From 1 January 2026, drones operating in the Open Category – which covers low-risk drone flights and leisure activities – will be subject to product standards under a framework known as ‘Class Marking’, improving the safety and security of the sector. The current transition period for the Open category is due to expire on 1…
The UK government’s policy paper, A New Approach to Ensure Regulators and Regulation Support Growth, presents a strategic plan to reform the regulatory system to encourage economic growth and private sector investment. The document highlights key challenges such as regulatory complexity, burdensome processes, and excessive risk aversion, all of which can hinder innovation and competitiveness….
ARPAS-UK is disappointed with the CAA’s decision to proceed with significant increases to the service charges for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for 2025/26, despite our calls for moderation and fairness. In our comprehensive response to the CAP3047 consultation in January, we stated that the proposed service charge increases for RPAS operators were significant and…
Ofcom has announced a new initiative to make the 978 MHz spectrum available for drone safety devices in the UK. These devices, known as Universal Access Transceivers (UAT), help aircraft identify drones’ locations, ensuring safer integration into airspace. This change is essential for critical infrastructure tasks, such as inspecting power lines and wind turbines. The…
The CAA has published the ORS9 decision, ORS9 CAA Decision No.46, setting out the UK Specific Operation Risk Assessment (SORA) as Acceptable Means of Compliance to UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947 Article 11. This will become effective on 23 April 2025, and be updated in the Regulatory Library shortly. The CAA has also published new Remote Pilot Competence standards as…
