PDRA01 Audit Checklist for UK Drone Operators

The CAA says a PDRA01 operator may be selected for audit at any time and may be asked for its Operations Manual and supporting records, including aircraft technical logs and flight logs. An audit-readiness pack keeps those controlled documents and completed records easy to retrieve.

Readiness is not a one-off PDF. It is the combination of a current manual, repeatable procedures and dated evidence showing what happened in practice.

Create a simple index showing the owner, location, current revision and retention approach for each record set. Restrict access where records include personal data or sensitive site information.

Check that the manual matches the actual aircraft, personnel and procedures in use. Record who approved each revision, when it became effective and how affected personnel were told about the change.

A beautifully formatted manual can still create an audit gap if completed records contradict it. Sample a few recent flights and trace each one from feasibility decision through briefing, flight log, post-flight checks and any defect action.

Technical records should make it possible to identify the aircraft, significant components, maintenance status and unresolved defects. Flight records should identify what flew, who operated it, where and when it flew, and whether anything unusual occurred.

Keep evidence of each remote pilot's required qualification, Flyer ID where applicable, organisation-specific role training and recent operating experience. The standard should match the competence and currency process described in the manual.

Also record briefings or training for observers and support personnel where the operation relies on them. Expiry dates should be visible early enough to prevent an invalid assignment.

A site file should show how the operator considered airspace restrictions, permissions, uninvolved people, access control, weather, take-off and landing areas and emergency options. Keep evidence rather than relying on a note that a check was completed.

Make current insurance evidence and emergency contacts easy to retrieve. If an occurrence or accident happened, preserve the report, investigation, corrective actions and evidence that lessons were incorporated into procedures.

Select a small sample of recent flights. For each one, confirm the pilot and aircraft were current, the site decision was recorded, required permissions were present, the flight log was complete and any defect or occurrence reached a documented closure. Record gaps with an owner and due date.