Operational Category¶
The system automatically determines your CAA operational category based on your drone and the planned parameters of the operation. This tells you what rules apply to your flight and what pilot qualifications are required.
The Four Categories¶
| Category | What it means |
|---|---|
| Open A1 | Low-risk flights over or near people with a very light drone (C0/C1 class or under 250 g). Minimal qualification needed. |
| Open A2 | Slightly heavier drone (C2 class); must maintain safe distance from uninvolved people unless low-speed mode is active. A2 CoC required. |
| Open A3 | Flights away from people and built-up areas. Flyer ID and basic online training required. |
| Specific | Higher-risk operations that fall outside the Open category rules — for example, BVLOS flights, very high altitude, or flying directly over crowds. Requires a GVC or RPC. |
How the Category is Calculated¶
The system uses five parameters from your project:
| Parameter | Where to set it |
|---|---|
| Maximum altitude (metres AGL) | Category tab → Operational Parameters |
| Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) | Category tab → Operational Parameters |
| Dropping items | Category tab → Operational Parameters |
| Proximity to people | Category tab → Operational Parameters |
| Flying over crowds | Category tab → Operational Parameters |
It also uses the drone's class marking and maximum take-off weight from the drone model record.
Missing data
If the drone does not have a class marking recorded, or if any of the five parameters have not been set, the system will list the missing data and will not be able to calculate a definitive category. Fill in the missing information and click Recalculate.
Pilot Qualification Check¶
After calculating the category, the system checks whether the assigned pilot holds the required certification:
| Category | Minimum qualification |
|---|---|
| Open A1 | Flyer ID |
| Open A2 | Flyer ID + A2 CoC |
| Open A3 | Flyer ID |
| Specific (VLOS) | GVC (any level) or RPC-L1 |
| Specific (BVLOS) | RPC-L2 |
A green alert means the pilot is qualified. A red alert means the pilot is missing one or more required certifications — the operation cannot proceed as planned until this is resolved.
Recalculating the Category¶
If you change the operational parameters or assign a different drone, click Recalculate to update the category. The result is saved immediately.