Name: UK CAA A2 Certificate of Competency, Online Drone Course
Brand: Blue Skies Drone Training
SKU: A2-FOUNDING-R1
Price: 49.0 GBP
Availability: InStock

the most popular next step

The A2 CofC

Having taught more than 66,500 drone pilots since 2014, we've found that the A2 Certificate of Competency is the usual next step for drone pilots, once you have your Flyer ID.

You study online, sit the exam at home, and your certificate follows.

It allows you to fly closer to people in the Open Category than you can without it, and in places that you simply cannot fly without it.

What it allows

Where you can fly once you hold it

Without it: If your drone is too heavy for the A1 subcategory, you have to fly it in the A3 subcategory: at least 50 metres from uninvolved people, 150 metres from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas, and 50 metres from any building. In practice, open ground well away from everyone.
With it: On a class marked drone, down to 30 metres from uninvolved people, or 5 metres in low speed mode. With a 'legacy drone' under 2 kg, down to 50 metres, with the area rules gone. The full picture, drone by drone, is just below.
Overflying people: It's worth being plain about this, because it's the thing the A2 is most often assumed to allow. The A2 does not permit you to fly over uninvolved people. Not briefly, not at height, not in low speed mode. It's a certificate for flying near to uninvolved people, never over them. And no part of the Open category permits flight over a crowd. There's no distance and no height that makes either acceptable.
Weight limit: On a class marked drone, the A2 covers aircraft under 4 kg maximum take off mass. On the legacy route, the limit is under 2 kg. Heavier aircraft fly far from people in the A3 subcategory, or you can open up more opportunities by moving into the Specific category with a GVC.
Valid for: Five years from the date you pass.

Your aircraft

What it means for the drone you already own

The class mark on your aircraft decides what the A2 is worth to you. If your drone isn't shown here, ask us before you buy rather than after.

One thing before you read this list. The mark matters more than the model. Some drones were sold both with and without a class label, so two identical-looking aircraft can sit under different rules. The label on the airframe is the fact. If in doubt, check the aircraft and the box, or give us a shout if you're unsure.

Class C2 drones. The A2 at full strength: 30 metres, or 5 in low speed mode.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro
DJI Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro Cine
DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise, Thermal and Multispectral, where the aircraft carries the C2 label
DJI Matrice 30 and 30T
DJI Matrice 4E and 4T

All under 4 kg, all carrying the European C2 mark, which the UK treats as UK2 until 31 December 2027. With the A2 you fly these at 30 metres from uninvolved people, or down to 5 metres with low speed mode active. And because the 150 metre rule on residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas applies in A3, not A2, these aircraft can work where the work actually is. UK marked drones are now reaching the market, and we will keep this page current as they arrive.

Legacy drones under 2 kg. The A2 takes you from A3 to 50 metres.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom
DJI Air 2S and Mavic Air 2, where there is no class label
DJI Phantom 4, 4 Advanced and 4 Pro
DJI Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic and Mavic 3 Cine, where the aircraft carries no C1 label
DJI Mavic Pro and Mavic Pro Platinum
DJI FPV and the original Avata
Autel EVO Lite+ and EVO II Pro
Parrot Anafi

No class mark means legacy, and that is most drones flying in the UK today. Without the A2, these aircraft live in A3: 50 metres from uninvolved people, 150 metres from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas, and 50 metres from any building. With the A2, the area rules fall away and your number becomes 50 metres from uninvolved people. That is the difference between flying over open fields and working near where people actually live. The 5 metre reduction is never available on a legacy aircraft, whatever modes it has.

Already sorted without it.

If your drone is under 250 g, or carries a C0 or C1 label, the A2 changes nothing for you today. That covers the DJI Mini series, Neo, Flip, Air 3, Air 3S, Avata 2, and any Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic or Air 2S that carries a C1 label. Fly under the A1 rules and keep your money.

One thing worth knowing for later: European C marks stop being recognised on 31 December 2027, and from that date a C1 drone becomes legacy, which means A3 without an A2 or 50 metres with one. No urgency from us. The course will be here when that matters to you.

Legacy drones of 2 kg or more.

The A2 does not help here. A legacy drone of 2 kg or more stays in A3 whatever certificate you hold. An Inspire 2 is the classic example. If that is your aircraft and you need to work closer to people, the route is the Specific category and a GVC, and we would rather tell you that now than sell you the wrong course.

Not sure which yours is.

Send us the model and we will tell you straight, before you spend anything.

Why people get their a2 cofc

What changes the day you hold it

The four main reasons people give us, in the order they usually give them.

