What drone training do I need to fly the DJI Air 3 or Air 3s in the UK?

There are a number of things to be aware of depending on what training you currently hold and how you wish to fly. To get the most out of the DJI Mavic series we highly recommend the A2 Certificate of Competency or the General VLOS Certificate.

Where Can I Fly?

A1 - 'Over People' (C1 until 31 December 2027)

You will need to be registered under the Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Service. This means you will need to gain a CAA Operator ID and also sit the online test for the A1/A3 Flyer ID on the CAA’s website.

The A1 category offers the most freedom regarding where you can fly on the ground:
 
•    Location: You can fly in residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational areas.
•    Proximity to People: You are permitted to fly with zero horizontal separation from uninvolved people, which includes flying directly over them.
•    Intentional Overflight: Recent clarifications indicate that the distinction between "intentional" and "unintentional" overflight has been simplified; pilots may intentionally overfly people, though they should avoid hovering or loitering directly over them as a safety precaution.
•    Crowd Restriction: You must never fly over crowds. A crowd is defined as a group of people so dense that individuals are unable to move away quickly if something goes wrong, such as at a music festival, march, or shopping area.

It is vital to note that adding unapproved payloads (such as third-party strobes or landing gear) to a class-marked drone like a C1 Mavic 3 voids its class marking and is immediately disqualified from the A1 sub-category, forcing it into the more restrictive A3 sub-category (Far from People) or the A2 'Near People' if you complete an A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) until 31/12/27.

You will first need to have completed the Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Service.

Specific Category

If you complete a GVC Drone Course and get your Operational Authorisation from the CAA. This will allow you to fly all aircraft between 0 - 25 Kg down to 30 metres on take-off and landing and then maintain a 50-metre bubble separation around your drone from uninvolved people.

With an Operational Authorisation will be able to overfly uninvolved people.

Can I fly commercially?

You can fly commercially with your drone with both the A2 CofC and/or holding an Operational Authorisation by doing a GVC course. For any commercial flights you MUST have the correct commercial insurance in place.