PDRA-01 Explained – Flying Drones in the Specific Category

The UK CAA’s Pre-Defined Risk Assessment 01 (UKPDRA-01) remains the simplest route to operating in the Specific Category while the new UK SORA methodology beds in. A UKPDRA-01 Operational Authorisation (OA) provides a ready-made set of operating conditions that the CAA has already accepted, making it ideal for straightforward, Visual Line-of-Sight (VLOS) work in built-up areas.

At-a-Glance Facts

What a PDRA-01 OA Allows

1. Access to built-up areas
   You may take off, land (as long as you have landowner permission) and manoeuvre anywhere in the UK, including within residential, commercial, industrial & recreational areas (but not in restricted airspace without additional permission), provided you respect the limits and conditions of the OA.

2. Limited overflight of uninvolved people
   Momentary transit over individuals who are not part of the operation is permitted, but you must keep it to the absolute minimum needed for the task.

3. Day-or-night operations
   Flights may be conducted 24 hours a day, so long as the night procedures in your Operations Manual (lighting, briefing, visual references, etc.) are followed.

4. Obstacle “pop-up” height extension
   When inspecting tall structures you may exceed 120 m by up to 15 m if the structure’s custodian requests it, as long as you remain with 50 m of the structure.

What a PDRA-01 OA Forbids or Restricts

VLOS under UKPDRA-01 and why FPV is not permitted

UKPDRA-01 is explicitly a VLOS Operational Authorisation, and CAP 722H ties its VLOS requirement directly to the legal definition in UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947. CAP 722H states that, when operating within VLOS, the remote pilot must do so in accordance with the definition of VLOS in UK Reg (EU) 2019/947, and that a competent observer may assist the remote pilot, but if an observer is used they must maintain VLOS at all times as defined in Article 2(7).

Article 2(7) defines a VLOS operation as one where the remote pilot can maintain continuous unaided visual contact with the unmanned aircraft so they can control its flight path in relation to other aircraft, people and obstacles for the purpose of avoiding collisions. The CAA’s AMC clarifies what “unaided” means in this context: it means without the use of any other equipment, including cameras or similar devices (corrective lenses are allowed).

Taken together, this means the VLOS requirement under UKPDRA-01 must be met by direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft itself. FPV is, by definition, visual contact via equipment (a camera and display), so it cannot be used as the means of meeting the VLOS requirement under UKPDRA-01, regardless of whether the remote pilot is assisted by a competent observer.

It is also important to understand what the optional 'competent observer' role is for under UKPDRA-01. CAP 722H makes clear that the observer’s function (if present) is to support safe conduct of the flight through unaided visual observation of the unmanned aircraft, assisting the remote pilot in keeping the aircraft in VLOS and managing the operation’s key hazards. In the UKPDRA-01 risk assessment mitigations, this is tied to preventing outcomes such as loss of control, loss of airborne separation, and loss of ground separation, not enabling FPV operations.

Remote-Pilot & Operator Obligations

• Pilot currency & competence – Each remote pilot must hold a valid Flyer ID and either a General VLOS Certificate (GVC) or a Level 1 Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC-L1), and must have logged 2 hours flying time within the previous 90 day rolling period.
• Employment / contractual link – The pilot must be employed by, or contracted to, the UAS operator named on the Operational Authorisation.
• Operations Manual & logs – The operator must maintain an up-to-date Operations Manual, flight logs and technical logs, and present them to the CAA on request.
• Insurance & occurrence reporting – UK Reg (EU) 785/2004-compliant insurance is mandatory, and occurrences or accidents must be reported via ECCAIRS2 and AAIB channels within the prescribed timelines.

Typical Use-Cases

• Roof and façade inspections close to property lines.
• Estate-agent photography of residential developments.
• Recreational-site mapping (e.g. golf courses) inside urban boundaries.

All these tasks stay VLOS, below 120 m, and avoid prolonged crowd over-flight – a perfect fit for PDRA-01.

When PDRA-01 Is Not Enough

If your mission involves BVLOS, higher altitudes, flights in controlled airspace, or novel risks such as payload delivery, you’ll need a full UK SORA assessment and a bespoke Specific Category authorisation. The CAA will expect a complete safety case with Ground Risk and Air Risk mitigations rather than reliance on the PDRA template.

Key Takeaways

1. PDRA-01 is VLOS-only – keep the aircraft in sight and within 500 m.
2. Built-up-area operations are allowed, but 50 m / 30 m horizontal separations still apply.
3. Maximum height 120 m (plus the 15 m “pop-up”).
4. No crowds, no drops, no dangerous goods – keep third-party risk minimal.
5. Pilot competence, robust documentation and insurance are essential; audits can occur at any time.

Use UKPDRA-01 for routine, short-range commercial tasks; adopt UK SORA when your ambitions (or your clients) demand greater operational freedom.