The ‘Drone Re-peat’ project by SEAD Artists uses drones to reseed degraded peatlands, helping to reduce CO₂ emissions, lower flood risk, and open up new opportunities for crop cultivation.
Peatland degradation has led to the release of vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Restoring these ecosystems is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.
Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full
The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.
Drones in Action End User Stories: Sellafield Ltd has embraced the future of safety and efficiency by deploying cutting-edge drone technology.
Taking apart the old nuclear site at Sellafield is tricky because traditional inspection methods pose significant risks to personnel. There was a critical need for a safer and more efficient way to conduct inspections and map areas, especially where there might be lots of harmful radiation, to ensure safety and accuracy without exposing workers to danger.
Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full
The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.
ARPAS-UK Raises Concerns with Checkatrade Over Drone Inspection Pricing
ARPAS-UK has formally written to Checkatrade, the well-known online directory of trusted tradespeople, to express serious concerns regarding the way drone roof inspections are currently being priced and represented on their platform.
We were prompted to act after noting listings offering drone inspections for as little as £99, a figure that does not reflect the true cost of delivering a safe, compliant, and fully insured drone service.
In our view, this under-pricing not only misrepresents the complexity of professional drone operations, but also risks misleading consumers and undermining reputable operators.
Key Issues Raised in the Letter to Checkatrade
One: True Cost of a Professional Drone Inspection We explained that £99 is not a realistic price for a professionally delivered drone roof inspection. A legitimate and compliant operation typically costs between £250 and £400, depending on factors such as:
The size and complexity of the property
Proximity to controlled airspace
Reporting and data requirements
This pricing reflects the real-world cost of ensuring the job is completed safely, legally, and to a high professional standard.
Two: What a Proper Drone Inspection Involves We highlighted that a professionally delivered inspection goes far beyond simply flying a drone. Key elements include:
Public Liability & Aviation Insurance: Operators should hold aviation-specific insurance that complies with EC Regulation (EC) 785/2004 — this is not covered by general business insurance.
Risk Assessments and Pre-Flight Planning: Professional operators undertake detailed pre-site surveys, including airspace checks, weather analysis and safety risk assessments.
Qualified Operators: While certification is not always legally required, those holding recognised Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approvals have demonstrated a clear understanding of safe and responsible drone operations.
Comprehensive Reporting: Quality inspections include high-resolution imagery or video, and where relevant, expert commentary on defects or issues — adding further time and value to the service.
Three: Risks of Underpricing and Misrepresentation We urged Checkatrade to recognise that pricing drone inspections at unrealistic levels increases the likelihood of:
Consumers inadvertently hiring uninsured or unqualified operators
Low-quality outcomes due to rushed or unsafe practices
Damage to Checkatrade’s own reputation, should poor experiences occur
Four: A Call to Collaborate Rather than simply raising an objection, we invited Checkatrade to work with ARPAS-UK to ensure drone inspection services are better represented on their platform. We believe that providing guidance and realistic expectations will benefit:
Consumers, by improving transparency and safety
Qualified operators, by helping them compete fairly
Checkatrade, by upholding its reputation as a trusted source of quality services
Why This Matters
As the UK’s leading professional body for drone operators, ARPAS-UK is committed to high standards, safety and supporting consumer trust in drone services. The growing popularity of drones in the construction and property sectors brings huge benefits — but only if these services are delivered responsibly.
We believe this is an opportunity for platforms like Checkatrade to become part of the solution: helping customers make informed choices, while supporting qualified, insured, and compliant operators.
We look forward to a constructive response and hope to establish a dialogue on this important issue.
Drones in Action End User Stories: The Environment Agency (EA) employs a 24/7 drone response service, providing live-streamed footage within six hours of an incident to support flood monitoring and emergency response.
With the increasing impact of flooding in the UK, real-time data is essential for decision-making.
By using drones, the EA has improved emergency management, enhanced flood defence planning, and contributed to an estimated £4.6 billion in averted damages.
Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full
The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.
Excellent Milestone: Drone Class Marking introduced in the UK.
From 1 January 2026, drones operating in the Open Category – which covers low-risk drone flights and leisure activities – will be subject to product standards under a framework known as ‘Class Marking’, improving the safety and security of the sector.
