UK Drone Qualifications

These layers do different jobs. A registration does not prove competence. A certificate does not replace the operating rules. In the Specific Category, a Remote Pilot qualification does not replace the CAA Operational Authorisation. The UAS Operator must still hold the correct authorisation, and the Remote Pilot must meet the competence requirements stated in that authorisation.

DMARES is the starting point for registration. A Flyer ID belongs to the person flying the drone or model aircraft. An Operator ID belongs to the person or organisation responsible for the aircraft. In simple cases, the same person may be both the flyer and the UAS Operator. In business, club, school or public sector operations, the UAS Operator may be an organisation, while an individual Remote Pilot carries out the flight.

The A2 CofC is different from GVC and the RPCs. It is an Open Category competence certificate for eligible Near People (A2) flying. Where the aircraft is eligible and the flight remains within the Open Category rules, no CAA Operational Authorisation is needed. The A2 CofC does not allow the Remote Pilot to ignore the Open Category limits, and it does not move an operation into the Specific Category.

GVC, RPC-L1, RPC-L2 and RPC-L3 sit in the Specific Category. They show that the Remote Pilot has completed a stated level of training and assessment. They do not, by themselves, give permission to conduct a Specific Category operation. The Operational Authorisation remains the controlling document. It states what the UAS Operator may do, what procedures must be followed, what aircraft or aircraft type may be used, and what Remote Pilot competence is accepted.

Most pilots start with DMARES because Flyer ID and Operator ID requirements apply before many people need a separate Remote Pilot qualification. The Flyer ID is linked to the person flying the aircraft. The Operator ID is linked to the person or organisation responsible for managing the aircraft.

A person can be both the flyer and the UAS Operator, but the two roles are not the same. The flyer is the person at the controls. The UAS Operator is the person or organisation responsible for making sure the aircraft is properly registered and operated within the rules. For a personal drone, this may be the same individual. For a business or organisation, the UAS Operator may be the organisation, while an individual Remote Pilot conducts the flight.

Registration does not decide whether a flight is allowed. The operation still needs to comply with the correct operating category, airspace restrictions, aircraft limits, landowner requirements and any local rules that apply to the site.

The Open Category is for lower-risk operations that stay within fixed rules. These rules cover matters such as aircraft eligibility, distance from people, maximum height, Visual Line of Sight, and where the aircraft may be flown. If the flight can stay within those limits, the UAS Operator does not need a CAA Operational Authorisation.

The A2 CofC is used for eligible Near People (A2) flying in the Open Category. It is evidence that the Remote Pilot has completed the required A2 competence route. It is not a general permission to fly close to people. The aircraft must be eligible for the A2 route, the Remote Pilot must follow the separation rules, and the flight must remain within the wider Open Category limits.

If any part of the operation falls outside the Open Category, the A2 CofC does not extend the operation. The flight moves into the Specific Category, and the UAS Operator must hold the correct CAA Operational Authorisation before the operation can take place.

The Specific Category is used where the operation cannot stay within the Open Category rules. This may be because of the aircraft, the location, the proximity to people, the operating method, the airspace risk, or the type of task being carried out.

In the Specific Category, the Operational Authorisation is the controlling document. It states what the UAS Operator is authorised to do. It also sets the operating procedures, aircraft requirements, limitations, and Remote Pilot competence requirements for that operation.

GVC, RPC-L1, RPC-L2 and RPC-L3 are evidence of Remote Pilot competence. They show that the Remote Pilot has completed a particular level of training and assessment. They do not authorise the UAS Operator to conduct the operation by themselves.

The General VLOS Certificate (GVC) is the legacy VLOS qualification route. New GVC issue stops on 31/12/2027, but existing GVCs remain accepted until expiry where the Operational Authorisation clearly accepts GVC as evidence of Remote Pilot competence.

The Level 1 Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC-L1) is the replacement route for the GVC. RPC-L1 Part A covers VLOS operations, with optional Part B for BVLOS with Visual Mitigations. RPC-L2 and RPC-L3 are higher-level routes for BVLOS operations where the Operational Authorisation requires that level of competence.

Start with the operation, not the certificate. Work out what the flight involves, where it will take place, what aircraft will be used, and how close it will be to people or other airspace users.

If the flight can remain in the Open Category, check the aircraft, subcategory, Flyer ID and Operator ID requirements. If the flight needs the Specific Category, check the Operational Authorisation first. The authorisation decides what the UAS Operator may do and what Remote Pilot competence is accepted.

Holding a higher certificate does not remove aircraft limits, airspace limits, registration duties, separation rules, site permissions or Operational Authorisation conditions. The correct route is the one that matches the operation being carried out.