Journey

Start a commercial drone business

Fly drones for paid work such as filming, surveys, inspections or farm work. Register your business and pilots with the CAA, work out the category and any authorisation each job needs, get pilot certificates and insurance, and check the drone and airspace before every flight.

Agriculture & Farming Transport & Logistics Starting Updated 1 November 2026

  1. Register your business and your pilots

    Your business needs an Operator ID, and each person who flies for you needs their own Flyer ID.

    Get an Operator ID

  2. Work out the category for each job

    Check whether each type of job fits the Open category or needs an authorisation from the CAA.

    Open, Specific and Certified drone categories explained

  3. Get an Operational Authorisation for work outside the Open category

    Any job outside the Open category needs an Operational Authorisation from the CAA before you fly it.

    Specific category overview

  4. Get the certificates your pilots need

    The certificate each pilot needs follows from the category they fly in.

  5. Arrange third-party insurance

    You must have third-party insurance to fly a drone for any commercial reason.

    Employers' liability insurance

  6. Check the drone and airspace before every flight

    Build the rules that apply to each drone and each flight into a check every pilot follows.

    UK drone class marks, Remote ID and registration dates

  7. Get extra permissions if you spray crops or drop items

    Spraying, dropping items and flying a drone of 25kg or more fall outside the Open category and need more than a standard authorisation.

    Spray crops with drones Drone spraying job checklist

  8. Keep your registrations, authorisation and cover current

    Put every renewal date in one calendar and check your fleet and cover before you take on new work.

    Data protection for businesses

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