UK Civil Aviation Authority appointed to supervise security requirements for drones – sUAS Information

• The UK’s aerospace regulator has been appointed because the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA) for drones.
• From 1 January 2026, drones within the Open Class should meet new product requirements beneath the Class Marking framework to boost security and safety.
• The MSA will guarantee compliance with these requirements amongst producers, importers, and distributors, intervening when needed.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority will tackle a brand new function to observe and implement new product requirements for drones within the UK, bettering security and supporting the sector’s additional development.

On Monday 17 March 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, named the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) because the UK’s drone Market Surveillance Authority (MSA).

From 1 January 2026, drones working within the Open Class – which covers low-risk drone flights and leisure actions – can be topic to product requirements beneath a framework referred to as ‘Class Marking’, bettering the protection and safety of the sector.

The MSA can be accountable for guaranteeing required requirements for drones are met by producers, in addition to importers and distributors, and intervening when there may be non-compliance. It means drone customers can have extra confidence that drones they buy are protected and adjust to security requirements.

Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Way forward for Flight on the UK Civil Aviation Authority, stated:

“This can be a actually vital function to help in our work regulating and enabling the increasing drone sector.

“As drones turn out to be extra commonplace in on a regular basis life, defending public security and curiosity is vital. These new powers will assist us proceed to uphold the best security requirements throughout the trade.”

Drones or Remotely Piloted Plane Programs (RPAS) within the ‘Open’ Class – low threat flying with RPAS that weigh lower than 25kg) – can be topic to the product requirements from 1 January 2026. The Class Marking framework for Open Class product requirements is predicated on retained EU regulation.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been appointed by the Division for Transport (DfT) to tackle the function of the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA), which can be accountable for:

• Making certain required requirements for RPAS are met by producers and different financial operators (e.g. importers and distributors) and intervening when there may be non-compliance. This may contain executing the surveillance and management of merchandise positioned on or coming into the market beneath UK Regulation (EU) 2019/945.
• Implementing and overseeing the conformity evaluation framework within the UK (topic to regulatory change), guaranteeing producers reveal compliance with designated requirements relevant for sophistication marked RPAS. This may contain the administration, oversight, approval and withdrawal of Conformity Evaluation Our bodies (CABs), that are third-party organisations that carry out conformity evaluation actions on RPAS to make sure merchandise are compliant with necessities.
• Serving to the MSA perform mature because the regulatory atmosphere continues to develop.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority is recruiting specialists with the talents and expertise to make sure the sector has the mandatory administration, oversight and approvals in place.

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