Extra rules for ‘New’ drones under 250g from January 2026

The majority of drones from big names like DJI and others are all under 250g and have been used many times in YouTube videos.

Currently, you can still fly these drones with some easy-to-understand rules, but all you need is the Operator ID. From 1 January 2026, you will need both Flyer ID and Operator ID to fly a new drone from 100g up to 250g.

If you bought your drone before 1 January 2026, the current (2025) rules apply until the end of 2027. These drones are treated as ‘Legacy’ drones; the CAA has not yet published the new rules for legacy drones from 1 January 2028.

To get a Flyer ID is free for 5 years, and you will need to take an online test here. You will also need to take this test if your drone has no camera. If you pass the test, you will get a certificate that you can download to your phone if it’s ever needed.

We suggest getting both IDs to keep yourself safe from any issues that you might encounter. For the most part, though, these issues must be severe for the Police or even the CAA to fine you or worse! The method preferred is education according to the regulator.

Keeping your eyes on your drone is hugely important! A thing called ‘line of sight’ applies, and if possible, don’t fly near people until you know your drone.

The Operator ID is not what’s on the drone, as some YouTube auditors believe. It is a unique license and needs to be displayed on all drones. It is not free to get this ID, which currently costs just £12 per year, and you get this from the CAA website.

You do not need any ID if you fly a toy drone; these have no camera and only go to around 40m, which barely goes over a tree. They can be found on Amazon and are very small.