'These changes represent a major step in creating a regulatory framework that is ready for the future': new CAA drone regulations for 2026

So you’ve just received a new camera drone for Christmas, and now you’re desperate to fly it. If it’s one of DJI’s popular Mini drones or even a titchy DJI Neo 2 or HoverAir X hand-launched model, you will now be subject to the CAA’s latest set of rules of 2026 and require a Flyer ID and Operator ID before you can launch it into the sky.

These new rules came into force on the 1st of January 2026 and affect hobbyists, commercial pilots, and manufacturers alike.

Now, you may be wondering why even the smallest of drones, like the ones mentioned above, are being covered in red tape when they pose no more threat of injury than being hit by a wayward tennis ball, but the CAA sees things differently.

“These changes represent a major step in creating a regulatory framework that is ready for the future,” Kevin Woolsey, Head of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said back in May 2025, when the updated regulatory package was formally announced. "[They are] supporting safe, responsible drone use while enabling the sector to grow and innovate."

Since drone technology continues to advance rapidly, the CAA has to play catch-up, which is why our drone regulations keep changing from year to year. Thankfully, the new 2026 regulations are a little easier to understand than previous years, but there’s still a lot of jargon to wade through.

With this in mind, we’ve broken down the new regulations into different categories and even included a UK Class section at the end, which should hopefully help you understand the regulations that apply to all the best drone models currently on the market.

So, grab a cup of tea, an espresso or a pint and read on for the new low down. Happy flying!

Key 2026 regulatory changes at a glance

Flyer ID Threshold: Anyone flying a drone weighing 100g or more must now pass a free online theory test to obtain a Flyer ID.

Operator ID: Required for all drones weighing 100g or more with a camera, or any drone 250g or more, with or without a camera.

Remote ID: Mandatory as of 1 January 2026, for all new UK class-marked drones in classes UK1, UK2 and UK3.

Night Flying: From 1 January 2026, most drones flown at night must display a green flashing light.

Key drone regulations for 2026

New lower weight registration thresholds

Perhaps the biggest impact for most UK flyers is the tightening of registration requirements for drones weighing 100g or more, whether they’re carrying a camera or not (this only applies to flying outdoors).

Hence, anyone flying a drone or model aircraft weighing 100g or more must now hold a Flyer ID (free), obtained by passing a free online theory test covering basic safety and regulations. Toy drones weighing less than 100g are exempt from this rule, whether flown indoors or outdoors.

The new 2026 Flyer ID rule replaces the previous 250g threshold and applies to many consumer and camera drones (DJI Mini series, DJI Neo, HoverAir X1, etc.) that were previously exempt.

I should add that the Flyer ID’s online multiple-choice test is easy to complete and can be retaken as many times as needed to pass. Just be sure to study the Drone and Model Aircraft Code to pass the 40-question test (30 correct answers), which is valid for 5 years before requiring a further renewal test.

If you are responsible for a drone with a camera weighing 100g or more, you will also need an Operator ID (£11.79), which must be affixed to the drone at all times (a simple hand-written ID code carefully attached using clear sellotape will suffice, as long as it’s legible).

The Operator ID needs to be renewed annually and is required if you are the owner or person responsible for a drone that is ‘not considered a toy’ and meets either of the following criteria: it weighs 100g or above and has a camera, or it weighs 250g or more, regardless of whether it has a camera. The Operator ID also links to your Remote ID, which broadcasts flight data and must be enabled (more on that below).

New UK drone class-marking system

A cornerstone of the 2026 rules is the introduction of a class-marking system for almost all new drones on the UK market. This replaces the previous weight-only approach, under which drones weighing less than 250g could fly in most areas without requiring a license.

From January 2026, all new drones must carry a UK class mark from UK0 to UK6. This class mark system designates where and how a drone may be used and is similar to but distinct from the EU’s ‘C-class’ markings.

However, all EU C-class drones will still be recognised as equivalent until 31 December 2027. Similarly, drones without a class mark – typically older ‘legacy' models bought before 2026 – remain legal but are subject to weight-based regulations.

These new class markings should, theoretically, make it clearer for consumers to understand. For example, certain class drones can fly ‘near people’ without additional qualification, while others are to be used ‘far from people’.

New drone class markings:

UK0 (less than 250g) = Open A1 ‘Fly Over People’

UK1 (less than 900g) = Open A1 ‘Fly Over People’

UK2 (less than 4kg) = Open A2 ‘Near People’ and A3 ‘Far From People’

UK3 & UK4 (less than 25kg) = Open A3 ‘Far From People’

UK5 & UK6 (less than 25kg) = Specific Category for higher-risk operations not covered by the Open Category. Requires an Operational Authorisation from the CAA.

What the qualification categories mean

Open A1 (Over People): Fly over people but not crowds. This affects UK0 drones weighing less than 250g and UK1 drones weighing less than 900g, like the majority of modern consumer drones.

Open A2 (Near People): Fly closer to uninvolved people (a minimum of 30m or 5m in low-speed mode). This affects UK2 drones less than 4kg but requires an A2 CofC (see below).

Open A3 (Far from People): Fly far from people (minimum 50m away). This category applies to larger UK2, UK3, and UK4 drones weighing less than 25kg.

A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC): Required for A2 flying of UK2 drones. In essence, you need a CofC primarily for professional drone piloting, specifically the A2 CofC, to fly drones from 250g to 2kg closer to people and in built-up areas.