01 You stop turning work down The jobs that need you to fly closer to people are the ones you currently have to decline. This is the qualification that makes them possible.
02 You know the rules The drone rules in the UK are confusing, and change often. By getting a qualification and joining a community of like-minded pilots, you can stay ahead of any changes and be confident in your knowledge.
03 You can fly where you actually need to A house survey, a village event, a client's yard: all inside the 150 metre zone that the A3 subcategory forbids for your drone. With your A2 Certificate of Competency, these stop being places you cannot fly or work.
04 It helps you look more professional Getting a recognised CAA-approved certificate means you stand out from 'Dave with his drone from down the road' and is a great marketing tool, in addition to the direct benefits of getting the qualification. The GVC is the next step up. Nearly everyone doing paid work holds both, and this is the more cost-effective half to do first.

Meet your instructor

The most experienced drone instructor in the world

Matt Williams is an ex-RAF Combat Pilot and Flying Instructor. He has flown model planes and helicopters since he was a child, and became a super-heavy lift drone pilot for Film & TV in 2010. Since then, he's flown all over the world, from the deserts of Morocco to the Peaks of the Andes in Peru. He also built and exited the UK's largest drone training school. He wrote the first A2 CofC and GVC course material ever approved by the UK CAA, and founded the UK's first Recognised Assessment Entity in 2020. He has now trained more than 66,500 drone pilots, worldwide.

66,500+

drone pilots trained since 2014
30+

years of flying and teaching
1,000+

drone business owners coached

Reviews from people who have already joined us

In their own words

I was interested to see how this compared to the old UAV Hub days! Knocked the socks off it again. The experience and journey has been second to none and a credit to Matt and his team for the work put in to providing a world class course.

Graham Lawrie Passed with 100%

Read the full review

I was interested to see how this compared to the old UAV Hub days! Knocked the socks off it again. The experience and journey has been second to none and a credit to Matt and his team for the work put in to providing a world class course.

The experience for me has improved and the delivery and pace make it more enjoyable. Exams are always nerve wracking, however the course material covers it all and makes for an extremely enjoyable process.

A proud moment for me to get 100%, however an even more prouder moment for Matt and his team for providing such an excellent course for the beginner to expert. Good effort to all involved!

Looking forward for the community going forward and the YouTube videos!
Taking the real exam was surprisingly easy. I thought I would have to book a slot and come back later but the way BSDT enables the process was simple and straight forward, and I had my certificate nearly straight away.

Leigh Martin A2 renewal

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Hey Matt

Thank you very much for helping me to renew my A2CoC. I am generally nervous about taking courses and exams but just like the last time I worked with you towards my first certifications everything was presented comprehensively calmly and professionally.

Im really grateful that you made everything so easy to understand. It was great that I could go over the course as much as I liked and this included the option to take the mock exam as many times as I needed to.

Taking the real exam was surprisingly easy. I thought I would have to book a slot and come back later but the way BSDT enables the process was simple and straight forward, and I had my certificate nearly straight away.

My advice to anyone thinking about getting qualified to fly drones properly is find Matt Williams, book mark him and stay in touch.

You genuinely care about everyone you interact with.

THANK YOU
The course is fully online and on demand, so I could work through the training around everything else going on, and I even managed to complete the exam while away on holiday.

Jason GVC holder, adding the A2

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Just completed my A2 CofC with Blue Skies Drone Training ✅

I have GVC / PDRA01, but with the new rules for UK class marked drones, the A2CofC is useful for certain situations, enabling greater operational flexibility.

The Blue Skies drone training platform came at the right time, we have an M4E on order to supplement the M350.

One of the biggest positives for me was the flexibility.

The course is fully online and on demand, so I could work through the training around everything else going on, and I even managed to complete the exam while away on holiday. No excuses for not keeping the CPD moving.

The content is broken down into manageable, bite-sized sections and pitched at the right level, whether you're relatively new to drones or already have plenty of flying experience.

I also found the mock exam system genuinely useful. It gives you a good indication of where you're at and whether you're ready to sit the real thing.

Overall, it's a well thought out learning platform, and Blue Skies are clearly listening to feedback and continuing to improve it.

A good experience from start to finish 🙌
Matt has laid the course out brilliantly. He explains everything clearly and breaks the information down into smaller, easy-to-understand chunks.

Douglas Melvin A2 CofC

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What a great start to the week! 🚁

I've recently completed the A2 course with Blue Skies Drone Training and couldn't recommend it highly enough.

Matt has laid the course out brilliantly. He explains everything clearly and breaks the information down into smaller, easy-to-understand chunks, which makes it much easier to take in and, importantly, retain the knowledge.

The course is well structured, straightforward and really helps build your understanding and confidence as a drone pilot.

And to top it all off, I've also been a guest on Drone Seekers International, and my YouTube channel has now passed 500 subscribers! 🎉

A few exciting milestones all at once — definitely a great start to the week!

