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New Civil Aviation Authority figures show a dramatic collapse in Flyer ID renewals, with over 100,000 competency certificates expiring in 2024 against just 6,954 renewals—raising fears of mass non-compliance among UK drone operators.
- New UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) figures released under FOI (Ref: F0007412, letter dated 23 June 2025 obtained by HireDronePilot) show a dramatic fall‑off in Flyer ID renewals, the competency credential required to fly drones in the UK.
- The Flyer ID system was introduced in December 2019 with a five-year validity period. 2024 therefore marks the first major renewal cycle, providing the first opportunity to see how many pilots are actually renewing their competency credentials.
- In 2024, CAA recorded 100,739 Flyer IDs expiring without renewal against only 6,954 Flyer ID renewals (a 14:1 expiry‑to‑renewal ratio).
- In the first five months of 2025 alone (to 31 May 2025), 98,601 Flyer IDs expired, while just 2,296 were renewed — a 43:1 ratio. If that pace continues, 2025 expiries would annualise to roughly 237,000.
- By contrast, Operator ID renewals (the registration for the person or business responsible for a drone) appear far more robust, yet churn remains high: 256,410 Operator IDs had expired since launch as of 31 May 2025.
The Flyer ID is the UK's mandatory competency certificate for drone pilots, introduced in December 2019 with a five-year validity period. 2024 marked the first major renewal cycle, providing the earliest insight into whether pilots are maintaining their qualifications.
What the numbers show:
"Hundreds of thousands of people took the Flyer ID test in 2019, but the renewal data shows the system is losing them at scale," said Peter Leslie. (linkedin), a GVC-certified drone pilot and director of HireDronePilot, which obtained the FOI data. "We're heading for a compliance cliff—and a communications failure."
Flying a drone in the UK without a valid Flyer ID is illegal in most circumstances and can void insurance cover. The sharp drop-off suggests tens of thousands of pilots may be operating without realising their credentials have lapsed.
The UK's drone registration system splits responsibility into two IDs:
While Operator ID renewals remain relatively steady, Flyer ID renewals have collapsed—suggesting confusion between the two systems, ineffective renewal reminders, or a large cohort of one-time test-takers who never intended to fly regularly.
Experts point to several factors:
Data source: Civil Aviation Authority response to FOI Ref F0007412 (dated 23 June 2025), covering calendar years 2019–2025 (year-to-date as at 31 May 2025). Full datasets and visualisations: https://hiredronepilot.uk/how-many-drone-pilots-uk
Ends
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries:
Peter Leslie, HireDronePilot
Peter@hiredronepilot.uk
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