The current transition period for the Open category is due to expire on 1 January 2026, and there were question marks about what would happen next. Today’s announcement provides visibility and clarity that the UK is moving towards adopting drone class marking, which is excellent news.
This is a long awaited outcome of the 2023 “Review of UK UAS Regulations” consultation. Back then, elements of our response to the consultation on the matter were:
“Implementing product requirements is a great step forward, so that the safety risk mitigation is not only on the remote pilot but also on the system.”
“In terms of product class marking, we certainly see the benefit of taking the class marking/ flight worthiness/ product quality assurance that have been done and funded by other Tier 1 reliable markets such as the USA, the EU, Canada, Australia… and not spending resourcing unnecessarily on it, especially in the Open category where these are global products.”
Our understanding is that the CAA will take advantage of class marking delivered by other major jurisdictions, like EASA, especially since a reasonable pool of drones are now vetted under the European class-marking scheme.
Why is the introduction of Class Marking good news?
At the moment, the A1 250g+ and A2 subcategories within the Open category are somehow useless, and that is because matching class-marked drones were not introduced.
Today, for commercial operations, flying in the Open category is probably mostly either flying in A1 with a sub 250g drone, or flying in A3 with a sub 25kg drone.
The minimum distance of 50m from uninvolved person means that this A2 subcategory is almost useless for commercial operations in an urban environment.
The introduction of class marking means that more operations will be accessible in the Open category, because the product requirements will contribute to the safety argument.
We should start asking ourselves a few questions…. including on Professionalism… Is a A2 CofC sufficient proof of remote pilot competency when operating very close from uninvolved people? Subject to what would really be authorised in A2, would a GVC be more appropriate as a minimum training level in urban environments in A2?
The A2 Certificate of Competency (A2CofC) provides basic theoretical knowledge and does not include practical flight training or assessments. While it allows drone operators to fly closer to uninvolved people under certain conditions, it does not sufficiently prepare pilots for the complexities of urban environments, where risks are higher due to dense populations, obstacles, and unpredictable scenarios. The General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC), on the other hand, includes both theoretical and practical assessments, ensuring pilots can demonstrate safe operational practices, emergency handling, and risk mitigation strategies.
Given the challenges of flying in urban settings, we query whether the GVC should become the minimum training requirement to ensure competency, improve public safety, and maintain professional standards in drone operations.
What is a Market Surveillance Authority MSA for drone Class Marking?
Formally, on Monday 17 March 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, named the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the UK’s drone Market Surveillance Authority (MSA). The MSA will be responsible for ensuring required standards for drones are met by manufacturers, as well as importers and distributors, and intervening when there is non-compliance. It means drone users will have more confidence that drones they purchase are safe and comply with safety standards.
This move positions the CAA as the lead authority responsible for setting and enforcing product standards for unmanned aircraft. It’s a significant step that promises greater regulatory clarity, better alignment with international norms, and enhanced safety across the sector.
Possibly some incremental steps will be put in place after 1 Jan 2026?
Our understanding is that changes in the Open category requires legislative change, because the Open Category is written in the 2019/047 itself – or at least decision making at Department for Transport DfT ministerial level.
It may be that not everything is fully in place from Day 1 on 1 January 2026, in which case we can assume that an incremental transition would be organised. Possibly drones that have already received class-marking or equivalent in other jurisdictions like EASA could be reviewed and class-marked in the UK by the CAA. Assessment of drones or UAS without any form of class-marking, requiring full review by the CAA, would take longer.
Providing a transition period for the pool of existing drones without Class Marking to maintain active use and relevance on 1 Jan 2026
In 2026, UAS without class marks will have been used routinely, safely, under the current Open category regime. It would make sense to offer a transition period during which they can be operated under the same transitional regime as today for a few years – until they become obsolete.
ARPAS-UK will keep you informed on this major industry step
For the UK drone industry, now is the time to stay informed and actively engage with these developments. As you know, the devil can be in the details, but we are confident.
Whether you’re a drone operator, a manufacturer, or another stakeholder, being proactive will ensure you’re ready for the coming changes.
If you’re not yet a member, join our community and stay informed with ARPAS-UK
