| Aircraft | Flyer ID | Operator ID |
|---|---|---|
| Under 100g | Recommended | Optional |
| 100g–under 250g, no camera | Required | Optional |
| 100g–under 250g, camera | Required | Required |
| 250g–under 25kg | Required | Required |
UK0/UK1/C0, C1 until 31 Dec 2027, or no class mark under 250g. May fly over uninvolved people, never crowds.
Flyer ID and A2 CofC. UK2/C2 under 4kg: 30m, or 5m in low-speed mode. Unmarked under 2kg: 50m. Never intentionally over people.
50m from uninvolved people; 150m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas; 50m from any building.
Over crowds; 25kg+; or where aircraft, qualification and distances do not fit A1–A3.
From 1 Jan 2026: UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5, UK6. From 1 Jan 2028: UK4 unless exempted; UK0, legacy or privately built aircraft 100g+ with camera.
From 1 Jan 2026, fit an active green flashing light for night flight.
EU C-class equivalence to UK class marks ends 31 Dec 2027.
Protected aerodrome and runway zones. Usually surface to 2,000ft above airfield. Ask ATC or the aerodrome.
MoD areas under SI 2026/64. See UK AIP ENR 5.1 and use the CAA ACOMS process.
AIRAC effective: 2026-10-01. Always check the live tool.
Primary sources: CAA Drone Code, registration, advanced flying, Remote ID and
night-flying pages; UK AIP ENR 5.1; NATS UAS Restriction Zones; SI 2026/64.
Tool:
https://uk-drone-rules.pages.dev/