UK Civil Aviation Authority appointed as Market Surveillance Authority for drones to enhance safety

Credit: UK Civil Aviation Authority

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been appointed as the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA) for drones, a role announced on 17 March 2024 by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. This move aims to enhance safety and promote growth in the drone sector.

From 1 January 2026, drones in the Open Category – which includes low-risk flights and recreational use – will need to meet new product standards under the Class Marking framework. This is part of a broader effort to improve safety and security. The CAA, as the MSA, will ensure compliance with these standards among manufacturers, importers, and distributors, intervening when necessary. This will provide consumers with more confidence in the safety of the drones they purchase.

Sophie O’Sullivan, Head of Future Safety and Innovation at the CAA, stated, “This is a really important role to assist in our work regulating and enabling the expanding drone sector. As drones become more commonplace in everyday life, protecting public safety and interest is critical. These new powers will help us continue to uphold the highest safety standards across the industry.”

The MSA’s responsibilities will include ensuring that required standards for drones are met, overseeing the conformity assessment framework, and managing Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), third-party organisations responsible for verifying compliance. The CAA will also help the MSA function evolve as the regulatory environment develops.

This initiative, based on retained EU law, will cover drones weighing less than 25kg in the Open Category. By taking on this new role, the CAA aims to support the safe and sustainable growth of the drone industry while ensuring high safety standards are upheld. The CAA is also recruiting specialists to assist in managing, overseeing, and approving the regulatory processes for this sector.

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