How to Get a PDRA01 Operational Authorisation
PDRA01 is a Pre-Defined Risk Assessment in the UK Specific category, giving a faster route to an operational authorisation for common visual line of sight operations. This guide walks through what you need in place before you apply, in a sensible order.
Reviewed 10 July 2026 · UK guidance
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Step 1 — Check your operation fits PDRA01
PDRA01 covers specific visual line of sight operations within set limits. Before spending time on paperwork, confirm your intended flights sit inside those limits — the aircraft, the height, the distance from people and the way you keep the aircraft in sight all matter. Operations that go beyond them usually need a full UK SORA instead.
The free route checker asks the eligibility questions and flags obvious blockers before you start, so you find out early if PDRA01 is the wrong route.
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Step 2 — Register for an Operator ID and Flyer ID
The operator registers with the CAA for an Operator ID, which must be displayed on the aircraft. Each remote pilot needs a Flyer ID, obtained by passing the CAA's basic theory test. These are quick to arrange and underpin everything else.
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Step 3 — Get the remote pilot qualified
A PDRA01 remote pilot needs a competence certificate: an RPC-L1 or a GVC, obtained through a CAA-recognised Assessment Entity. The training course itself normally expects you to have an operations manual, so this step and the next often overlap.
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Step 4 — Prepare your operations manual and records
The operations manual describes how you organise and control your flights. The CAA recommends its CAP2606 template. Alongside the manual you keep supporting records — an aircraft register, technical and flight logs, site surveys, risk assessments, checklists and an emergency procedure.
Drone Ready turns a guided form into an editable operations manual draft and the connected records, so you spend your time reviewing real operating decisions rather than formatting a blank document. You review, adapt and adopt the output before use.
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Step 5 — Arrange insurance
Commercial UAS operations must meet the applicable third-party insurance requirement. Arrange cover appropriate to your operation and keep the certificate with your records, because it is one of the things an auditor may ask to see.
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Step 6 — Apply to the CAA
With the above in place, you apply to the CAA for the operational authorisation, declaring that you will operate in line with PDRA01 and your operations manual. There is a CAA application fee, and processing takes time, so build that into your plans. The authorisation, once issued, sets the exact conditions you must follow.
Practical answers
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get PDRA01?
It depends mostly on the lead time for pilot training and CAA processing. Registering IDs is quick; the remote pilot certificate and the CAA application are the parts that need planning.
Do I need an operations manual before I apply?
Yes. An operations manual is central to a PDRA01 application, and the training course for your competence certificate usually expects one too.
Can Drone Ready apply for PDRA01 for me?
No. Drone Ready generates the editable documentation you need. The application, and responsibility for it, remain with you and the CAA.
Build your draft pack
Start with the free route check.
Answer a short set of questions, see route warnings, then generate editable PDRA01-style documentation for review. No authorisation or compliance outcome is guaranteed.
Check the proposed operation →