Key points for organisations
Make sure:
- you're registered as an operator with us
- all Remote Pilots that fly for you have the necessary qualifications and competency.
- you have any applicable Operational Authorisations
- you have any applicable insurance
Registering your organisation as an Operator
Any organisation that owns or is responsible for a drone or model aircraft must register their organisation as an operator with the CAA. (There are a few exceptions for drones and model aircraft that weigh below 250g and that don't have a camera.)
When you register your organisation as an operator, we'll give you an Operator ID. You must label your drones and model aircraft with your Operator ID. You can use the same Operator ID for all your organisation's drones and model aircraft.
Examples of the type of organisations that may need to register include:
- Sole traders
- Businesses
- Schools
- Colleges
- Universities
- Voluntary organisations
- Clubs
- Charities
You must have an Operator ID even if you have a permission to fly from any other organisation, such as an airport.
Sole traders and privately owned businesses
Some people and organisations may need to decide whether to register as an organisation or an individual.
For example, you may need to decide this is if:
- you're a sole trader and you're deciding between registering as an individual or in the trading name of your business
- if you own a business, such as a farm
You should register in the name of the organisation or person that will be responsible for the drone.
Points to consider:
- The person or organisation that registers will be responsible for meeting the operator responsibilities in law.
- Any operational authorisations that you apply for will only show the name of the operator that holds the Operator ID. For example, if you're a sole trader and hold an Operator ID in your own name, it will be your name, not your business's name, that is shown on any authorisation.
- If you hold any insurance in relation to your use of drones, you should make sure that the insurance policyholder name matches the name on your Operator ID.
Choosing your accountable manager
You must name a person as accountable for drones and model aircraft in your organisation. This person is called the accountable manager.
The accountable manager is responsible for making sure that the organisation operates drones and model aircraft safely and legally.
An organisation can change its accountable manager at any time. The accountable manager details must always be up to date.
Once you're registered, you can manage your accountable manager details in My registration.
Operator responsibilities
An operator is responsible for:
- making sure that only Remote Pilots with the appropriate qualifications and competency use their drone or model aircraft
- labelling their drones and model aircraft with their Operator ID
- maintaining their drones and model aircraft
- making sure their drones and model aircraft are flown safely and legally
There are further responsibilities for operations in the Specific Category.
Remote Pilot competency and Operational Authorisations
You must make sure that your Remote Pilots have the applicable qualifications and competency to carry out your operations. The Remote Pilot requirements depend on the category of operations you will carry out. See the 'Remote Pilot competency and Operational Authorisation requirements' table below.
Operational Authorisations
If you want to carry out operations in the Specific Category, you must get an Operational Authorisation for the Specific Category from us.
Remote Pilot competency and Operational Authorisation requirements
| Category of operations | Remote Pilot competency | Authorisation required |
| Open A1 | Flyer ID (recommended) | None |
| Open A2 |
Flyer ID A2 Certificate of Competency |
None |
| Open A3 | Flyer ID | None |
| Specific Category | As set out in your Operational Authorisation | Operational Authorisation from the CAA |
Insurance
If you fly a drone or model aircraft for any other reason than recreation, sport, or as a hobby, you must have third party insurance as a minimum.
Read the insurance requirements for more details.
What happened to PfCOs?
This information is for operators who are familiar with the old regulatory framework.
Most operators don't need to read this.
We withdrew the Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) when the UK moved to a new set of regulations for drones and model aircraft at the end of 2020.
The new regulations focus on the risks of your flight, based on the aircraft weight and characteristics, and where you're flying.
There is no direct replacement for a PfCO. If you want to carry out commercial operations, read the information in this section and moving on to more advanced flying to work out what you need.