Remote ID: Digital drone identification

From 1 January 2026, all drones with a UK1 or higher class mark must broadcast a Remote ID while flying (this does not affect UK0 drones weighing less than 250g, such as the DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Flip). For legacy drones and even most home-built drones weighing 100g or more and with a camera, Remote ID becomes mandatory from 1 January 2028.

Apparently, the information broadcast by the RID is intended for authorised airspace users and regulators to track drone activity and enhance airspace safety and does not include personal data visible to the public.

For most modern drones (especially those from DJI), the RID feature is typically built in and automatically enabled or managed through the companion flight app when you activate the aircraft for the first time or initiate its first firmware update.

Night-flying lights now required

For after-dark drone flying, the new regulations now require anti-collision lights for visibility, typically a green flashing light visible from afar.

UK rules require a green flashing light on all drones at night for easier visibility. However, this may add weight to the drone if retrofitted, so make sure your drone doesn’t tip the scales and slip into a different flying category. Thankfully, most DJI Mavic, Air, and Mini models are already fitted with green lights as standard.

Professional and commercial operations

If you wish to indulge in some professional aerial videography and/or photography, you will almost certainly require a decent drone like a DJI Air 3S or, better still, a DJI Mavic 4 Pro. You will also need an A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) if you plan to fly a drone up to 2kg in weight in the Open Category's A2 subcategory.

The A2 CofC allows you to fly 30m (5m in low-speed mode) from uninvolved people in urban areas, but you must maintain a visual line of sight (VLOS), stay below 400ft (120m) altitude and never intentionally fly over people. Legacy drones (sub-2kg models with no class mark) require a 50m distance.

The A2 CofC involves a theory course and an online multiple-choice exam from a CAA-approved provider, demonstrating knowledge of meteorology, flight performance and risk mitigation for flying drones closer to people in the Open Category A2 subcategory.

Operational rules still apply

While registration and identification have new requirements, many core parts of the UK Drone Code remain the same. Here’s a list of the most obvious rules that all drone flyers should know:

• Drones must be flown within visual line of sight. Whether you can fly beyond half a mile with a pair of binoculars strapped to your face is unclear, but I wouldn’t try it.
• Do not fly at altitudes above 400 feet (120m) because that’s where passenger craft hang out. You can easily set your craft’s maximum altitude in the drone’s accompanying app so that it comes to halt if you accidentally push the stick too far.
• Do not fly in no-fly zones that surround airports and other sensitive facilities. Breaking this code is one of the main reasons we now have these regulations in place, so just don’t do it!

Which category and regulation applies to your drone?

To make these rules a little easier to digest, we’ve compiled a compliance checklist tailored to some of the most popular consumer and prosumer drones on the market. This should help you quickly see what legal requirements apply to your drone right now under the new UK rules of 1 January 2026.

Drones under 250g

Class: UK0 (Fly Over People)

Drone models: DJI Mini 2 SE, DJI Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro, DJI Mini 4 Pro, DJI Mini 5 Pro, DJI Neo and Neo 2, DJI Flip, HoverAir X and Pro, Potensic Atom 2 and Autel EVO Nano.

Required documentation: Flyer ID and Operator ID

These mini drones weigh less than 250g and can be flown in the Open Category A1 subcategory, including over uninvolved people (but not crowds). Sub-250 g drones like the above can be legally flown in residential, recreational, commercial, and industrial areas, but strict rules apply to their proximity to people and crowds. They can also be flown in parks and on beaches, but always check local rules and avoid restricted zones.

Drones under 900g

Class: UK1 (Fly Over People)

Drone models: DJI Air 2S, Air 3 and Air 3S, DJI Avata 2, DJI Mavic 3 Classic and Cine, DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise and Autel EVO II.

Required documentation: Flyer ID and Operator ID, with the option to get an A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) for flying nearer to people

These drones feature enhanced safety systems like Remote ID. They can also be flown in the Open A1 subcategory.

Drones under 4kgs

Class: UK2 (Fly Near People)

Drone models: Mavic 4 Pro, DJI Mavic 3 Pro, DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine, DJI Mavic 3 Thermal edition, DJI M30 and M30T, DJI Matrice 4E, 4T and 4D Series, and Autel EVO Max series.

Required documentation: Flyer ID and Operator ID, with the option to get an A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) for flying nearer to people.

These semi-pro and pro drones are restricted to the Open A2 category when used in residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas. When operated by a pilot with an A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC), these drones can fly as close as 30m to uninvolved people (or 5m in low-speed mode). Without the A2 CofC, they must be flown in the A3 subcategory (Far From People).

Drones under 25kgs

Class: UK3 & 4 (Fly Far From People)

Drone models: DJI Inspire 3, DJI Matrice 350 RTK and DJI Matrice 400

Required documentation: A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) for Open Category or a General VLOS Certificate (GVC) to apply for a Specific Category Operational Authorisation.

These huge professional drones are restricted to Open Category A3 operations, requiring flights to be at least 50m from uninvolved people and 150m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.

Existing drones purchased before January 1, 2026

For existing drones purchased before January 1, 2026, without a class mark (known as legacy drones), operational privileges are determined by weight:

Under 250g: Fly in A1 (Over People) subcategory

Over 250g (without A2 CofC): Default to A3 (Far From People) subcategory

Under 2kg (with A2 CofC): Fly in A2 (Near People) subcategory with a 50m separation distance