UK SORA guidance: the 1 October changes aren’t happening this year
If you’re preparing a Specific Category application under UK SORA, this one matters.
The CAA has decided not to apply the changes to its UK SORA Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material that were due on 1 October 2026. The guidance published now stays in force, and the CAA plans to bring the updates together in a single release next year. It gives two reasons: feedback after ORS9 Decision No. 60 in July, and industry concern about repeated changes.
Who it affects, according to the CAA:
Not affected: Open Category flying, PDRA-01 holders, existing Specific Category authorisations, and applications already in progress.
Possibly affected: anyone preparing a new UK SORA application using the updated material, to submit after 1 October.
If that’s you, the CAA’s UK SORA application advisory service can help. The notice is on the CAA’s drones “News and updates” page, and our UK drone laws page covers the basics.
Has anyone here been part-way through a SORA application? How has it gone?