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United Kingdom · Drone test

A2 drone licence: the A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC)

The A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) lets you fly in the Near People (A2) sub-category, closer to uninvolved people than a Flyer ID alone allows. To get this A2 drone licence you need a Flyer ID first, then you train yourself in practical flying, declare it and pass an extra theory exam with a training provider the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved.

  • 75%Pass mark in the A2 theory exam
  • 5 yearsHow long the certificate lasts
  • 30 or moreMultiple-choice questions in the exam
Where to study

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What can you fly with an A2 drone licence?

DroneMinimum distance
UK2 class, under 4kg30m, or 5m in low-speed mode
C2 class, the European mark30m, or 5m in low-speed mode
No class mark, under 2kg, on the market before 1 January 202650m

You must never fly over uninvolved people in this sub-category, but you can fly in residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas. The 5m distance needs an active low-speed mode, and you must first weigh up the weather, the drone’s performance and how separated the area below is. A UK2 drone must fly with its Remote ID and geo-awareness switched on. European C2 drones count as UK2 for now; the A1 and A3 page says until when.

Class marks and when C marks stop counting →

How to get the A2 CofC

UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947 sets the steps, and you have to do them in this order:

  1. Get your Flyer ID by passing the CAA’s online theory test.
  2. Do self-practical training, flying in the conditions of the Far from People (A3) sub-category.
  3. Declare that you’ve completed it, and pass the provider’s extra theory exam on meteorology, drone flight performance, and technical and operational ways to reduce the risk to people on the ground.

The exam may be online or on paper. To fly, the drone also needs to be registered to an operator with an Operator ID.

How to get your Flyer ID and Operator ID →

Who awards the A2 CofC

Only training providers the CAA has approved, called Recognised Assessment Entities for Remote Pilot Competency, or RAE(PC)s, can award it. The CAA publishes the list and says these providers set their own fees. Courses run online or in a classroom.

Approved providers and A2 CofC courses →What the CAA charges and what providers charge →

Age, entry and renewal

  • There’s no minimum age for the A2 CofC.
  • The only entry condition is a Flyer ID.
  • It covers visual line of sight (VLOS) flying only.
  • The CAA’s A2 page doesn’t set out a renewal process, so ask your provider; some list a revalidation price.

A2 CofC or GVC?

They’re for different categories. The A2 CofC is an Open Category certificate and needs no authorisation from the CAA. The General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC) is a Specific Category certificate, used with an operational authorisation such as PDRA01, the CAA’s pre-defined risk assessment, which lets you fly drones up to 25kg in built-up areas.

The GVC, PDRA01 and flying for work →
Sources: CAA · CAA Regulatory Library and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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