends on two things: the type of aircraft you’re flying and the weight or class mark it carries. UK regulations group drone operations into three categories: Open, Specific and Certified each designed around the level of risk involved. The more advanced or higher-risk your flying becomes, the more requirements you must meet. Depending on what you intend to do your drone may fall into one of these categories:

• Open Category for basic, low-risk flying. This is where most hobbyists and new pilots begin. It includes three sub-categories based on how close you can fly to uninvolved people: A1 (Over People), A2 (Near People) and A3 (Far from People).

• Specific Category for moderate-risk operations that fall outside the Open Category, such as heavier drones in built-up areas, flying over crowds, spraying, or dropping articles. These operations require Operational Authorisation from the CAA.

• Certified Category for the highest-risk activities, such as transporting people, flying large unmanned aircraft over assemblies of people, or carrying dangerous goods. These operations are regulated much like manned aviation and are currently used only in very specialised contexts.

Model aircraft are treated as unmanned aircraft under the same rules. They can be flown in the Open Category, under the Specific Category via a CAA Operational Authorisation, or within a CAA-recognised model aircraft association’s Article 16 Authorisation (e.g., BMFA, FPV UK, LMA, SAA).

What You Need

Your legal requirements whether you need a Flyer ID, Operator ID, or both are driven mainly by the weight of your aircraft and whether it carries a camera. 

A Flyer ID is your personal competency credential: you obtain it by passing the CAA’s official online theory test, which ensures you understand the Drone Code and can fly safely and legally. According to the CAA, anyone who wants to fly a drone or model aircraft that meets the legal thresholds must have a Flyer ID, and there is no minimum age children under 13 simply take the test with a parent or guardian. 

An Operator ID, on the other hand, identifies the person or organisation legally responsible for the drone or model aircraft itself. The CAA requires an Operator ID if you own or are accountable for an aircraft that meets certain criteria, such as weighing 250g or more or weighing 100-249g with a camera.  Unlike the Flyer ID, which relates to pilot competence, the Operator ID is about responsibility for the drone, including ensuring it’s labelled correctly and that anyone who flies it has the right competency. Together, these two IDs form the foundation of safe, regulated drone flying as set out in official CAA guidance.

Requirements (Valid from 1 January 2026)

Weight / Class	Flyer ID	Operator ID	Details
250g to <25kg (including UK1, UK2, UK3, UK4 class)	Yes	Yes	Applies to all drones/model aircraft in this weight range.
100g to <250g WITH a camera (UK0 with camera)	Yes	Yes	Operator ID mandatory because a camera is fitted.
100g to <250g WITHOUT a camera (UK0 without camera)	Yes	Optional	Operator ID not required unless a camera is added.
<100g	No	Optional	CAA strongly recommends taking the Flyer ID test for safe/legal flying.

Key Amendments

The UK drone sector is entering a major transition period as the CAA prepares to introduce new licensing, classification, airspace and operational rules from 1 January 2026. This edition summarises the key changes you need to know, based entirely on updated guidance and government sources.

Class Marks

From 1 January 2026, any new drone or model aircraft placed on the UK market must have a UK class mark, ranging from UK0 to UK6. These class marks act as a safety and capability label, showing that the aircraft meets specific technical and operational standards such as weight limits, built-in safety features, and required functions. The CAA also recognises European C-class marks. If your drone has a C0-C4 class mark, you can fly it in the UK exactly as if it were the equivalent UK0-UK4 model until 31 December 2027. Other classes like C5/UK5 and C6/UK6 require a CAA operational authorisation because they are intended for more complex or specific-category operations. You can get an overview of UK class mark requirements here.

Remote Pilot Competency (RPC)

Introduced by the CAA in February 2025, the Remote Pilot Competency (RPC) framework modernises the way pilot skills are assessed in the UK. Under the new framework, the A2 CofC remains valid for the Open A2 sub-category, while the Specific Category now includes five qualifications: GVC, RPC-L1, RPC-L2, RPC-L3, and RPC-L4. Learn more about these levels here. Training and assessment for these are delivered by CAA-approved Recognised Assessment Entities for Pilot Competence (RAE(PC)s), ensuring remote pilots demonstrate a consistently higher level of competence aligned with today’s operational and regulatory demands.

General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC)

The GVC remains a core qualification for anyone intending to operate within VLOS in the Specific Category. It requires trainees to complete theoretical training, create an Operations Manual, and a practical flight assessment through a CAA-approved RAE(PC). To begin GVC training, a pilot must already have completed CAA Open Category online DMARES training and hold a Flyer ID. There is no minimum age requirement, and successful candidates must demonstrate the ability to safely plan and execute Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) operations. Under the new RPC framework, the GVC continues to be recognised but now sits alongside four new RPC levels, providing a clearer progression path toward more advanced operations.

Remote ID

From 1 January 2026, the UK initiates its phased rollout of Direct Remote ID, which requires many class-marked drones particularly UK1, UK2, UK3 and higher class marks to broadcast identification and position data directly from the aircraft. This system is designed to improve airspace safety, support enforcement, and integrate drones more effectively into busy low-altitude environments. Operators will receive a Remote ID number through the CAA registration system and must ensure their Remote ID module is added, active, and functioning whenever the drone is flown. Legacy drones, home-built aircraft, and certain types of model aircraft benefit from a transition period and do not need to comply until 1 January 2028. After those dates, flying an in-scope aircraft without active Remote ID may result in enforcement action, including prosecution.

Before vs After: Key Changes at a Glance

Requirement	Before (Pre-2026)	After (From 1 Jan 2026)
Flyer ID	Required for drones 250g+	Required for drones 100g+
Operator ID	Required for 250g+, or <250g with a camera	Required for 250g+, or 100g+ with camera
Class Marks	No UK class marks	UK0 - UK6 class marks introduced
EU Class Marks	Allowed	Allowed until 31 Dec 2027
50m Rule in Open A2 Category	Strict separation	50m for legacy drones under 2kg 30m for UK2/C2 class-marked drones
150m Rule in Open A3 Category	Applied to “built-up areas”	Updated to “built-up areas” + 50m from individual buildings
Remote ID	Not mandatory for drones	Mandatory for class-marked drones (2026), expanded to legacy (2028)
Geo-Awareness	Recommended	Formal requirement
Night Flying	No specific light requirement	Green flashing light required
Operator Liability	General laws existed for drone offences	More specific offences created for breaking drone regulation rules