UK CAA Consults On Price Rise For PDRA Drone Applications

• UK CAA proposes increasing the price of a PDRA01 application to £500, from the current price of £234.

• The rise is part of a new charging framework to support the Digitising Specific Category Operations platform and the SORA methodology;

• CAA says this enhances safety and efficiency of applying for an Operational Authorisation to fly drones in Specific Category;

• The proposals are included in the Statutory Charges FY2025/26: Consultation Document. The consultation period runs until early January - and those involved in the industry can provide feedback.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is consulting on proposals to increase the cost of a PDRA01 application from £234 to £500.

The plan is set out in the Statutory Charges FY2025/26: Consultation Document (CAP 3047), published on November 18, 2024, and the drone community is encouraged to provide feedback before the consultation period closes early next year.

The proposed price rise is part of a new charging framework to help fund the development of the Digitising Specific Category Operations platform and the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology - which the CAA says will enhance the safety assurances and increase the speed of applying for Operational Authorisations to fly drones in the Specific Category.

For instance, the PDRA01 (pre-defined risk assessment) application process launched on the new digital platform this year has cut processing times from 13 days to 23 minutes, according to the CAA.

The CAA consultation document states: ‘The new charging framework supports the launch and further development of the digital platform and the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology.

'The development costs have been funded through the CAA’s efficiency and reinvestment plan, however, the increased ongoing cost of providing this enhanced service necessitates a higher level of ongoing funding.

‘We propose to achieve this through a combination of price increases, reflecting the significant improvement in service and inline with the user-pays concept, and through industry growth, enabled by the introduction of the SORA methodology and DSCO platform.

‘The new platform introduced efficiencies to the current approval processes for RPAS applications and the introduction of the SORA methodology alongside this new platform provides a transparent risk assessment framework, which, coupled with new Remote Pilot Competency and Flight Worthiness frameworks, will improve safety assurance to RPAS Operators and the CAA.’

As well as a proposed price increase for PDRA01 applications (described as 'declarative' by the UK CAA, the new charging framework also sets out plans for:

• Non-declarative PDRAs: The CAA says it will explore the delivery of other PDRAs, such as non-declarative PDRAs and test and evaluation PDRAs, with an initial price point of £2,185 for non-declarative PDRAs.

The consultation also highlights proposed prices for a Specific Category Operational Authorisation – Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA):

• SAIL I Initial Application and Reapplication Fee: £2,185.

• SAIL II Initial Application: £3,994 plus excess hourly rate of £312 / hour.

• SAIL II Non-technical Reapplication: £3,595 (technical reapplication charged as an initial application).

• SAIL III/IV Initial Application: £15,725 plus excess hourly rate of £468 / hour.

• SAIL III/IV Non-technical Reapplication: £8,816 (technical reapplication charged as an initial application).

• SAIL V/VI Initial Application: £45,677 plus excess hourly rate of £468 / hour.

• SAIL V/VI Non-technical Renewal: £13,420 (technical reapplication charged as an initial application).

Other proposed charges include:

• Non-SORA Operators: Applications outside the SORA framework priced at £4,992.

• Remote Pilot Certificates: A standard fee of £68 applies for certificate issuance - equivalent to the CAA’s standard administration charge.

If approved, the new charges would take effect from April 1, 2025. The UK CAA says that if the financial performance of the new platform ‘sustainably exceeds our expectations’, it will seek to lower prices for customers at the earliest opportunity. However, if the service does not recover its ongoing costs, the CAA will consult on changes in future years. The consultation period is open now and closes at midnight on January 6, 2025. Following the consultation period, the CAA will publish a response document reflecting the consultation feedback. To give your views, click here for the online submission form. To read the Consultation Document in full, click here.