The Open Category is split into three subcategories defined by how close you can fly to uninvolved people. Knowing which one your flight falls under is the foundation of legal operating.
How the Open Category is structured
The Open Category is the lowest-risk tier of drone flying and is split into three subcategories — A1, A2 and A3. The dividing line between them is proximity to uninvolved people, and which one applies depends on both your drone and your qualifications.
A1 — fly over people
A1 permits flying close to, and in limited cases over, uninvolved people — but never over assemblies or crowds. It is reserved for the smallest aircraft: sub-250g drones (C0) and C1-class drones under 900g. Think a lightweight camera drone capturing a city scene where a few passers-by are unavoidable.
A2 — fly close to people
A2 lets you operate near uninvolved people without flying directly over them, using a C2-class drone under 4kg and holding an A2 Certificate of Competency. The safe horizontal distance is 30 metres, reducing to 5 metres in low-speed mode. A typical example is a property or survey shoot on the edge of a built-up area.
A3 — fly far from people
A3 is the "away from people" subcategory. You must keep at least 150 metres from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas, and well clear of uninvolved people. It accommodates larger aircraft up to 25kg (C3 and C4). Surveying open farmland or an isolated industrial site fits squarely here.
Class marks and the transition
These subcategories assume class-marked (C0–C4) drones. Many operators still fly legacy aircraft bought before class marking, which sit under transitional provisions with their own distance rules. Always check whether your specific drone is class-marked or legacy, because it changes which subcategory you can legally operate in.
Get the subcategory right and most everyday commercial work is perfectly achievable in the Open Category. Get it wrong and an otherwise routine flight becomes an illegal one — so it is worth being precise before every job.
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