Guide
A1, A2 and A3 drone categories explained (UK Open category)
Updated
Registration says you may fly; the subcategory says where. The three-way split is really a proximity dial: the smaller or better-certified the drone, the closer to people it may operate.
The three subcategories
- Over People (A1)
- For UK0 and UK1 class marks, European C0, and any drone under 250g with no class mark. Until 31 December 2027 a C1 may also be flown here. You may fly in residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, closer than 50m to uninvolved people, and over uninvolved people, but never over crowds.
- Near People (A2)
- For UK2 or C2 class drones under 4kg, and for class-markless drones under 2kg, flown by holders of the A2 Certificate of Competency. A UK2 or C2 drone must keep 30m horizontally from uninvolved people, reducible to 5m in low-speed mode; a drone with no class mark must keep 50m. You must not intentionally fly over uninvolved people.
- Far from People (A3)
- For UK2, UK3 and UK4 (and C2, C3, C4), and the default for anything without an A2 CofC: at least 50m from uninvolved people, at least 150m horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, and at least 50m from individual buildings.
Which one is yours?
- Under 250g with no class mark: A1. Get the Flyer ID from 100g, and the Operator ID too if it has a camera.
- UK0 or UK1 (or C0, or C1 until the end of 2027): A1.
- UK2 or C2: A2 with the A2 CofC, otherwise A3.
- UK3 or UK4 (or C3, C4): A3 only.
- 250g to under 2kg with no class mark: A2 with the A2 CofC, keeping 50m from uninvolved people, otherwise A3 (caa.co.uk: class marks).
- Beyond all three: flights that don't fit the Open category (25kg and over, UK5/UK6, closer distances, out of sight) need a Specific category operational authorisation, usually via the GVC.
Distances quoted are the CAA's published Open category figures, read on the updated date above. Not sure what you need? The checker takes a minute.