Flyer ID and Operator ID: UK Drone Test, Costs and Labels

The Flyer ID belongs to the person who flies. You get it by passing a free online test, and it is valid for five years.

The Operator ID belongs to the person responsible for the drone, usually the owner. It costs £12.34, is valid for one year and must be labelled on every drone the operator is responsible for.

Often the pilot and the operator are the same person, and then you need both. In a family, a parent can be the operator while the children fly with their own Flyer IDs.

• 250 g to under 25 kg: Flyer ID and Operator ID.
• 100 g to under 250 g with a camera: Flyer ID and Operator ID.
• 100 g to under 250 g without a camera: Flyer ID, Operator ID optional.
• Under 100 g: no IDs required, Flyer ID recommended.

If you only fly indoors, you need neither.

The test is online and free. It has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you pass with 30 correct answers. Allow at least 30 minutes. There is no strict time limit, but the session ends if you are inactive for more than 90 minutes.

Everything in the test comes from the Drone and Model Aircraft Code, and you can have it open while you answer. If you fail, you can take the test again as many times as you like. The test is based on the rules that apply from 1 January 2026, so read the current version of the Code rather than older study guides.

Tips for passing

• Read the whole Drone and Model Aircraft Code once before you start.
• Learn the numbers: 120 m maximum height, 50 m from people, 150 m from built-up areas.
• Know which rules depend on weight and class mark, and which apply to every drone.
• Keep the Code open in another tab during the test.

1. Read the Drone and Model Aircraft Code.
2. Go to the CAA's drone registration service and choose Flyer ID.
3. Enter an email address you can check during registration.
4. Take the test and pass with at least 30 of 40.

If you already have an Operator ID, you add the Flyer ID in the My registration area of the same service.

The Flyer ID is valid for five years. To renew it, you take the test again.

You must be at least 18. You need an email address, a debit or credit card and details of any insurance you are required to have, which in practice means commercial flying. Registration costs £12.34 and lasts one year. You can view and renew it in the My registration area.

One Operator ID covers all the drones you are responsible for.

Labelling rules

Put the Operator ID, not the Flyer ID, on every drone. The label must be on the main body, visible from the outside or in a compartment that opens without tools, clear, in block capitals taller than 3 mm, and secure. It is against the law to fly without it.

Children need a Flyer ID just like adults if the drone weighs 100 g or more. From 13 they can take the test on their own. Under 13, a parent or guardian must be with them during the test.

Children cannot get an Operator ID, because the minimum age is 18. If a child owns a drone that needs one, a parent or guardian registers as the operator. Children under 12 may only fly when supervised by someone aged 16 or over.

The CAA does not recognise registrations or qualifications from other countries. Visitors follow exactly the same steps as UK residents and can complete both online before the trip.

• Get a Flyer ID (checked 30 October 2026)
• Get an Operator ID (checked 30 October 2026)
• Flyer IDs and Operator IDs (checked 30 October 2026)
• Prepare for the Flyer ID theory test (checked 30 October 2026)
• Registering to fly drones and model aircraft (checked 30 October 2026)
• Labelling your drone or model aircraft (checked 30 October 2026)
• Children and parent guidance (checked 30 October 2026)