Start here · no jargon
Do you need a drone licence?
There is no such thing as a "drone licence" in the UK. There is a free online test almost everyone needs, and two optional qualifications that let you fly closer to people or take on commercial work. This is the map.
Work it out in three questions
1. How heavy is your drone?
Anything 100g or more needs a Flyer ID. Anything with a camera needs an Operator ID. Both are registrations, not courses.
2. How close to people?
Under 250g you can fly over people, never crowds, with no course at all. Heavier and closer than 50m, and you need an A2 CofC.
3. Getting paid for it?
Commercial work beyond the basics means the Specific category: a GVC, and then an operational authorisation from the CAA.
The three sub-categories, at a glance
Basic flying sits in what the CAA calls the Open category. Its three sub-categories differ in one thing: how near you may fly to people who are not part of what you are doing.
| Sub-category | What you can fly | How close to people | Course needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over People (A1) | Under 250g. UK0, UK1 and C0 class. C1 too, until 31 December 2027. | Over uninvolved people, never over crowds. Built-up areas allowed. | No |
| Near People (A2) | Under 2kg with no class mark, or UK2/C2 under 4kg. | 30m with a UK2 or C2 mark, 5m in low-speed mode. 50m without one. | A2 CofC |
| Far from People (A3) | Under 25kg. UK2–UK4 and C2–C4 class. | 50m from uninvolved people, and 150m clear of built-up areas. | No |
If you are just starting out you are almost certainly in Over People (A1) with a small drone, or Far from People (A3) with a bigger one in an empty field. Neither needs a paid course. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling something.
What the two qualifications cost
Only once you have established that you need one:
- A2 CofC — £97 to £450 for the same certificate
- GVC — £449 to £1,196.40
- Both together — from £418, and usually the cheapest route if you need the GVC
Before you buy a GVC: the CAA stops issuing it on 31 December 2027, replaced by the Level 1 Remote Pilot Certificate. One you buy now stays valid for five years — here is what actually changes.
We will tell you when this changes
We re-check every published price and every rule on this page. Leave your email and we will tell you when one moves.
We ask for your email so we can send the reminder, and nothing else. You will get a confirmation email first — if you never click it, we never contact you again. Every email carries an unsubscribe link. Providers are shown aggregate numbers — how many people compared their course — never individual details, unless you tick the box above. How we handle your data.
Where this comes from
Every rule across this guide is taken from the CAA's own guidance and reflects the regulations as they changed on 1 January 2026. Plenty of drone advice online still describes the old rules.
We are not the regulator and this is not legal advice. Where it matters, check the source: the CAA's drone pages and its register of approved training providers. Spot something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.