UK Drone Laws 2026: Complete Guide
The registration threshold dropped from 250g to 100g on 1 January 2026, bringing most consumer and enterprise drones sold today into scope for a Flyer ID and, in most cases, an Operator ID as well. This guide covers the current rules as verified against the CAA's own March 2026 Drone Code and its official guidance pages, checked in September 2026. Rules in this area change regularly, so treat any figure here as current at time of writing rather than permanently fixed.
Registration: Flyer ID and Operator ID
Anyone flying a drone or model aircraft weighing 100g or more needs a Flyer ID, earned by passing a free online theory test on the CAA's website. Anyone who owns or is responsible for a drone weighing 250g or more, or a lighter drone fitted with a camera, also needs an Operator ID, which currently costs £10 a year and must be renewed annually.
Requirement | Threshold | Cost | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
Flyer ID | 100g and above | Free (theory test) | Every 5 years |
Operator ID | 250g and above, or 100g-250g with a camera | £10 per year | Annual |
The Flyer ID theory test can be taken independently from age 12 upward with parental supervision for under-18s; a parent or guardian must be present throughout for a child under 12. An Operator ID must be held by someone 18 or over, so a parent or guardian registers on behalf of a younger flyer. Every DJI Enterprise aircraft sold by Drone Safe Store, weighing well over the 250g threshold, needs both an Operator ID and a Flyer ID before its first flight.
Where You Can Fly
The legal ceiling is 120m (400ft) above the closest point of the earth's surface, measured from the ground directly beneath the drone, not from the pilot's launch point, so flying near a hill or cliff edge needs extra care to stay within it. The drone must stay in direct visual line of sight at all times, unaided by binoculars, a telephoto lens or FPV goggles, though a trained observer with two-way communication to the pilot can assist.
Distance from people depends on the Open Category subcategory the flight falls into. A1 (drones under 250g or class UK0/UK1) can fly close to and over individual uninvolved people, though never over a crowd. A2 requires a minimum 30m from uninvolved people (5m in low-speed mode) with no flying directly over them. A3, the default for most enterprise aircraft, requires 50m from uninvolved people and 150m from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas.
Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs) sit around most airports and aerodromes; flying inside one without permission is against the law regardless of the aircraft's size. Prisons, military ranges, royal palaces, government buildings and Sites of Special Scientific Interest carry their own restrictions, and the CAA recommends checking NATS' airspace restriction map before any flight near one, since a drone's built-in app data isn't always current.
Remote ID
Remote ID is a new requirement broadcasting a drone's identification and location data during flight, covering the operator's registration number, the aircraft's serial number, timestamp, position, altitude, route and the remote pilot's own location. No personal details such as name or address are broadcast publicly, only CAA-authorised bodies can access the operator record behind the broadcast ID.
From 1 January 2026, newly manufactured drones carrying UK class marks UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5 or UK6 must have Remote ID built in from the factory. From 1 January 2028, the requirement extends to legacy aircraft, UK0 drones fitted with a camera, UK4 model aircraft and privately built drones with a camera, all at 100g and above, giving existing owners a transition period to add compliant equipment before that date.
Commercial and Enterprise Operators
Work that exceeds the Open Category's weight, distance or altitude limits needs an Operational Authorisation in the Specific Category, typically supported by a GVC (General VLOS Certificate) covering both a theory exam and a practical flight assessment. Drone Safe Store has a separate, more detailed guide to the A2CofC, GVC and Operational Authorisation process; it's worth checking that against the CAA's current requirements before applying, since it predates some of the changes covered here.
Commercial operation also needs valid third-party liability insurance for every flight, a requirement that sits alongside CAA registration rather than replacing it.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Breaking these rules is a criminal offence, not just a regulatory infringement, and carries fines on top of any specific penalty. Endangering the safety of a manned aircraft carries a prison sentence of up to five years, the most serious end of the scale, and non-compliance with Remote ID requirements once mandatory can itself lead to prosecution.
What This Means for Enterprise Operators
Every DJI Enterprise aircraft in Drone Safe Store's range needs both a Flyer ID and an Operator ID before first flight, and almost all enterprise and survey work operates under A3 rules or a Specific Category authorisation rather than the closer-approach A1/A2 subcategories built around lightweight consumer drones. Checking Remote ID compliance on a new aircraft purchase, and confirming FRZ status for a planned site before travelling there, are both worth building into a standard pre-job checklist rather than treated as one-off checks.
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Common Questions
Yes, if it weighs 100g or more you need a Flyer ID, and if it's fitted with a camera you also need an Operator ID even below 250g.
£10 a year, renewed annually. The Flyer ID theory test itself is free and valid for 5 years.
120m (400ft) above the ground directly beneath the drone, not measured from the pilot's own position.
Newly manufactured drones with UK class marks UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5 or UK6 need it built in from 1 January 2026; the requirement extends to further aircraft types by 1 January 2028. Check the specific class mark on a given model against the current CAA guidance before assuming either way.
Often not. Most enterprise work involving heavier aircraft, closer proximity to people, or operations beyond Open Category limits needs a GVC and an Operational Authorisation in the Specific Category.
