Drone regulations in Great Britain (United Kingdom)

Verfasst von Francis Markert | Last update on 07.08.2026 | 2 Kommentare

In this post, we introduce you to the current regulations for flying drones in the United Kingdom.

Since 2019, there are two ways to register your drone in the UK.

First, there is the registration as an operator. If your drone is equipped with a camera and you want to use it in the country, you must register as an operator. An operator is the person or company responsible for the drone. This person must be at least 18 years old. Registration is possible online and costs £12.34. You can also register as an operator only, even if you are not flying the drone yourself, for example if the pilot is your underage child. The operator ID is valid for one year and must be visibly attached to the drone. We therefore recommend fixing a drone ID label to it.

You can also register as a flyer. Flyer registration is required if your drone weighs 100 grams or more. To receive your flyer ID, you must be at least 13 years old and pass an online test. The test is free and assesses your knowledge of the drone safety rules. It consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, of which you need to answer 30 correctly. You can repeat the test as many times as needed if you do not reach the 75% threshold on your first try. The flyer ID is valid for five years.

For children under 13, there is a separate process for obtaining the operator or flyer ID.

If your drone weighs less than 100 grams and has no camera, you do not need either an operator ID or a flyer ID. The same exemption applies to toy drones and to drone flights that take place indoors.

You can also refer to the table below to check which ID is required in which case.

Overview: Drone rules in Great Britain

Additional requirements for flying drones in the UK

Drones must always be flown within visual line of sight in the UK. In the Open Category, night flights are only permitted if your drone is fitted with a flashing green light. Since 1 January 2026, prior authorisation from the CAA is no longer required for this.

The permitted distance to aerodromes is precisely regulated, based on the respective control zone. You can find those on this page.

A distance of 50 meters must be maintained between your drone and individual people or buildings. For gatherings of people and built-up areas (settlements), a distance of 150 meters is required. Drones in the UK0/UK1 classes are allowed to fly closer than 50 meters to people and even over them.

The usual radio frequencies apply to the remote control: 2.4 GHz can be used with digital radio without a power limit, 5.8 GHz in the range from 5,725 to 5,875 MHz.

For private drone flights, insurance is only mandatory from a take-off weight of 20 kilograms.

New UK class marks

Since 1 January 2026, all new drones on the UK market must carry UK class marks (UK0 to UK6). EU C class marks (C0–C6) are, however, recognised as equivalent until 31 December 2027. Legacy drones bought before 1 January 2026 can continue to be flown according to their weight. From 1 January 2028, EU C classes will no longer be treated like UK classes but will be categorised as legacy aircraft by weight.

Remote ID

Remote ID transmits identification and location data during the flight. Since 1 January 2026, a new rule applies: UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5 and UK6 class drones must have Remote ID enabled.

From 1 January 2028:

• Legacy drones without a class mark but with a camera need Remote ID
• All drones with a camera weighing 100 g or more must have Remote ID enabled

Commercial drone use

To use your drone commercially in the UK, the decisive question is whether the flight still falls into the Open Category or already counts as the Specific Category. For the Specific Category, you need an Operational Authorisation, typically via PDRA01 or, for more complex projects, via UK SORA.

Special rules for the Channel Islands

While the rules described above apply to England, Scotland and Wales, the Channel Islands have their own provisions. The relevant rules are those of the Office of the Director of Civil Aviation / Channel Islands Director of Civil Aviation (ODCA/CIDCA). Any approvals you need have to be applied for separately with the ODCA. You will find the current rulebook in the ODCA’s Drones Guidance.

Jersey

• Maximum altitude 400 feet (120 meters)
• Keep 2 nautical miles (about 3.7 km) away from Jersey Airport unless you have permission from Ports of Jersey ATC
• Without permission, keep 150 meters away from congested areas and large gatherings of people
• Harbours and marinas count as congested areas
• For Les Écréhous and Les Minquiers, additional wildlife protection rules apply during the breeding season from 1 February to 31 August: in that period, drone flights are prohibited without written permission from Jersey’s Minister for the Environment

Guernsey

• Maximum altitude 400 feet (120 meters)
• Keep 2 nautical miles (about 3.7 km) away from Guernsey or Alderney Airport. You may only go closer with permission from the ODCA and the responsible ATC
• Keep 150 meters away from harbours and marinas
• There are additional local prohibited and permitted areas, for example Vale Commons and the area around the prison

Sark

The island of Sark has its own laws, and compliance with them is overseen by the Chief Pleas. If you want to operate a drone on Sark, you first turn to the Chief Pleas to obtain permission for the planned operation. Once you have it, you additionally apply to the ODCA for an Aerial Work Permit. It is only issued for the specific operation.

If you have questions, contact [email protected] directly.

Have you already travelled in the UK or the Channel Islands with your drone? Leave us a comment below this post and help everyone who is planning the same thing.

We have researched the listed drone regulations for the United Kingdom to the best of our knowledge. We cannot guarantee the correctness of the information. If you want to be on the safe side, contact the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Alternatively, you can also ask the British embassy in your home country for further information about the regulations. Please leave us a comment when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in the UK!