Article 4 ‘Open’ category of UAS operations

United Kingdom

Operations shall be classified as UAS operations in the ‘open’ category only where the following requirements are met:

(a)

the UAS F1—

(i)

belongs to one of the classes set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945,

(ii)

is privately built,

(iii)

is a UAS to which this Regulation applies by virtue of Article 20A,

(iv)

has an MTOM of less than 100 g, or

(v)

is covered by point UAS.OPEN.020(5)(zb), UAS.OPEN.030(3)(b) or UAS.OPEN.040(4)(za) of Part A of the Annex;

(b)

the unmanned aircraft has a maximum take-off mass of less than 25 kg;

(c)

the remote pilot ensures that the unmanned aircraft is kept at a safe distance from people and that it is not flown over assemblies of people;

(d)

the remote pilot keeps the unmanned aircraft in VLOS at all times except when flying in follow-me mode or when using an unmanned aircraft observer as specified in Part A of the Annex;

(e)

during flight, the unmanned aircraft is maintained within 120 metres from the closest point of the surface of the earth, except when overflying an obstacle, as specified in Part A of the Annex

(f)

during flight, the unmanned aircraft does not carry dangerous goods and does not drop any material;

UAS operations in the ‘open’ category shall be divided in three sub-categories in accordance with the requirements set out in Part A of the Annex.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in Art. 4(1)(a) substituted (1.1.2026) by The Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1106), regs. 1(2), 19