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United Kingdom · Drone test

UK drone regulations and the 2026 changes

Since 1 January 2026, anyone flying a drone or model aircraft of 100g or more needs a Flyer ID, new drones carry UK class marks from UK0 to UK6, and some must fly with Remote ID switched on. These UK drone regulations come from the Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which changed the UK’s versions of EU Regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945. The next step, more Remote ID, starts on 1 January 2028.

  • 100gWeight from which you need a Flyer ID
  • 1 January 2026When the new rules took effect
  • 1 January 2028When Remote ID reaches more drones
Where to study

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

What changed in the UK drone regulations on 1 January 2026?

  • The theory test for a Flyer ID now applies from 100g, and drones under 100g need no ID.
  • Operators must register a drone of 100g or more that has a camera, and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) only registers operators aged 18 or over.
  • Drone classes became UK0 to UK6, and new models placed on the market from this date must carry a UK class mark.
  • The Open sub-categories got new names: Over People (A1), Near People (A2) and Far from People (A3).
  • In Far from People (A3) you must also stay at least 50m from any building.
  • UK1, UK2 and UK3 class drones must fly with Remote ID on.
  • At night, a green flashing light on the drone must be switched on.
  • Flights in an area that’s wholly or mainly enclosed, with no uninvolved person present, are outside the regulation.
  • Drones with no class mark that were on the market before 1 January 2026 can still fly, by weight.
Which IDs your drone needs →Class marks and sub-categories →

Remote ID dates

DroneFrom
UK1, UK2 and UK3 class1 January 2026
Any drone flown in the Specific Category1 January 2026
UK0 class with a camera1 January 2028
UK4 class, such as model aircraft1 January 2028
No class mark, 100g to under 250g, with a camera, in Over People (A1)1 January 2028
No class mark, flown in Near People (A2) or Far from People (A3)1 January 2028
Privately built: 100g to under 250g with a camera in A1, or any in A31 January 2028

The table follows the Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Regulations 2025. The CAA’s own Remote ID table lists unmarked and privately built drones only when they weigh 100g or more and have a camera, but the CAA also says that from 1 January 2028 Remote ID applies to all drone and model aircraft flying unless it grants an exemption, which matches the law. It recommends switching Remote ID on before it’s required.

In the Specific Category the law has required Remote ID on every drone since 1 January 2026, unless the CAA’s authorisation disapplies it, though the CAA’s table gives 1 January 2028 for UK0, UK4, unmarked and privately built drones there.

Remote ID broadcasts your Operator ID, the drone’s serial number, its position, height and route, your position and any emergency status such as a low battery. It sends no personal details: only the CAA and organisations it authorises can see who the operator and remote pilot are.

Adding your Remote ID number →

Other dates to know

Two more changes fall at the end of 2027: European C class marks stop counting as the matching UK classes, and the General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC) stops being issued. The A1 and A3 page and the commercial page have the details. The commercial page also covers the UK SORA guidance changes the CAA decided not to apply.

When European class marks stop counting →The GVC and UK SORA →

The law behind the rules

  • UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) Implementing Regulation: how and where you fly, the categories and the remote pilot rules
  • UK Regulation (EU) 2019/945, the UAS Delegated Regulation: the product rules and class marks
  • The Air Navigation Order 2016: for example permission to fly in an airport’s Flight Restriction Zone (article 94A) and the offence of endangering an aircraft (article 240)
  • The Data Protection Act 2018, for photos and recordings
  • The Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Regulations 2025, made on 20 October 2025, which brought in the 2026 and 2028 changes

The 2025 regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so these rules apply across the UK. They followed the CAA’s review of drone regulation: a consultation (CAP 2610) in November 2023 and the CAA’s reply with its final recommendations (CAP 3105) in May 2025.

legislation.gov.uk: The Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Regulations 2025 ↗
Sources: legislation.gov.uk · CAA · CAA Regulatory Library and 7 more. Checked October 2026.

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

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Which rules apply

Do you need one?Under 250gA1 and A3