CAA UK SORA Replace – sUAS Information

Expensive Stakeholder,

We’re writing to you as an UAS stakeholder to give you additional updates on the introduction of UK SORA.

Regards,

Head of RPAS (Purposes and Oversight)

Supervisor FS&I Coverage

UK Particular Operation Danger Evaluation (UK SORA) coverage and go reside
UK Particular Operation Danger Evaluation (UK SORA) shall be revealed week commencing 3 March 2025. The coverage will go reside on the similar time the UK SORA Utility Service launches on the 23 April 2025.

UK SORA turns into Acceptable Technique of Compliance to Article 11 of UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the 23 April 2025.

UK SORA will make danger assessments for UAS operators extra clear and constant, whereas the brand new digital UK SORA Utility Service is designed to ship a extra streamlined software course of.

UK SORA is a extra structured method to conducting a danger evaluation for UAS operations and is predicated on the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Programs (JARUS) SORAv2.5. 

What does this imply for present PDRA-01 based mostly Operational Authorisation(OA) holders? PDRA-01 OAs are excluded from this replace. PDRA-01 isn’t impacted by the introduction of the UK SORA Coverage.

How will a SORA based mostly software differ from an OSC based mostly software?
A UK SORA based mostly software has a number of advantages over the prevailing OSC based mostly technique.

• It makes use of a web-based digital software service that makes the applying course of simpler to finish by guiding candidates by way of every of the SORA steps.
• CAP 722A is primarily a qualitative methodology and SORA is a extra quantitative methodology. Because of this there shall be much less subjectivity and extra transparency within the analysis of your software.
• The UK SORA software service allows candidates to determine the mitigation strategies they must display utilizing a web-based calculator, earlier than selecting to proceed with the total evaluation journey.
• The SORA is cut up into two phases. This removes the present necessity for candidates to supply all assurance proof initially of the applying.
• The SORA framework and on-line platform gives you confidence that you’re offering the proof required to assist the applying.

You will discover out extra about UK SORA on the CAA web site.

Key dates

• Week commencing 3 March 2025: UK SORA coverage revealed however not in drive.
• We’ll make the coverage obtainable within the CAA regulatory library. We’ll e mail you to let you understand when that is revealed
• Week commencing 3 March 2025: The Distant Pilot Competency Coverage shall be revealed.
• 23 April 2025: The UK SORA Utility Service will go reside, and the UK SORA Coverage will come into drive.

How are you serving to present OSC OA holders transfer to UK SORA? Present holders of an OSC have been contacted individually and despatched further info on the transfer to UK SORA.

How can I discover out extra about UK SORA?
We’re planning a programme of assist over the following yr to assist operators transfer to the SORA methodology.

This may begin with two webinars which shall be revealed on the CAA YouTube channel to assist the launch of UK SORA:

• Introduction to UK SORA – an summary of UK SORA and how one can apply for an OA following the UK SORA methodology, together with when you could must work together with the long run Distant Pilot Competency scheme and RAE(F)s.
• Transitioning OSC-based functions to UK SORA – an summary of the important thing variations between OSC / UKSORA danger evaluation methodology and how one can transition functions to keep up continuity of operations

These webinars shall be launched according to the UK SORA Coverage in March 2025.

Following this, we’re planning additional updates to the trade and assist to assist operators by way of the method of utilizing SORA for the primary time.

I’m beginning a UK SORA software. Can I get particular recommendation from the CAA? We encourage operators who’re planning to use for an OA utilizing UK SORA to contact us as early as attainable utilizing [email protected]. We’ll then arrange a name to study extra about your deliberate operation and supply recommendation in your particular software.

We’re dedicated to offering additional assist and assist as we method the implementation of UK SORA and the UK SORA Utility Service. If there are any questions you might have in regards to the rollout or software of UK SORA in your operation, please e mail them to [email protected].

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