DroneScoutRemote ID in the United Kingdom
Last reviewed: 2026-10-06
What is Remote ID? How the technology works: the standards, what a broadcast contains, and Bluetooth vs Wi-Fi transmission.
Since 1 January 2026 the United Kingdom has its own Remote ID regime, run by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and separate from the EU's EASA rules. The shape is similar to the EU's — the trigger is a class mark, not a flat weight — but the UK uses its own marks: UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5 and UK6 instead of the EU's C1–C6.
Which drones must broadcast it?
| From | Who | Direct Remote ID |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Drones with class mark UK1, UK2, UK3, UK5 or UK6 | Built in by the manufacturer, must be used |
| 1 January 2028 | Legacy and UK0 drones of 100 g or more with a camera, including privately built drones | Required |
| 1 January 2028 | Model aircraft (e.g. UK4), unless exempted | Required |
The 2028 step is significant: at 100 g with a camera, the UK threshold for older drones will be lower than the US's 250 g. Until then, many drones flying in the UK will not broadcast anything.
What does the broadcast contain?
A UK Direct Remote ID broadcast carries the operator ID, the drone's serial number, its live position and height, the remote pilot's location, and an emergency-status flag. Like the EU and US systems, it is broadcast directly from the drone over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and picked up by nearby devices such as smartphones — no network needed.
The UK operator ID
The CAA issues operator IDs in its own format, GBR-OP-xxxxxxxxxxxx, plus a three-character private key:
- GBR-OP- followed by 12 characters is the operator ID. It is labelled on the drone, and it is what the drone broadcasts;
- the private key is entered only in the drone, together with the operator ID, to activate Remote ID. It is not broadcast.
EU operator numbers have no OP part, so a UK registration is easy to tell apart in a broadcast.
Flyer ID and pilot certificates
Since 1 January 2026, anyone flying a drone or model aircraft of 100 g or more in the UK needs a Flyer ID: a free online theory test, valid for five years. Flying closer to people with a UK2 drone needs the A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC), and most work in the specific category needs the General VLOS Certificate (GVC). The broadcast carries the operator ID, not the pilot's Flyer ID.
How to see it
UK Direct Remote ID uses the same kind of broadcast DroneScout already receives across Europe and the US. DroneScout shows each broadcasting drone live on a map, on Android and iPhone. Which transports your phone can receive varies — see the FAQ — and DroneScout Bridge closes that gap for both platforms.