What Can You Fly With an A2 CofC in the UK?

The headline: C2-class drones in subcategory A2

The main thing the A2 CofC unlocks is flying a C2-class drone in subcategory A2. In this subcategory, you may fly as close as 30m horizontally from uninvolved people. If the drone has a low-speed mode and you use it, that minimum reduces to 5m. Without the A2 CofC, a comparable drone would generally be restricted to subcategory A3, which requires a much wider distance from people and built-up areas.

What "uninvolved people" means

Uninvolved people are those who are not part of your operation and have not agreed to be involved. The separation distances in subcategory A2 apply to these people. You should never fly over assemblies of people, regardless of which qualification you hold.

Legacy drones without a class mark

Many drones in use do not carry a C-class mark. For these legacy aircraft, transitional arrangements apply, and what the A2 CofC permits differs from the rules for C2-marked drones. The exact permissions depend on the drone's weight and the transitional provisions in force. Because these rules are specific and have changed over time, check the current CAP 722 guidance for the precise position for your drone.

What the A2 CofC does not do

• It does not move you into the Specific Category — that requires the GVC.
• It does not permit flying over assemblies of people.
• It does not remove the need for operator and flyer registration where that applies.
• It does not replace the basic Open Category rules, such as keeping the drone in visual line of sight.

Sub-250g drones

If you fly a very light drone, particularly a sub-250g one, you may already be able to operate in subcategory A1 without needing the A2 CofC at all. The qualification is most relevant for heavier C2-class drones where the closer-to-people permissions matter.

Checking before you fly

The simplest way to know what you can do is to identify your drone's class mark and weight, then match it against the current subcategory rules. If you are unsure whether the A2 CofC changes what you may do with your specific drone, the CAA's published guidance is the authoritative source.