Highly recommend Blue Skies Drone Training if you're looking to take your drone qualifications to the next level. 🚁
This is quite an achievement for me, while coming in to the drone world as a novice... I highly recommend this course!

Kate Stewart New to drones

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I have just passed my A2! This is quite an achievement for me, while coming in to the drone world as a novice, who is lucky enough to live with an experienced drone pilot. My background is in Chiidren's Social Care, so not even remotely linked to drones or aviation. I'm also in Wiltshire Search & Rescue alongside Dave Speck (partner) so hope they will eventually benefit from my new and ever developing pilot skills. I highly recommend this course! Thanks again.
Really well put together, and the overall UI is very slick, no issues during the whole of the course.

Luke Gale A2 CofC, on a Mac

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Great course Matthew, really well put together, and the overall UI is very slick, no issues during the whole of the course, especially during the exam section where Macs would normally have a hissy fit at all the permissions required to (Cam, Mic etc)

... Great course thank you, will be recommending :)

The a2 cofc exam

No exam centre visit.No third parties.No waiting.

Other online drone courses hand you over to a third party examination company at the end. A new account, unfamiliar software, a booking calendar, and a slot you need to reserve in advance.

When we started Blue Skies Drone Training, we set out to remove that friction, so we built our own, just for you.

A custom Learning Management System that guides you through the learning and every required step, simply and easily.

We then designed and built our own in-house exam and invigilation software to go with it.

The training, the mock exams, the real exam and the invigilation all run in one system, and you never leave it.

There's no slot to book and no third party invigilation service to connect to.

Ready to take your exam at nine on a Tuesday night? You sit it at nine on a Tuesday night, and usually get your certificate the very next day!

Before you buy

What you'll need

It's worth checking now rather than after you have paid. The exam has real requirements and they are not negotiable.

A1/A3 certificate: You'll upload it as one of the course steps. If you've passed the CAA's free online A1/A3 test, you already have it. If you don't, don't worry; we walk you through it as part of your course.
Photo ID: Government issued, shown on camera before the exam starts. Passport or driving licence. If you don't hold either, you can still join our course, but it's best to give us a shout first, so we can tell you the extra steps we need to take.
Format: On demand, studio quality video. Learn in your own time.
Device for learning: You can complete the learning on a Phone, tablet, laptop or desktop.
Device for the exam: You can only complete the final examination on a Laptop or desktop. You cannot complete the final exam on a phone. This is due to CAA requirements that mean we have to be able to record your screen and you, during the exam.
Browser: We only officially support Google Chrome. Our learning and exam system may work with other browsers, but we don't support them, and you must complete the final exam on a Chrome Browser.
Hardware: You must have a working webcam and microphone. You'll need to be able to show a full 360-degree view of your room before starting the exam, so we can check for any unauthorised items (notes etc). So make sure you can move your webcam/laptop camera around the room during the room scan.
Room: You must sit the exam alone, in a quiet room where you will not be disturbed. You must be willing and able to complete a full 360 degree recording of your room at the start of the exam.
Screens: You must ONLY have one screen connected to your computer for the exam. Having a second monitor connected invalidates the exam session. We recommend covering any other screens in the room at the time of the exam with a sheet or cover, in addition to disconnecting them from your computer.
Internet Connection: Required throughout, for the course and the exam. There's no offline download: the CAA requires us to evidence that the whole syllabus has actually been watched, and that only works with a live connection.

After you buy the course

Exactly what happens next

No waiting to be enrolled, no exam to book, and no surprises. Five simple steps from here to a certificate.

01 Sign up and start Immediate access. No waiting to be enrolled.
02 Work through the modules About five hours of video, in your own time, on any device.
03 Prove you're ready The course walks you through everything we need as you go: your A1/A3 certificate upload, the A2 self declaration, and unlimited mock exams, with at least three passes needed.
04 Sit the exam as soon as you're ready No booking, no third party system. The exam opens right inside the course once you've completed the course, and all the pre-requisite steps.
05 Get your certificate Sent to you once you pass and we've checked your documents by hand. Valid for five years from the date of issue.

The course

Twelve modules

The course is around five hours of studio quality, on-demand videos which walk you through everything you need to know... From the rules through to the exam itself.

Everything is broken down into short videos, usually less than 4 minutes each, ensuring that the information is easy to understand, absorb and that you can learn as and when it suits you.

The course includes a full mock exam system, with unlimited attempts, so you can make sure you're ready before you sit the final exam.

