Some drone and model aircraft regulations are changing on 1 January 2026. This page shows the rules that apply from 1 January 2026 and highlight any differences until then. View a list of the updates.
Follow these key rules to fly safely and legally in the Open Category.
Read the Drone and Model Aircraft Code before you fly.
Open Category overview
Everyone starts in the Open Category, which covers basic, low-risk flying.
The Open Category has three sub-categories:
- Over People (A1)
- Near People (A2)
- Far from People (A3)
If you're just starting out flying drones or model aircraft, you'll start in either the Over People (A1) or Far from People (A3) sub-categories. If you later decide you want to fly in the Near People (A2) sub-category, you must get a further certificate.
The table shows the class mark or weight of drone or model aircraft you can fly in each sub-category.
Drone or model aircraft you can fly in each category
| Category | UK class mark | weight |
| Open Over People (A1) | UK0, UK1 | Less than 250g |
| Open Near People (A2) | UK2 | Less than 4kg (there are specific rules for less than 2kg and not UK2 or C2 class) |
| Open Far From People (A3) | UK0, UK1, UK2, UK3, UK4 | Less than 25kg |
| Specific Category | UK5, UK6 | Less than 25kg |
European C class marks: interim arrangements until 31 December 2027
The following table shows the interim arrangements in place from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2027.
The interim arrangements align with the transitional period for the regulation changes and give operators time to comply with the new requirements.
| Category | Interim arrangement until 31 December 2027 |
| Open Over People (A1) | From 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2027, you can also fly a C1 class drone or model aircraft. |
| Open Near People (A2) | From 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2027, you can also fly a C2 class drone or model aircraft. |
| Open Far From People (A3) | From 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2027, you can also fly a C2, C3 or C4 class drone or model aircraft. |
Over People (A1): overview
The following overview introduces some of the key rules in the Over People (A1) sub-category. You should read the Drone and Model Aircraft Code before you fly.
What you must have
You must have a Flyer ID if your drone or model aircraft weighs 100g or more.
You must have an Operator ID if your drone or model aircraft weighs 100g or more and has a camera.
Do not
- Do not fly over crowds.
- Do not fly above 120m (400ft).
- Do not fly in restricted airspace.
- Do not carry dangerous goods or drop articles.
Do
- You must keep your drone or model aircraft in direct sight at all times, with a full view of the surrounding airspace.
- Do respect people's privacy.
- Follow the Drone and Model Aircraft Code.
Distances from places and people
- Keep your drone or model aircraft at a safe distance from people.
- You can fly closer to people than 50m horizontally, including people who are not involved in what you're doing.
- You can fly over people, including people who are not involved in what you're doing.
- You can fly in residential, recreational, commercial or industrial areas.
Far From People (A3): overview
The following overview introduces some of the key rules in the Far From People (A3) sub-category. You should read the Drone and Model Aircraft Code before you fly.
What you must have
You must have a Flyer ID if your drone or model aircraft weighs 100g or more.
You must have an Operator ID if your drone or model aircraft weighs 100g or more and has a camera.
Do not
- Do not fly over crowds.
- Do not fly above 120m (400ft).
- Do not fly in restricted airspace.
- Do not carry dangerous goods or drop articles.
Do
- You must keep your drone or model aircraft in direct sight at all times, with a full view of the surrounding airspace.
- Do respect people's privacy.
- Follow the Drone and Model Aircraft Code.
- Distances from places and people
- Keep your drone or model aircraft at a safe distance from people.
- You must not fly closer to people than 50m horizontally, unless they're involved in what you're doing.
- You must not intentionally fly over people, unless they're involved in what you're doing.
- You must not fly closer to residential, recreational, commercial or industrial areas than150m horizontally.
- You must not fly closer to individual residential buildings than 50m horizontally.
Use a green flashing light when flying at night
If you fly a drone or model aircraft at night, your aircraft must have a green flashing light turned on. This will make it easier for other people and aircraft to spot your aircraft.
What to do if your drone or model aircraft does not have a built-in light
If you want to fly at night and your drone or model aircraft does not have a built-in green flashing light, you must securely fit a specialist drone green flashing light.
The weight of the green flashing light add-on is included in the overall weight of the drone or model aircraft, so you must check to see if the weight of the light means different regulations apply to your operation.
Privacy and property
You must always respect people's privacy and not cause a nuisance. Find out more about privacy.
Make sure you're allowed to fly
Make sure the person or organisation that owns the land or property where you want to fly allows you to take off and land from their property. Find out more about where you can fly.
Insurance
Make sure you have the appropriate insurance
If you fly for recreation or sport, you can choose whether to have insurance. If you fly commercially, you must have third party insurance.
It is against the law to fly a drone or model aircraft without having the required IDs. You can also be fined for breaking the law when flying. In the most serious cases, you could be sent to prison.What to do if you want to do more advanced flying
If you decide you want to do more advanced flying, you'll need to meet more requirements, such as passing more advanced qualifications and getting an authorisation from us.
Read our introduction to more advanced flying.