01 Course Introduction
02 Air Law
03 Weather
04 UAS Flight Performance
05 Safe Flying
06 Go / No-Go Decisions
07 Flying Near People
08 Airspace Made Simple
09 Revision Module
10 Mock Exam System
11 A2 Self Declaration
12 Final Examination

What you're getting when you join bsdt

You're not just buying a course

When you join us here at Blue Skies Drone Training, you don't just get your course and certificate.

The real value comes from the additional things we include, as standard.

12 months of access to our exclusive community. A place to meet and learn from like-minded drone pilots, and direct access to the BSDT Training Team.
Monthly group coaching sessions with our CEO and Founder, THE drone industry expert, Matt Williams.
Discounts on drones, equipment and future training. Want to upgrade in the future? Give us a shout and we'll look after you as best we can, once you're a member of the BSDT Crew!

We've been doing this since 2014, and have trained more than 66,500 drone pilots in that time... The universal truth we've found over all this time is that the questions that matter arrive AFTER you've qualified.

They arrive once you start flying commercially.
When you start facing clients
On the first job that is not straightforward...

And that is exactly when other training companies leave you to figure things out on your own.

That's not how we work here at BSDT; we're here to help you succeed and we can't wait to welcome you into the BSDT Crew!

Founding members

Price £49.00

6 places left at this price

£49.00, the price now
£59.00, still to come
£69.00, still to come
£79.00, still to come
£89.00, still to come

Next step £59.00. Every 25 places moves it up again, and it reaches £99 on 7 September.

Included as standard

Unlimited mock exams.
Sit the exam the moment you're ready. No booking, no third party.
12 months access to our exclusive community & your course content.
Monthly group coaching session with our Founder & CEO.

Founding places close on 6 September.
Questions before you buy?
Call 01782 307 323

Questions

Before you start

Can I do the course on my phone?

You can do the learning on a phone or tablet. The exam is different: it has to be taken on a laptop or desktop computer, in Chrome, with a webcam and microphone. That's a condition of sitting the exam at home rather than travelling to a centre.

How long does it take?

About five hours of video, roughly an hour of mock exams, and a final test with 75 minutes available. Most people finish the test well inside that.

Most spread it over one to two weeks, in the evenings or at weekends. If you want to push, a single day is genuinely achievable. People have started first thing and had their certificate the same day, provided they had already done the flying the self declaration requires.

When can I sit the exam?

The moment you're ready. Once you've finished the course and its steps, your A1/A3 certificate uploaded, your self declaration signed and at least three mock exams passed, the exam unlocks inside the course. There's no booking and no third party exam service. Plenty of people finish in the evening and sit it there and then.

What happens if I fail?

Your resit is free.

If you fail, one of the team gets in touch, points you at the remedial training that will shore up the weak areas, and once you've worked through it you sit the exam again.

CAA guidance requires a minimum of seven days between attempts.

And the exam only unlocks after you've passed at least three mocks, so by the time you sit it, most people never need this answer.

Do I need this to fly commercially?

No. There's no qualification requirement for commercial drone work in the UK. What you need is the right operator ID and flyer ID for the aircraft you're flying, and commercial drone insurance.

What the A2 gives you is reach. It lets you do more with the drone you already have, and fly in places you otherwise couldn't. That's what you're buying, and it's worth being straight about it.

Do I need to be online the whole time?

Yes. There's no offline download. The CAA requires us to record your progress through the course, and that only works with a live connection.

What do I need for the exam?

A laptop or desktop, Google Chrome, a working webcam and microphone, and a quiet room where you're on your own. You'll be asked to record a full 360 degree sweep of the room before you start.

You also need to be using a single screen. If you have a second monitor connected, the recording is invalidated, so disconnect it before you begin.

You'll also need government issued photo ID, a passport or driving licence, shown on camera before you start.

When do I get access?

Straight away. You'll have access as soon as your order is confirmed, which is also why you're asked to acknowledge that starting immediately means giving up the right to cancel. If you're not sure, ring us on 01782 307 323 before you buy rather than after.

What's included beyond the course itself?

Twelve months in the community, and a monthly group coaching session with Matt. Both are part of what you're buying rather than an extra.

What does being a founding member actually mean?

Three things, and none of them is a discount.

You're joining before it opens to everyone. It's built, it's been through a full beta, and people have already passed and received their certificates. But it's still being improved, and we'd rather say so than pretend otherwise.

You get asked what you think, and it changes things. The last group's feedback produced nearly two hundred changes to the course in ten days. That's the bit that matters: founding members aren't buying early, they're shaping what everyone else gets.

And you're recognised as one, permanently, in the community.

Places are capped, the price steps up as they go, and this doesn't run twice.

I already hold an A2. Can I use this to renew?

Yes, and that is the right route. There is no shorter refresher: you take the course again, because enough has changed in five years that a recap would leave gaps.

Fly closer, legally